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keithwease.com
Welcome to my About Me page
As a long-time collector, I have developed sources that allow me to add to my collection at very low prices and, often, let me buy two or more of the same title at that low price. This lets me resell the duplicates at very reasonable prices and reduces my cost in my own collection.
For some basic information and definitions related to book collecting, lists of Franklin editions, a newly added page on Easton Press with some lists, as well as a few rare and collectible titles, please visit my website at:
(Revised and updated 1/26/06)
The Franklin Library, the publishing division of The Franklin Mint, was the nation's largest publisher of great books in fine bindings. It was founded in 1973 and finally quit publishing in 2000. The books were designed and bound by The Sloves Organization, Ltd., an affiliate of the mint, whose bindery was one of the few in the world devoted exclusively to the crafting of fine leather bookbindings. Many of the book collections issued by the Franklin Library were open editions; therefore, no edition figures are available.
From the beginning, Franklin commissioned fine art illustrations from well-known artists for many of its books, to be used exclusively for a particular book and never published again. Although the works were occasionally lent out for exhibitions, the only way to own and enjoy one of these fine illustrations is to own the Franklin edition which carried it. During the 1981 show of The Society of Illustrators in New York, 12 American illustrators had their Franklin illustrations chosen to hang in the show, the most from any one publishing house. The Society's Silver Medal was awarded to Herbert Taus for his illustration on page 324 of Saul Bellow's Humbolt's Gift, published as part of the Masterpieces of American Literature series.
Although most of the Franklin Library collections are full leather-bound, or quarter-bound, a few are leather-like cloth (such as in the Franklin Mystery Series), and some of their earlier, smaller collections were bound in bonded leather (made of leather strips and scraps). This has given rise to the myth (which I've seen in many ads) that Franklins are not real leather and are somehow inferior to other publishers (especially Easton Press). While some Franklins are, in fact, not real leather; the vast majority of their finer collections are fully bound in genuine hand-cut leather, selected for quality of grain and texture. An easy way to tell if your Franklin is real leather is the presence of the satin ribbon page-marker, bound into the volume, and the fine moire fabric endsheets (although, in a cost-cutting measure, Franklin went to marbled endsheets in its Signed First Editions series).
Franklin's "True" First Editions
Many publishers (including the original publisher) put out "Limited First Editions" of books, especially those of popular authors or books which have had significant publicity such as award nominations, movie deals or critical acclaim. These limited editions are set apart from the normal "trade" edition by, first, being issued in a limited number (usually 100 to 1000, but often much more) and, second, having a special distinction such as a special binding, a slipcase, being hand numbered, being signed by the author, or any combination (or all) of the above. Many of these editions are published simultaneously with the trade edition or well after it. Some small press publishers actually buy the pages from the original publisher and put them in a special binding, usually signed and numbered. Others, like Easton Press, do their own printing as well, on special paper, and release the "Limited First Edition" up to a year or more after the trade edition has been published (making the claim of "First Edition" rather dubious).
Franklin Library's policy was to contract for the first printing rights with both the author and the mass-market publisher, thus making the Franklin edition the "true" first edition, published prior to the trade edition, adding greatly to the value of these books. When the trade edition was finally published, it often stated "First trade edition" on the copyright page and had a disclaimer that said, "A signed first edition of this book has been privately printed by the Franklin Library," acknowledging that the Franklin edition was the first printing and, thus, the "true" first edition.
A question I often get is the difference between the First Editions and the Signed First Editions. The First Editions contained a signed introduction, which was then printed along with the book and therefore not a 'real' signature. The Signed First Editions, which started in 1983, were all hand signed by the author, usually on a separate page which was then bound into the book.
Chronology of a Franklin Signed First Edition
I found the following in a special letter sent to the Signed First Edition Society subscribers and thought it was interesting enough to include here. Although it is about one book, The Haj, it is typical of most Franklin first editions.
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March 1982 - We contact Mr. Uris through Ken McCormick, his editor at Doubleday, to ask if he would agree to be in our "Signed First Edition Collection." Mr. Uris agrees and promises to sign the new book.
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January 1983 - McCormick reports that Uris is on schedule.
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June 1983 - Uris, working in Aspen, writes that he can see the end of the novel in sight ... and he feels it is going well. He offers to tell us about the subject, if that helps our planning, but stresses the urgency of keeping it confidential. Title and dust jacket are to be revealed at the Frankfurt Book Fair in the Fall, with publication set for June 1984.
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August 1983 - We're briefed on the book and consult with Uris about binding design and leather colors. Uris suggests the sword as the key design element, quoting from author Hoag Levins that in the Islamic East the sword signifies "the essence of God's will, frontal attack, tribal duty, family honor, personal fortitude, and vengeance rightfully taken."
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October 1983 - Uris advises us that the manuscript will be completed and sent to New York in a couple of weeks. He persuades Doubleday to let us see some key scenes early, so that we can begin our book design and illustration. Doubleday has jumped publication to April - a sign of their great enthusiasm.
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October 1983 - Rein Whitt-Pritchette, the artist selected to illustrate The Haj, sends us several sketches to give us an idea of the style he would like to work in. He has worked with Uris before. Rein is a New Mexico artist who classifies his work as "stark impressionism." His drawings are reportorial, powerful, exciting.
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November 1983 - Roughs come in from the artist, showing the situations for six full-page drawings. It is dramatic stuff! Uris reviews, requests some technical changes. The artist begins to finish the drawings.
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December 1983 - The full manuscript arrives from Doubleday, some 1,000 typed pages, incorporating Uris' last-minute corrections and rewrite. Typesetting starts at a brisk pace in order to make the complicated mesh of publishing dates: first, Franklin's First Edition ... then Doubleday's trade edition ... then the bookclub copies.
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March 1984 - The first half-dozen books bound come up from our private bindery and are liberally put through an "autopsy." This will start with a visual critique of the book ... and may conclude by taking it apart, almost piece-by-piece, to examine how the leather is fitted and stamped, the rounding of the spine and the forming of the hubs, the sewing of the pages, etc. Binding adjustments are made if necessary. Then the book you have in your hands is formed.
Lists of Franklin Collections
I also get a lot of questions about a list of Franklin collections. Here is a list of most of their collections. (There isn't enough room here; however, on my website I've got lists of individual books within the most popular collections.) Where available, I've included the original price, taken from invoices, not counting shipping, handling and tax. This is the price the first subscribers paid; in some cases, later subscribers paid more. If anybody can supply the missing prices, please let me know.
100 Greatest Books of all Time (leather, 1974-1982, $28.00)
First Edition Society (leather, 1976-1980)
Pulitzer Prize Series (leather, 1975-1980)
100 Greatest Masterpieces of American Literature (leather,
1976-1984, $35.00)
60 Signed Limited Editions (leather, 1977-1982, $45.00) -
Franklin's most spectacular collection
Stories of the World's Greatest Writers (leather, 1977-1985)
20th Century's Greatest Books (leather, 1977-1982, $39.00)
World's Best-Loved Books (leather, 1977-1986, $39.00)
Great Books of the Western World (leather, 1978-1985) - A must
have collection!
World's Great Books Family Library (quarter-bound, 1979-1984)
Heirloom Library of the World's Greatest Books (quarter-bound, 1979-1983)
Oxford Library of the World's Great Books (quarter-bound, 1981-1985)
Greatest Books of the World's Greatest Writers (cloth, 1981-1985)
Signed First Edition Society (leather, 1983-2000)
Franklin Mystery Series (cloth and leather versions, 1986-1989
- Franklin offered these in either leather or cloth; however, the
leather versions didn't sell well and Franklin discontinued
them. Apparently, the leather editions were separate and didn't
follow the same sequence of the cloth editions.
Metropolitan Museum of Art (cloth and leather versions, 1987)
- An absolutely beautiful 12-volume set with each volume highlighting
the art of a different society and culture.
Foreign Language Editions (early '80s) - Franklin also issued
great books collections in German (The German Masterworks I & II)
and Japanese (The Japanese Heirloom Library), mostly leather-bound or
quarter-bound, but with a few Sturdite editions as well (possibly
just prototypes).
NOTE: Due to overlaps, it is not uncommon to find the same title published separately in several different collections, each one bound differently and often with different introductions. Usually, either on the Title page or the Copyright page, you can determine to which collection the edition belongs. An example of this is Warren's All the King's Men, which was published in three or four different collections. By far, the one with the greatest value is the 1977 Signed Limited Edition.
I hope this has been of help to you Franklin collectors.
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