Book Signing

CMoore · Jul 14, 2023

In another thread, one of our members was discussing the cost of photo books.

Said book is 150 of whatever the currency is.
He mentioned that is was not signed.

I place Zero Value on a signature in a book.
If Joe Namath has a book for sale, and one is 100 with no signature or 140 with........... i would buy the cheaper book.

Do you guys 'care' or place value on an authors signature.?

Alex Benjamin · Jul 14, 2023

Depends on who's the author.

For example, I wouldn't buy any book by Joe Namath, signed or not. Joe Montana? I'd think about it. Jerry Rice? Yeah, for him, I'd shell the extra 40 bucks.

AnselMortensen · Jul 14, 2023

I collect photography books, many are signed.
I prefer having books signed in-person, at gallery openings, etc. because I get to interact with the photographer, ask questions, etc.
Many photographers whose work I admire... um...'aren't signing anything anymore', unfortunately.

Vaughn · Jul 14, 2023

I friend of mine buys only signed photo books -- a desperate attempt at slowing his buying of books down.

logan2z · Jul 14, 2023

I think the OP was referring to a post I made about a newly reissued Robert Adams book by Steidl.

I generally don't care if a photobook is signed. My comment was merely that a photobook in the $170 range will typically be signed by the artist. The fact that the Steidl book (120 pages, 56 images) was in that price range and not signed was surprising to me.

That said, I will pay a premium for a signed book depending on the artist. For example, I am a big Robert Adams fan and have purchased books signed by him and gladly paid the premium asking price. I will also opt for a signed version of a book if the cost difference between the signed/unsigned book is reasonable. I recently purchased a Danny Lyon book directly from the publisher and the signed version was - surprisingly - only $10 more than the unsigned version. So buying the signed version was a no-brainer.

logan2z · Jul 14, 2023

Vaughn said:
I friend of mine buys only signed photo books -- a desperate attempt at slowing his buying of books down.

Does it work?

CMoore · Jul 15, 2023

logan2z said:
I think the OP was referring to a post I made about a newly reissued Robert Adams book by Steidl.

I generally don't care if a photobook is signed. My comment was merely that a photobook in the $170 range will typically be signed by the artist. The fact that the Steidl book (120 pages, 56 images) was in that price range and not signed was surprising to me.

That said, I will pay a premium for a signed book depending on the artist. For example, I am a big Robert Adams fan and have purchased books signed by him and gladly paid the premium asking price. I will also opt for a signed version of a book if the cost difference between the signed/unsigned book is reasonable. I recently purchased a Danny Lyon book directly from the publisher and the signed version was - surprisingly - only $10 more than the unsigned version. So buying the signed version was a no-brainer.

Yes, it was your post that 'spurred' my Interest/Question.
In the past, i have made people feel as if they were being 'attacked" when i referenced their post.
So now i avoid it if possible..
You are just a generic example, purely academic, no right or wrong answer here.
Lots of ways to look at this. In your scenario above................ some might see it as a 'no-brainier' as you say.
Others might observe that the signature is only an additional 10 bux. That number is so small. you could argue the signature adds no value at all.
Again, absolutely no right or wrong perception.
It is worth whatever each individual buyer says it is.

MTGseattle · Jul 15, 2023

I'm in the camp of if it's a photographer I really like, I will weigh the extra cost of the "signed copy." If I'm buying used, I generally try not to get gouged by someone selling a signed copy vs an unsigned somewhere else.
As a tangent to artist/author signatures is the gift inscription sometimes found in used books. I have " In a Sunburned Country" by Bill Bryson with a pretty odd and funny inscription in it.

Alex Benjamin · Jul 15, 2023

CMoore said:
you could argue the signature adds no value at all.

It is worth whatever each individual buyer says it is.

I really think that unless you're dealing with a collector—I'm almost tempted to say "professional collector"—, the value is always personal, if not sentimental. As I mentioned in my football-themed example, Joe Namath meant nothing to me while Jerry Rice was my football hero growing up. Like logan2z, I'm a Robert Adams fan. I wouldn't go out of my way to get a signed copy, but should I find one at a price that's within my budget, I would take it. I wouldn't do so for, say, Joel Meyerowitz, even though I like his work, but I would understand why someone else would.

Moreover, if I knew Robert Adams or Stephen Shore were in town, I certainly would bring a copy I already own of one of their books to have it signed. I would think of it as adding sentimental value to the book, not monetary.

Show me a signed original edition of any of Gordon Parks' books and, for that, I'm willing to put money aside to get. Because, well, Gordon Parks ...

pentaxuser · Jul 15, 2023

Vaughn said:
I friend of mine buys only signed photo books -- a desperate attempt at slowing his buying of books down.

pentaxuser

Vaughn · Jul 15, 2023

logan2z said:
Does it work?

So far -- and hopefully it will make it easier to sell them eventually. Yeah, right....

Alan Edward Klein · Jul 15, 2023

When I bought Niki Butcher's (wife of Clyde), first published book of painted photos, it was a gift to my wife. I asked Niki to address it to my wife Janet and sign off and she that on the title page before shipping it to me at no additional cost. It personalized my gift and who knows, may add value later.

Vaughn · Jul 15, 2023

Actually, some photographers will ask you if you want it personalized or not. In theory, non-personalized is more valuable on the used book market. Unless you are a famous person also, I suppose...

Alan Edward Klein · Jul 16, 2023

Vaughn said:
Actually, some photographers will ask you if you want it personalized or not. In theory, non-personalized is more valuable on the used book market. Unless you are a famous person also, I suppose...

I don't think my wife's going to become famous. But the inscription does make it more personal and worth it.

Mike Lopez · Jul 16, 2023

Alan Edward Klein said:
When I bought Niki Butcher's (wife of Clyde), first published book of painted photos, it was a gift to my wife. I asked Niki to address it to my wife Janet and sign off and she that on the title page before shipping it to me at no additional cost. It personalized my gift and who knows, may add value later.

What are “painted photos,” and do they comport with what you recently defined photography to be in another thread?

Alan Edward Klein · Jul 16, 2023

Mike Lopez said:
What are “painted photos,” and do they comport with what you recently defined photography to be in another thread?

Here's her link. She paints BW photographs. Yes it comports with my definition of photographs because a camera took the shot to begin with. They weren't originally created with a computer.

Niki Butcher Hand Painted Photography - Clyde Butcher | Black & White Fine Art Photography

clydebutcher.com

Here's the method she uses to paint BW photos:

Niki’s Technique - Clyde Butcher | Black & White Fine Art Photography

AN ARTIST’S TECHNIQUE Inspired by the old hand painted postcards of the 1930s, Niki first started painting her black and white photographs in the 1980s. She was fascinated by the gentle surreal quality of the old images and wanted to create the beautiful pastel tones within her modern-day...

clydebutcher.com

VinceInMT · Jul 22, 2023

I don’t collect signed books but I have a few. If I have a signed book it’s because I’ve gone to a signing and met the author. For example, some years ago I did drive to a bookstore in Santa Monica to meet Douglas Adams and have him sign one of his books. Meeting him was a thrill for me. A friend is a writer and I have most of his books signed personally to me, partially I’m sometimes mentioned in the acknowledgements or in the actual text. The last thing I had signed was a vinyl LP by Mary Gauthier after one of her shows. Photographically, John Sexton came to do a workshop in a photography class I took at at Cal State Long Beach and he handed out posters on one of his prints that he was happy to sign. It’s framed in my man cave now.

Book Signing

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