Observation on Modern Falconry question

[jmnucci]

After re-reading OMF I think it would be a great book to have a 1st edition of. From what I could find the first addition was actually a pamphlet. So I guess a better question would be what is the 1st hard bound addition of this book? I know their are some falconry aficienados out there who have one. I'm sure these are pricey, any gander at a value?

Only 7 weeks to hawking season.

Thanks.

[Tony James]

After re-reading OMF I think it would be a great book to have a 1st edition of. From what I could find the first addition was actually a pamphlet. So I guess a better question would be what is the 1st hard bound addition of this book? I know their are some falconry aficienados out there who have one. I'm sure these are pricey, any gander at a value?

Only 7 weeks to hawking season.

Thanks.

Hi Justin,

the 1st edition is a fairly crude, stapled together paperback. It's quite expensive ($2-300 at a guess), and perhaps too fragile to use as a 'reading copy'.
There have been 3 or more hardback reprint editions, the first of which, I believe, was the one printed in Canada (Saskatoon, I think).

Best wishes,

Tony.

PS I'm suffering with a bad foot, otherwise I'd head to the bookshelves and be a little more useful.

[Alex Stokes]

Hi Justin,

The first editions of "Observations" are very hard to come by, no doubt due to the fact that only 150 copies were published. It was also published (as you allude to) with a paper cover, which probably also contributed to its rarity as no doubt a few copies fell apart.

I was lucky enough to pick up a very reasonably priced first edition that was advertised here on Nafex, but they don't come up often. There is one currently for sale on Abebooks and it is being offered at just over $600 (plus postage).

According to Swift's "Bibliotheca" the second edition was published in 1971, in hardcover, but was again a limited print run.

You'll either need to dig deep to buy a first edition or be content with one of the later editions that can be picked up for a very reasonable price.

All the best,

Alex


After re-reading OMF I think it would be a great book to have a 1st edition of. From what I could find the first addition was actually a pamphlet. So I guess a better question would be what is the 1st hard bound addition of this book? I know their are some falconry aficienados out there who have one. I'm sure these are pricey, any gander at a value?

Only 7 weeks to hawking season.

Thanks.

[jmnucci]

Thanks for the help guys. My friend who is a falconry book collector said this a "holy grail" book as well. There are a few books that are available that say they are first editions that were bound by the original publisher in a green hardcover. These are the ones I am suspicious of. Just interesting that a book that I my opinion is a milestone in falconry literature was only published in such a short run. Guess no one knew what they had their hands on.