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Turning books sold by the ounce?

J

JeffSmith

Joined
Aug 6, 2009
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Location
Lummi Island, WA
A while back I was trying to locate a copy of Robin Wood’s book The Wooden Bowl to add to my library. Its been over a year since my initial searches and, truth be told it has not been at the top of my list so I was surprised I’ve used Abe Books to locate hard to find books in the past and have generally been pleased with the results, I was surprised to see some recent emails from them…they located two copies in different stores priced at $892. Today, they found a copy in a small store within a half-hour’s drive for $1,142.
As I said - Abe Books has been a good source of hard to find books in the past - mostly languishing away in smaller bookstore shelves - that’s their claim to fame - but this seems a little out of reach for a retiree. Are out of print turning books that much in demand?
 
ebook copy for 9.99 on better world books

I don't know if it is accurate but it says the hardcover was last published in 2006? Would be kind of hard to justify those prices for a book that new I would think.

*edit* the ebook was a click bait it was to a book about bowls but not the right one. However amazon has the real deal for $53 from a seller that has terrible reviews.
 
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You didn't learn about a free market, or supply and demand in school? Anything can be sold at any price, simple. There are a plethora of wonderful videos and books on turning bowls to meet any budget. Plus turning bowls is hardly a complex science
 
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Yep. Like Richard said- The actual price of pretty much everything is whatever someone is willing to pay for it - I could ask $10,000.00 for one of my bowls... But unless someone came along that felt it was worth that much *to them* , I'd never sell it. Same with books, They might ask $1,000 for it, but unless there's someone with what I like to call "More Money than Brains" , they likely won't get their asking price any time soon. Eventually they will have to start dropping price until someone feels the deal is too good to pass up... Chances are that'll be someone with deeper pockets (or less brains) than you, but you never know...
 
I was fortunate enough to snag a copy of this book last year from the center for art in wood, now the museum for art in wood, for $50 plus shipping. Unfortunately they no longer carry it. It took me several months of off and on searching to stumble on anyone who would sell it for less than $500 so if you can find a copy for $50 it is worth diving on.
I wish Robin Wood would get it republished because it is a really cool book and has a lot of historic value for the craft.
 
Noah Peters said:
I was fortunate enough to snag a copy of this book last year from the center for art in wood, now the museum for art in wood, for $50 plus shipping. Unfortunately they no longer carry it. It took me several months of off and on searching to stumble on anyone who would sell it for less than $500 so if you can find a copy for $50 it is worth diving on.
I wish Robin Wood would get it republished because it is a really cool book and has a lot of historic value for the craft.
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That’s what I was hoping for - just going to bide my time and wait for a reasonable deal. I was able to take a quick look at a copy a few years ago, been searching ever since. I, too wish Robin or his publisher would consider a reissue…
 
That is a nice investment. I finally bought something for a reasonable amount of money......Robin Wood's book.....and now you are telling me that it is worth $500+.
At that price, I might consider selling it.
It is a good book. I like books.
Wish all my investments went that well.
 
Most of the time, the outlandish book prices you occasionally see are the result of an algorithm pricing based on availability across multiple platforms. I bet if you contact the third party directly they would give you a reasonable deal on the book.

If you’re curious, here is an article about algorithm pricing: https://www.fastcompany.com/90318152/the-dark-lesson-of-a-24-million-amazon-book
 
Michael Anderson said:
Most of the time, the outlandish book prices you occasionally see are the result of an algorithm pricing based on availability across multiple platforms. I bet if you contact the third party directly they would give you a reasonable deal on the book.

If you’re curious, here is an article about algorithm pricing: https://www.fastcompany.com/90318152/the-dark-lesson-of-a-24-million-amazon-book
Click to expand...

The thing that scares me the most is that we won’t even know when the technology is not working. The problems with ai won’t look like what happens in scifi books. It will be slow and insidious, but just as devastating. Even now how many industries are saying they can’t find qualified applicants for openings? The only thing that has changed is the reliance on algorithms, and the HR people trust the algorithm implicitly.
 
I just went to Amazon, searched, and bought a new copy for $60 inc tax and shipping. Don’t know if they have more. We will see if they deliver.
 
Michael, you may need to refresh your screen. I saw this seller, and after reading reviews sent them a note. Unfortunately they haven't answered and after Alan posted his purchase they stopped showing it available.
This seller, from what I can gather from their postings, searches for the book to deliver. Note the several week delivery time. My question to them was how long before a refund if they can't find one. Wishing Alan good luck on actual delivery! Please keep us posted.
 
Like a flash it’s gone. That was last night when I saw it, screen refreshed. What an interesting way to do business. It’s like you’re purchasing an IOU. Frustrating.
 
Robin's book was published in 2005 by the UK publisher Stobart Davies Ltd. I have just spoken to them and they confirm it is out of print with no plans to re-print. Haven't spoken to Robin yet but will do so to see if he would consider publishing it. The book world has changed a lot since 2005!
 
Ebay and Amazon both allow a practice called arbitrage. Basically, you post something for sale you don't have, but can buy cheaper from somewhere else. You take the order at the inflated price and then order it and have it drop shipped from the original seller. Not a darn thing you can do about it. You can buy software to do this yourself. No inventory, no investment, just price gouging the unaware. It's legal, and Ebay and Amazon allow it.

For those of you unfamiliar with this book (and by at least one of the responses some of you are) it is not about turning bowls. It is a history of the wood bowl and how they have been made over the ages. Lot's of photos of historical pieces from old collections, museums and archeological recovery. Discussion about finish and tools, etc. Really fascinating to those that think beyond just what's happening in their own workshop. Robin Wood is not only a great turner working in a traditional manner, but an excellent historian as well. Highly recommended.
 
Brent@TurnRobust said:
For those of you unfamiliar with this book (and by at least one of the responses some of you are) it is not about turning bowls. It is a history of the wood bowl and how they have been made over the ages. Lot's of photos of historical pieces from old collections, museums and archeological recovery. Discussion about finish and tools, etc. Really fascinating to those that think beyond just what's happening in their own workshop. Robin Wood is not only a great turner working in a traditional manner, but an excellent historian as well. Highly recommended.
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I emphatically second Brent's recommendation. The book is so much more. Turners tend to be ignorant of the history of the craft and how diverse its products once were. So much has been lost, or at least forgotten. E.g., spindle work has become a minor component in discussions. Looking around the instant gallery at the symposium in Louisville illustrated this relative disinterest. Spindles were once everywhere in daily life. A huge range of products were once turned -- most have been forgotten. If you look into the history of turning, you will discover how many things can be turned, and once were.
 
Brent@TurnRobust said:
...Really fascinating to those that think beyond just what's happening in their own workshop. Robin Wood is not only a great turner working in a traditional manner, but an excellent historian as well. Highly recommended.
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That's exactly why I'v e been searching it out. I'll keep an eye out - one is bound to turn up at an estate sale or used book store sooner or later...
 
Brent@TurnRobust said:
For those of you unfamiliar with this book (and by at least one of the responses some of you are) it is not about turning bowls. It is a history of the wood bowl and how they have been made over the ages. Lot's of photos of historical pieces from old collections, museums and archeological recovery. Discussion about finish and tools, etc. Really fascinating to those that think beyond just what's happening in their own workshop. Robin Wood is not only a great turner working in a traditional manner, but an excellent historian as well. Highly recommended.
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As well as being a very nice fellow!

You would have to pay more than those prices to get my copy off me....;)
 
There was another Amazon seller who had it for over $500. I wrote them and they advised the correct price was $399. A month or so later, it was marked down to $140.
I wrote them again and it was taken off Amazon. Possibly sold? possibly shelved.

The Author's website has other of their books as PDF files. Wish they would offer this one also.

The search continues!
 
Lance Mirrer said:
There was another Amazon seller who had it for over $500. I wrote them and they advised the correct price was $399. A month or so later, it was marked down to $140.
I wrote them again and it was taken off Amazon. Possibly sold? possibly shelved.

The Author's website has other of their books as PDF files. Wish they would offer this one also.

The search continues!
Click to expand...

Your best interim solution would be to borrow it using interlibrary loan through your local public library. They should be able to get it for you on loan from a library somewhere in the US, likely at a university. Should cost you little or nothing, and take a few weeks. I use the service frequently. Speak to your local librarian.
 
www.robin-wood.co.uk

The Wooden Bowl - book - Robin Wood​

Buy Robin Wood's book The Wooden Bowl
www.robin-wood.co.uk


Darryl Fective said:
I was curious. I just bought a hardcover copy on eBay for less than $5 shipped.
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Darryl is this the book you bought? There is another book of a very similar name that is readily available.
 
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