Part of the reason I am putting together this display is because I knew I needed to memorialize these things for insurance purposes, if gawd forbid something terrible happened. I did have a minor disaster recently that has required my insurance co. to step in and it is part of the kick in the butt for me to make this happen.
I state the above to explain the minutia that probably seems like over-kill (to even me) when it comes to documenting these things, but it seems best to be precise. And that precision has lead me to a discovery about my two copies of "Hawk in the Rain."
I thought I had two first editions. I knew I had a signed copy. I thought it was a first edition, but discovered today that it is not. When I laid the two books next to each other to photograph both their 'edition' pages, the first thing I noticed was that the front flaps were not consistent; the ARC w/pic copy had much more yellow showing on the front flap. A closer look showed me the ARC copy with the much better cover was a First and the signed is not. I'm no expert, but have a few things with Hughes' signature and I'm sure this is an old signature, most likely around the time this book was released, but it is not a First edition. My reasoning on the sig. is that it is really tight, whereas it seems his later sigs are more elongated. And you can tell when ink is old.
Another 'discovery' of my "Hawks" was re-finding the ARC (advance reading copy) card with the amazing picture of Ted. I had forgotten about it. The picture has Kodak on the back so it is a realio-trulio picture and not some mimeographed thing. And the 'dreamy' factor speaks for itself. He would have made a great James Bond.
So here are a whole bunch of pics showing the two "Hawks." The signed version's cover has some browning to the edges that I show in one picture.
I state the above to explain the minutia that probably seems like over-kill (to even me) when it comes to documenting these things, but it seems best to be precise. And that precision has lead me to a discovery about my two copies of "Hawk in the Rain."
I thought I had two first editions. I knew I had a signed copy. I thought it was a first edition, but discovered today that it is not. When I laid the two books next to each other to photograph both their 'edition' pages, the first thing I noticed was that the front flaps were not consistent; the ARC w/pic copy had much more yellow showing on the front flap. A closer look showed me the ARC copy with the much better cover was a First and the signed is not. I'm no expert, but have a few things with Hughes' signature and I'm sure this is an old signature, most likely around the time this book was released, but it is not a First edition. My reasoning on the sig. is that it is really tight, whereas it seems his later sigs are more elongated. And you can tell when ink is old.
Another 'discovery' of my "Hawks" was re-finding the ARC (advance reading copy) card with the amazing picture of Ted. I had forgotten about it. The picture has Kodak on the back so it is a realio-trulio picture and not some mimeographed thing. And the 'dreamy' factor speaks for itself. He would have made a great James Bond.
So here are a whole bunch of pics showing the two "Hawks." The signed version's cover has some browning to the edges that I show in one picture.
ARC / First Edition
(as above, back cover)
Signed copy cover example
The SIG
ARC / 1st ed. (no sig)
You can see the 'flap' difference
Front flap First ed.
Back flap First ed.
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