What printings?

ShaneG.

Howdy Stephen,

bombadil wrote:It's really the one on the right that I'm excited about  True 1st.  But the Eldritch is also a 1st printing.

Heh that's funny! I have that exact picture in my email files!

Apparently we were bidding blind against each other on that same set! If I'd known it was you I'd have backed off. I was bidding out of pure speculation and research. Sorry for driving it up.  

I didn't go more on it because it was a vertical woodgrain, early 1975 Tractics box with 1st print vol. 1 and 2 booklets and a 2nd print vol. 3. However, I am now regretting it because the set (your set now) was the set that made me finally decide the vertical woodgrain, no-label sets were put together between January and September of 1975 in Tractics boxes.

Indeed, that is a pretty important hybrid set you now own as far as research is concerned. It gives a clear demonstration that a) vol. 3 had run out by January 1975, b) vol. 3 with the variant cover stock had also run out by January of 1975, c) Tractics boxes were being substituted for 1st print D&D boxes sometime after the release of the Tractics set in April of 1975, and c) vol. 1 and 2 booklets were still available as late as January of 1975.

I am also beginning to think that the variant coverstock for vol. 3 was produced as a substitute between October 1974 and January 1975. According to Tim Jiardini's mother, who worked at the printing company during 1974-75, the company filled an order for vol. 3 booklets and none of the 1st print cover stock was left so they substituted a "cheaper cover stock".

Whether there was an overprint of vol. 1 and 2 or whether inventory of vol. 3 sold out asymmetrical to the other volumes (you could order each booklet seperately without the box - that is why they each have a cover price - you'll note that $3.50 + $3.50 + $3.50 does not equal the box cover price of $10.00) or whether there was a flaw, loss, or damage to the vol. 3 booklets from the 1st printing, I don't know yet.

In any case it seems clear that the vol. 3 variant cover stock was a later, seperate printing and not part of the 1st printing at all. I would even venture to guess that this reprinting happened between October of 1974 and January of 1975.

(edited after I check my notes)


Futures Bright,

Paul

Howdy All,


Didn't someone also mention recently they saw a TSR ad in a catalog about being able to buy volume's 1 & 2 as a special combined offer? That might indicate when the vol. 3 stock intially ran out.


Futures Bright,

Paul

Howdy Brian,


An old time wargamer contacted me about it but said he had another interested party. We both lodged bids and Stephen won. I didn't even get a counter bid, it was a one shot deal.

I had no idea it was Stephen but I suspected it was a saavy collector from his bid. I thought I'd see it turn up on eBay in a few weeks with the books swapped out to make it a killer 1st print set. I was quite surprised to see the same pictures emailed to me by the seller posted by Stephen today. However, when Stephen mentioned he'd finally gotten a woodgrain, I started to suspect.

In any case, congrats to Stephen, this is a great set from the original owner. Fantastic provenance and great research data.


Futures Bright,

Paul

the Collector's trove wrote

Regarding the above. Does anyone have the images of the woodgrain with the original sales receipt set that sold just this year to addermcone? Perhaps addermcone himself could provide images? Did it have a 1st print cover stock vol. 3?

Hiya Paul

I've attached a couple of pics to hopefully help.
2nd and 3rd books appear to have exactly same type covers - colour, inside, 'feel', grain etc.
#3 is slightly shorter than #2 (#1 & #2 being same size).

i147.photobucket.com/albums/r292/adderm ... 1216_1.jpg
i147.photobucket.com/albums/r292/adderm ... 1215_1.jpg
i147.photobucket.com/albums/r292/adderm ... 1217_1.jpg
i147.photobucket.com/albums/r292/adderm ... 1219_1.jpg

Last 2 are just for anyone comparing the covers of the boxes for differences between a 1st & 3rd (righthand side) print

Let me know if you need any other details

Brendon

AdderMcOne wrote:Loved getting this one today.


** expired/removed eBay auction **


Apart from being UK basic set (thicker box), also contained 1st print B2, Mint copies of F1002 Dungeon Geomorphs (uncut), and Monster & Treasure Assortment Set One (1st print).

Wow, that IS a fund find.  Congrats, Brendon.

cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem& ... 0050728200

Damn you Clarkie!  For $199 I just had to price it out real (REAL) quick and give GDQ and a few others a careful look.  Shouldn't have wasted those 45 seconds.

Oh well, I think there's is a lot of 92 mods that might soon get lost in an M-bag shipment.  Suppose I should try to help the guy out on that one.  

Oddly enough, in all these years I've never had a GDQ . . . Not one.  Strange.

bclarkie wrote:
Great now I feel bad.  If you want we can work out a trade or something or perhaps even I can ship it to you so you can have a read through and then just ship it back to me when you are done.

  No worries!  I'm not really upset.   But thanks!