This is Why I Never Guess at Prices

...when I give Lee a book to list.

Here is a photo of the same edition I found tonight of Karl May's Am Rio de la Plata.

If the seller is right, the edition is actually from 1904. Funny, I would have guessed the 1890s at the latest.

Most copies of the book are in Germany, and it's been reprinted numerous times. No doubt it's in the public domain by now, unless May lived an extraordinarily long life.

Most later editions were very ugly and cheap looking (again, probably shitty presses taking advantage of the public domain situation).

There are few condition issues with this book.

I think there were only two copies of this edition for sale from two different booksellers and this one was listed for $154.00.

Why I always tell Lee I never trust my own judgment on books without consulting ABE.

Of course, booksellers can ask whatever they want on ABE. It doesn't mean they are going to get it. I've seen some of my favorite (Russian) Futurist first editions go untouched on ABE for five or more years.

The seller is asking what I think is a fair (if steep) price but there just isn't the interest.

But it's also valuable to know whom you are undercutting when you move books--although in most cases you can actually exceed the average or even highest ABE price if you are selling it on an auction site, as for some reason those people seem completely unaware about the wonder that is ABE.

Go figure.

Far be it from me to enlighten them.

I ain't the Buddha lol.

Okay, I'm a sucker. Once or twice when someone lost a hotly contested auction for something Lee was selling, I've thrown them the bone of a link to ABE for the same item.

When they thanked me, I felt good.

When they didn't, I growled.