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Hello,

I`m new to the forums and appreciate it, glad to be here.
Just wanted to start my journey with a first edition of Carrie similiar style.
My first buying was a bad choice already. Seller said most probably unread which have sound good to me. Can be true, but for the book was stored in for approximately 20 or 30 years how he said - it have an awful odor.
It`s a Book Club-Edition. Now I understand what that means: Lower Quality. But so low how in my copy...oh my. It was the first thing what I`ve saw. The print of the word "Carrie" in the title page or the dedication looks so cheap and bad that I`ve first thought this must be a pirate copy or bootleg.
The weirdest thing about that is the height.
It`s not 9.5 but 9.25. ? 23.5 cm.
And not all of the head/hair of Carrie is visible like in the really first editions. Cut off short. More unattractive colour around it (head/hair). Grey/Brown instead of that awesome shade of blue.
The price for it was 50 $.

Sorry to hear your first buying experience ended in disappointment. Don't knock yourself down to much, we've all been there at one time or another.

Welcome to a great site. Many awesome collectors here that is happy to help you along your collecting journey.

Are you looking for a US or UK Carrie?

Again, welcome to our awesome community.

Ralph Mulleins

Thank you, Mr. Mulleins.
I`m looking for a US Carrie I think.
I`m from Germany and that`s what makes it not easy to be successfull in hunting and buying.
Lot of US ebay-sellers don`t ship to Europe but if they do - often via that so called ebay international shipping program, which means highly expensive shipping costs.
So..I had not paying 50 Dollars for my copy but in fact 70 Euro. For a book that is merely worth 5-10$ I think. -10$ because it was unread I would say.

Regarding this. Not bad at all. In the first place I`ve learned many things now (to mention the Gutter Codes only) and how amazing book collecting really is.
Because the seller had described his copy as pristine, but it wasn`t - I`ve got all my money back and STILL have this awful book.

Regards,
Marco

Welcome to the forums! You mentioned that a lot of sellers don't ship to Germany from eBay. Have you tried ebay.co.uk?

I can't say for sure, as when I sign in eBay knows I"m in the USA so it's offering me shipping options to the US by default..... but I've seen in the details many sellers are offering shipping within Europe there. Something to try perhaps.

Yes, thank you for your advice. I will try that.

This copy of mine has no more gutter code, there also are copys of it with gutter codes that are no gutter codes, so I wonder how long this edition are proceeded?
It is known?
According to the back flap of the DJ, and the lack of gutter codes henceforth at least AFTER mid-1987:

"King`s most recent novels are The Tommyknockers, It, The Eyes of the Dragon, and Misery."

AcrossTheRiver wrote: ↑Mon Jan 23, 2023 8:43 am This copy of mine has no more gutter code, there also are copys of it with gutter codes that are no gutter codes, so I wonder how long this edition are proceeded?
It is known?
According to the back flap of the DJ, and the lack of gutter codes henceforth at least AFTER mid-1987:

"King`s most recent novels are The Tommyknockers, It, The Eyes of the Dragon, and Misery."

Here's a nice Wiki on the subject of Doubleday gutter codes.
https://isfdb.org/wiki/index.php/Gutter_code

Yes, read all of it already. Thank you.

I think this copy would be have proceeded up to the early 90`s. Just what I assume.

When I first started collecting about 15 to 20 years ago, I went after those book club versions of the doubledays...until I advanced later to know enough to invest in buying the original 1st printings. Knowing the Doubledays were shorter in height, I tended to search for the EARLY book club versions of those with the smaller height.

Eventually, I knew enough to invest in nice 1st editions of the doubledays - and I can tell you it's the DUST JACKETS that matter first. Get the right jackets with the correct prices printed on them, and then focus on the books and LEARN THE GUTTER CODES.

Enjoy and take your time! Sometimes an enticing sale is on ebay, but WATCH OUT - and make sure you KNOW what you are buying.

steve

Thank you Steve, for this competent advice and help.