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Author
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Topic: Finding signed secondhand space books
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ColinBurgess
Member Posts: 2031
From: Sydney, Australia
Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 09-15-2006 04:51 PM
   
How many have had a stroke of good fortune when buying a secondhand book on a space flight topic? Personally, I've enjoyed some minor successes, such as a cheap hardback copy of "Always Another Dawn" that I later discovered was signed by Scott Crossfield. In the mid-80s I also saw an Apollo 11 crew-signed photo in a secondhand book shop in San Francisco, and bought it for nine dollars because the guy said the signatures had been done with an autopen machine. (I knew they were genuine!) But what great signed bargains has anyone else picked up when rummaging through those creaking shelves or at book sales? |
Aztecdoug
Member Posts: 1405
From: Huntington Beach
Registered: Feb 2000
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posted 09-15-2006 05:35 PM
I have found a few bargains here and there. I guess the all time best for me was a signed copy of "Mission to Mars," for about $3.50. That made me happy. |
MCroft04
Member Posts: 1634
From: Smithfield, Me, USA
Registered: Mar 2005
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posted 09-15-2006 11:45 PM
I purchased a copy of Countdown online and was surprised to find a Borman signature (not an autopen and I've been told it is good from a knowledgeable source). |
MB
Member Posts: 155
From: Olmsted Falls, Ohio U.S.A.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 09-16-2006 07:56 AM
I bought a copy of "Moonwalker" at a used bookstore which I later noticed had Charlie Duke and his wife's autographes on the front cover. |
archie_gus
Member Posts: 39
From: melbourne, fl
Registered: Apr 2002
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posted 09-16-2006 08:11 AM
I had three lucky breaks: a Jim Irwin signed "To Rule the Night" found in a Chicago used book store, a Charlie Duke signed "Moonwalker" found in Pittsburgh, and a Bill Anders signed and inscribed copy of "The Right Stuff" found in Boston. I keep looking for more. |
Dwight
Member Posts: 576
From: Germany
Registered: Dec 2003
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posted 09-16-2006 08:27 AM
I ordered a copy of David Shayler's Skylab book second hand off eBay for around 7£. When I opened it up I found it autographed by Jerry Carr with full mission inscription! |
John K. Rochester
Member Posts: 1292
From: Rochester, NY, USA
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 09-16-2006 08:37 AM
I found an Alan Shepard autographed copy of "Moonshot" at a used book store and a Jim Irwin autographed copy of "To Rule the Night" at the library! Took the book out, replaced it with a brand new copy (with the OK of the library). You NEVER know what you'll find so ALWAYS check out space books at used stores and flea markets. |
machbusterman
Member Posts: 1778
From: Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland
Registered: May 2004
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posted 09-16-2006 10:57 AM
An Alan Shepard signed (on a bookplate) 1st edition 1st printing hardback copy of Moonshot on eBay for $29.95 which no-one else bid on  . |
Kirsten
Member Posts: 536
From: Delft, Netherlands
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted 09-16-2006 11:05 AM
I once had a "Schirra's Space" on loan from the Rotterdam library. It had something in it which looked like Wally Schirra's autograph, but I wasn't really sure about the authenticity so I gave it back after reading. |
MarylandSpace
Member Posts: 1336
From:
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 09-16-2006 12:37 PM
I, too, have fun at second hand bookstores.The autographed books I have found are Charlie Duke's "Moonwalker", Scott Carpenter's "For Spacious Skies", and Ledbedev's "Diary of a Cosmonaut". |
nasamad
Member Posts: 2121
From: Essex, UK
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 09-17-2006 04:49 AM
I bought a paperback copy of Irwin's "To Rule the Night" online just as a reading copy and when it arrived I found it was signed by Irwin. It cost me one dollar! |
Shuttlefan
Member Posts: 173
From: 41366 Schwalmtal, Germany
Registered: Oct 2002
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posted 09-17-2006 06:35 AM
Someone who owed me a favour asked me what book he could get me as a gift and I 'ordered' "Failure Is Not An Option", and opening it I found a bookplate signature of Gene Kranz which I had not expected nor ordered. Once I bought a first edition of Dornberger's V2-book on a flea market for a good price and it displayed Hermann Oberth's signature on the front page. |
Oldbru
Member Posts: 26
From: Phoenix, AZ
Registered: Aug 2006
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posted 09-17-2006 03:14 PM
Years ago, I was browsing in a Borders book store and saw a stack of closeout copies of Jim Lovell's "Lost Moon". I picked one up and took it home. I started reading it and found a "James Lovell" autograph on the title page. I rushed back to the store and checked out the rest, but that was the only signed copy they had. It must have been a leftover from his book signing tour. |
DavidH
Member Posts: 1217
From: Huntsville, AL, USA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted 09-18-2006 10:03 AM
I had a similar experience to that in the non-space field with a Douglas Coupland book I picked up at Barnes and Noble.The closest thing I've had to something like that in the space field was with a copy of a Lee Belew-signed Skylab EP I ordered off eBay. I bought it knowing it was signed, and when I got it, I looked to see whether it was inscribed. Indeed it was -- to George Mueller. |
astroborg
Member Posts: 200
From: Woodbridge, VA, USA
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 09-18-2006 10:13 AM
I've just picked up an autographed copy of Jerry Linenger's "Off the Planet". $7.50 at a used bookstore. |
Danno
Member Posts: 572
From: Ridgecrest, CA - USA
Registered: Jun 2000
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posted 09-18-2006 11:09 AM
I've picked up the following signed books at used bookstores: - Lost Moon (2 copies at different places)
- Moonshot
- To Rule the Night (1 hardback, 1 paperback)
- On Course to the Stars (by author, not Don Chaffee)
- Angle of Attack (by author, not Stormy)
- All American Boys (original edition)
Remember: if you don't look you'll never find one! |
DChudwin
Member Posts: 1096
From: Lincolnshire IL USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 09-19-2006 08:19 PM
As I have posted a while back, I found for less than $10 a signed copy of Mike Collins' Carrying the Fire in a used bookstore in Madison WI about 1977. |
munjum1
Member Posts: 36
From: Minnesota
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 09-21-2006 08:44 AM
I built most of my space exploration library at second hand bookstores. My success story is a copy of "Lost Moon" signed by Jim Lovell for $6.50. Mr. Lovell was kind enough to sign a copy of "Apollo 13" through the mail prior to this find, but I could not resist picking up a second copy. |
mikelarson
Member Posts: 293
From: Port Washington, NY
Registered: Jan 2005
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posted 09-21-2006 09:06 PM
Not a book, but a coworker of mine was watching Antiques Roadshow last year and saw one of those stories about a lady finding a rare painting covered inside an old framed picture he bought at a secondhand shop for $6. The story got him thinking about a similar old picture he bought at a flea market for $2 a few years ago. He dug it out of his closet and took everything apart and found a very nice judicial proclamation signed by Woodrow Wilson behind the framed photo. |
mjanovec
Member Posts: 3811
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 09-22-2006 02:53 PM
I'm also reminded of the Antiques Roadshow segment where someone had a painting of the Titanic... but the painting wasn't what was valuable... it was the menu pasted to the backside that was printed on the ship the day it sank. The appraiser valued it somewhere in the $250,000-$500,000 range, if I remember correctly. |
Wehaveliftoff
Member Posts: 2343
From:
Registered: Aug 2001
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posted 09-25-2006 07:32 PM
I bought a copy of Jim Lovell's book, and another time a copy of Sally Ride's Mars book for bargain prices. |
collocation
Member Posts: 383
From: McLean, VA, USA
Registered: Feb 2004
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posted 09-29-2006 12:51 PM
Went to a library book sale today, looked at the John Glenn book that I already have and this copy was signed, only a $1.50. Library books sales are a great resource of space stuff, I got a signed Jim Lovell Lost Moon last time for $1.50. |
mikepf
Member Posts: 441
From: San Jose, California, USA
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 09-07-2007 12:06 PM
My space find was a signed "John Glenn, A Memoir" for $8.00. One time in my young and ignorant days I almost had a heart attack when I saw U.S. Grant's signature in a first edition copy of his autobiography. It took me a couple of seconds to realize it was printed. For $20.00, I bought it anyway. |
disglobes
Member Posts: 594
From: Orting, WA
Registered: May 2000
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posted 09-07-2007 08:23 PM
I have bought multiple copies of "Lost Moon" signed by Jim Lovell for 9.99 each, multiple copies of "The Way of the Explorer" signed by Edgar Mitchell for 4.99, a hardback copy of "To Rule The Night" uninscribed by Jim Irwin for 40.00, three copies of "Last Man on the Moon" signed by Gene Cernan (one copy signed by Cernan and Stafford) for 9.99, Tex Johnston's autobiography signed by him for 4.99, and a copy of "Yeager" signed by Chuck Yeager uninscribed for 50 cents. |
Aztecdoug
Member Posts: 1405
From: Huntington Beach
Registered: Feb 2000
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posted 09-07-2007 11:41 PM
Funny thing happened to me on the way to Spacefest. I ordered a couple of used copies of, "Last Man on the Moon," for Gene to sign in Phoenix. Well, none of them came in time. I also made a BIG mistake of not simply buying one from Novaspace while I was there, but I digress.I got home and the two books were waiting for me in the mail box. One of them was mangled, which I returned. The second one that I paid $4 for was also unsuitable to send off to sign, because it was already signed! Not bad for $4 I guess, it sort of took the sting out of the other one which was pretty beat up. Life is indeed good. |
Mark Zimmer
Member Posts: 289
From:
Registered: Aug 2004
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posted 09-12-2007 04:40 PM
quote:
Originally posted by mikepf:
I almost had a heart attack when I saw U.S. Grant's signature in a first edition copy of his autobiography.
People are always making this mistake as sellers on eBay with the Grant memoirs and the Mark Twain collected set; the Twain actually did have some sets with a signature tipped in to the first volume, but the rest are all printed, so it's doubly confusing. |
hou1984
New Member Posts: 7
From: Alvin, TX, USA
Registered: Apr 2007
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posted 11-11-2007 02:29 PM
I've also had some luck finding autographed copies at second hand/rare book stores, such as a signed copy of Alan Shepard's "Moon Shot" for $5. I've also found an unsigned first edition copy of "Letters to John Glenn" for .50. I in turned mailed that to Senator Glenn, and now I have a nice inscribed copy sitting in my book case. |
Russ Still
Member Posts: 535
From: Atlanta, GA USA
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-11-2007 07:19 PM
I've found the odd astro-signed book at used book stores over the years. Gotten lucky 3, maybe 4 times, and picked up valuable signed books for under $10. It does add to the excitement, rummaging thru the stacks hoping to find a signed one. |
FutureAstronaut
Member Posts: 372
From:
Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 11-17-2007 12:41 PM
Today I got a hardcover copy of "We Have Capture" which I bought from Amazon. The description was... "hardcover, significant wear".
Got it today... perfect condition, and it is signed "To the Bruce Family- Best Wishes, General Tom Stafford". No way was any of that in the description. Best part is that I only payed a PENNY! |
daveblog
Member Posts: 135
From: Bergenfield, NJ USA
Registered: May 2004
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posted 11-17-2007 04:07 PM
About two years ago at the goodwill by me I got very lucky and found a signed copy of one of Isaac Asimov's books. The best part is that it was inscribed to David. Very appropriate for me. |
FutureAstronaut
Member Posts: 372
From:
Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 11-17-2007 04:36 PM
quote:
Originally posted by daveblog:
The best part is that it was inscribed to David.
Very cool! The one I got today was pretty appropriate too. Being inscribed to the "Bruce Family", and my dad's name is Bruce.
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Tykeanaut
Member Posts: 2212
From: Worcestershire, England, UK.
Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 06-12-2010 08:03 AM
Browsing through a second-hand book store whilst on holiday in Canada last week I came across a signed copy of "Off the Planet" by Jerry Linenger for $7.50 CDN. That's got to be a bargain? |
albatron
Member Posts: 2732
From: Stuart, Florida
Registered: Jun 2000
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posted 06-12-2010 11:50 AM
I've been searching all the Goodwills and Salvation Armys (and other thrift stores) in a 4 county area looking for some favorite florida authors (if anyone has a signed or unsigned copy of "Sanibel Flats" by Randy Wayne White Im interested. ).I recently was at the SA in Pompano Beach and found a copy of Encounter with tiber, and a signed Buzz bookplate. For 50 cents I figured why not, eh?  Gave it to a friend. It's good to "share the wealth", she appreciated it very much. |
Kite
Member Posts: 831
From: Northampton UK
Registered: Nov 2009
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posted 06-13-2010 07:36 AM
For my birthday almost two years ago my daughter and son-in-law bought me, after asking what space book I would like, "For Spacious Skies" by Scott Carpenter and his daughter Kris Stoever. They apologised that they could only obtain a second hand copy but I did not mind and when it arrived it was in very good condition and I was delighted to see it was signed by both authors, a great bonus. I did e-mail the Scott Carpenter website to say how much I enjoyed the book and had a lovely reply from Kris. Last September I met Scott in Birmingham UK, which was a great thrill, and asked if Kris had accompanied him to which he replied she had not. Hopefully another time Kris? |
Dan Lorraine
Member Posts: 373
From: Cranston, R.I.
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-13-2010 11:58 AM
quote:
Originally posted by mjanovec:
The appraiser valued it somewhere in the $250,000-$500,000 range, if I remember correctly.
The Titanic menu was appraised at $75 - $100K and sold at auction for $74,750 which included the buyers premium. |
NJSPACEFAN
Member Posts: 128
From: Ocala, FL USA
Registered: Dec 2000
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posted 06-16-2010 02:52 PM
Ordered Charlie and Dottie Duke's Moonwalker through a second hand dealer on Abebooks. Just looking for a clean reference copy. Ordered one for $7.99 and got it today - beautiful shape and autographed by both!! Description didn't indicate it was signed. A most welcome surprise! |
woodg2
Member Posts: 133
From: Madison AL
Registered: Feb 2010
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posted 07-10-2010 09:18 PM
I have also found several signed books in used bookstores and flea markets over the years. My best find was a copy of Men From Earth signed and inscribed by Neil Armstrong for $25.50 in a used bookstore in Houston about 5 years ago. |
Chuck_Joe
Member Posts: 62
From: Belgium
Registered: Dec 2002
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posted 07-13-2010 05:48 AM
Years ago I found on a flea market in Belgium a box with a lot of astronaut autographed litho's, early years of the Space Shuttle program (1982-1985). I also found an autograph litho of Neil Armstrong between all this stuff...Price for the box...100$ |
Aztecdoug
Member Posts: 1405
From: Huntington Beach
Registered: Feb 2000
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posted 07-19-2010 07:12 PM
I just found a signed first edition first print copy of Milt Thompson's book At the Edge of Space. It is only the third copy I had ever seen or heard of over the years. That was the best $70 I have spent in awhile.It is #15 on the Boggs Space list of Holy Grails, the rarest SIGNED SpaceBooks. |
capoetc
Member Posts: 2169
From: McKinney TX (USA)
Registered: Aug 2005
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posted 07-20-2010 10:09 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Aztecdoug:
I just found a signed first edition first print copy of Milt Thompson's book At the Edge of Space.
Wow, that's a great find. Was it sold as signed, or did you just find it in a book store? I love that book, by the way... highly recommended for anyone interested in 1960's Edwards AFB activities. |
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