New book

[servicepub]

Has anyone seen these?

http://cgi.ebay.com/REFERENCE-BOOK-1...3A5%7C294%3A50

http://cgi.ebay.com/REFERENCE-BOOK-1...3A5%7C294%3A50

[Wyn vdSchee]

Kind of a tacky way to introduce a collector's book to the market. Any idea who the author and publisher are? It was a little difficult to read some of the details in the photo of the cover.
Wyn

[servicepub]

I couldn't make out the name but it looks self-published.

[Royal Cdn Dragoon]

I can pick out the author as "Darby Whitebone". I knew him when I was posted to CFB Gagetown. He was at the Infantry School, is PPCLI and retired as an MWO, hence the title "The Sergeant-Majors Book of Badges". Says Book 1, may be more on the go in the future?? He may have commissioned as a reservist but not sure. He is an avid collector and frequented the militaria shows on the east coast.

[James G]

It looks as if it is A4 I would guess this is home published on a computer. But if the information is good what does it matter.

[boots and saddles]

A little overpriced I would say.

[Phillip Herring]

I have been referring to the Canuck site for slipons.
Much less than $40.00.

Phil

[army outfitters]

Boots and Saddles wrote "A little overpriced I would say"

I have nothing to do with this seller but if this book as an example shows a picture of the ultra rare north sylopian yeomanry(yes this unit exists although a British unit) and nobody else has a picture of it then why is it not worth $40? I no longer collect but I dont really understand why it is overpriced since the only books on the subject by Charlie Edwards and the other guy whose name I can not think of right now are long out of print and in demand so why is there a problem with the price? Please note this is not a personal attack, I just have never understood this line of thinking

[boots and saddles]

Most books are over priced due to the fact that there is no profit in publishing them.(keeping in mind that no book is complete) this one looks home made & thereby in my opinion overpriced , but thats only my opinion. If it was the only book I needed then I may buy it even though I would still think it too much. Some will buy it no doubt. Maybe Army Outfitters have the mulah to buy it.

[servicepub]

Originally Posted by boots and saddles

Most books are over priced due to the fact that there is no profit in publishing them.(keeping in mind that no book is complete) this one looks home made & thereby in my opinion overpriced , but thats only my opinion.Some will buy it no doubt. Maybe Army Outfitters have the mulah to buy it.

I have been publishing books on Canadian military artifacts for over 13 years. I have published over 40 books and I haven't made a profit yet. I do it as a labour of love and because nobody else was prepared to show Canada's material culture as an important part of our military history.
Some of my books sell for $9.95 and others for $100.00. These booklets shown above may be home-made and may not have any text, but they are in colour (this alone guarantees that they will be pricier than black&white) and may be valuable as check-lists, especially for new collectors. I have not yet seen a copy in my hands so I cannot comment. I am, however, surprised at any serious collector (who also hasn't seen the book) complain that $40.00 is too expensive. Surprised because you obviously invested a lot in your collection and, just by membership in this forum, you have shown yourself to be serious about research. Based on this $40.00 is nothing.
The best advice I ever got was 30+ years ago, when I collected firearms. An advanced collector told me that I should buy a book before I bought my first gun, and then to buy a book everytime I bought a gun. I didn't listen and ended up buying dealers' stories instead and got burned.
I will be publishing competing books on unit titles in the future but I still recommend that collectors take advantage of every reference that they can find - unless it can be shown that the reference is of no value. I should also mention that if I publish these in colour then the books will exceed $40.00 so start saving your pennies now.
Again, not meant as a personal attack against anyone - just my heartfelt beliefs.

[Phillip Herring]

I'm going to back pedal a bit. How many of us shelled out for Mazeas' last book on pre-1914 badges? The best bet is to look at the book and then decide if it you need it for the library. Unfortunately, the method of sale does not allow this, unlike going to a show and actually seeing what a vendor has for sale. The book is out there, so it's up to potential buyers to decide.
Dave, Thanks for the sober second thought.
Phil

[Wyn vdSchee]

north sylopian yeomanry(yes this unit exists although a British unit)

Dave,
It's Salopian- Salop being an old name for Shropshire. The Shropshire Yeomanry was sometimes referred to as rgw Salopiam Yeomanry
Wyn

[army outfitters]

Thanks for pointing that out. I knew after I turned off the computer that I had spelled it incorrectly

[boots and saddles]

Maybe as Dave told me once that I shouldn't be collecting if I couldn't afford the prices, But I just don't have all the 40 dollars that is needed nowadays. I was collecting when most of the these collectors were in diapers or just starting school & I didn't make the money that these fellow do, does that mean that I have to move aside now because there are new people on the scene with lots of money. It's these people that have put the prices up. There must be a hundred books that I need & at 40 dollars thats imposible. It's no ones fault that I am dated, that's just the way it is. I still say prices are too high. I remember putting a canvas title on ebay quite some time time back ,I think I listed it for 10 dollars & it went for $130.00 (obscene price). However that's all I have to say on the matter. Case closed.

[army outfitters]

Originally Posted by boots and saddles

Maybe as Dave told me once that I shouldn't be collecting if I couldn't afford the prices, But I just don't have all the 40 dollars that is needed nowadays. I was collecting when most of the these collectors were in diapers or just starting school & I didn't make the money that these fellow do, does that mean that I have to move aside now because there are new people on the scene with lots of money. It's these people that have put the prices up. There must be a hundred books that I need & at 40 dollars thats imposible. It's no ones fault that I am dated, that's just the way it is. I still say prices are too high. I remember putting a canvas title on ebay quite some time time back ,I think I listed it for 10 dollars & it went for $130.00 (obscene price). However that's all I have to say on the matter. Case closed.

I am a tad confused. So if prices are too high and you are not in a financial position to purchase all that you want(I have and am in that place like everyone else is) but you sold a title on ebay for $130 which you claim is an obscene price but that is okay? I dont really get your logic to this arguement. It takes more than one person to drive up the price of an item, sometimes even more than that. Market demand is set by what one or more persons will pay. Yes I am a dealer and I can set whatever price I want. It does not mean it will sell or it might or the person who buys it runs away and sells it for more because he knows somebody or something I don't. What really is the issue? If you get some old Bosley's catalogues and look through the prices from 10 or more years ago you will find them cheap by todays standards. The deep pockets theory does not wash. Collecting is a disease, like a crack addiction. The person who is hooked just has to have it(not always) and will pay whatever they have to so that they can obtain it for there "collection". I personally am a reformed collecting addict. I was spending $5000 US a month on airborne stuff when the dollar was at 60%. Then one day I woke up, smelled the coffee and got some profesional help(spoke to the wife) and broke that habit. Anyways this is just my opinion. I am sorry you dont want the book which I have never seen nor have any connection with. I wish you no ill will and hope that you have a happy collecting time today and down the line.
Dave