Yesterday, in a fine used/collectors' bookstore in a large city in the Southwestern U.S., I saw, to my astonishment, two Arkham House volumes by CAS under glass. One was Out of Space and Time; the other was Lost Worlds. The clerk told me that these books were signed. I knew immediately that they would be beyond my means, but, just for fun, I asked him to show me the books and to divulge the prices. Because the books appeared to be in fine condition, with fine dust jackets, I guessed that the price range would be between $750 and $1,000--outrageous, to be sure, but in line with the listings I have seen on Bookfinder and ABE*. I nearly went into cardiac arrest, however, when I saw the actual prices: approximately $2,150 for Space and $1,850 for Worlds! The former was simply signed "Clark Ashton Smith", whereas the latter was inscribed to his neighbor, Ethel Heiple, and merely signed, "Clark".

Perhaps this is an unusual case of venality. I hope so, but I doubt it. As an aside, I should add that I do not have enough expletives in my vocabulary to describe my opinion of "collectors' markets", and therefore cannot muster the slightest enthusiasm for the "limited edition" mentality that feeds them. For that reason, it is my policy to boycott any small press that uses "limited editions" (as opposed to small press runs necessitated by limited means--not always an easy distinction to draw, I realize) to puff their wares.


*Once, on ABE, I saw a very strange thing: A copy of The Abominations of Yondo, I believe, inscribed to Forrest J Ackerman! Perhaps "Effjay" revised his opinions of CAS's works, or the two somehow managed otherwise to bury the hatchet."

I understand your feelings about the inflated prices of some CAS books all too well. Don Herron told me once that the only way to determine accurately what a book's value really is, is via auction, and I don't mean eBay: a real, honest-to-gavel-scratch yer nose and you bid-auction. Many dealers will stick an inflated price on a book and just sit and wait, like a trap-door spider, waiting for someone with more dollars than braincells to buy it. I picked up an autographed copy of OUT OF SPACE AND TIME a few years ago for $600. True, it's not in great condition, but it has the dj, and is inscribed by Clark to another neighbor, Alma Yeager.
Regarding your comments on the "limited edition" mentality: Night Shade Books usually does copy runs of 1500-2500 copies, taking as its business model Arkham House rather than Ash Tree Press or Tartarus Press. However, he has had sufficient requests from his customers for a "limited edition" version of his titles--numbered, signed, slipcased, etc.--that like any good business it behooves him to meet his customers' demands. Additionally, the discovery of a new Smith novelette _demands_ some special attention. It will eventually appear in a Smith collection somewhere down the line, and will also have periodical appearances as well.
Regarding Ackerman: the naboob actually tried to get Smith to sign with him to market a volume of the latter's sf back in the late 1940s, a deal which August Derleth thankfully talked him out of. Ackerman was friends with Rah Hoffman, and that basically led to a reconcilation with CAS. Of course Clark was more amused by the "Boiling Point" fiasco, knowing better than to value FJA's opinion.
Best, Scott

"Many dealers will stick an inflated price on a book and just sit and wait, like a trap-door spider, waiting for someone with more dollars than braincells to buy it".

LOL--Very well put! The store clerk naively told me, with wonderment, that the shop's copies of Lovecraft and Bradbury's Dark Carnival disappeared almost immediately, but the CAS volumes continue to gather dust. That is what especially irritates me about the CAS price situation: the fact that it is a by-product primarily of Lovecraft/Arkham mania, and has almost nothing to do with an appreciation of CAS's writings proper. ( I also dislike seeing such wonderful books held hostage by philistines, but that is another matter). Thus, until fairly recently, those who genuinely love the man's work were relegated to maxing out their credit cards in order to obtain it.

Regarding the "limited edition mentality", I should add that I was not necessarily indicting Night Shade Books on that score, since, until the notice of the forthcoming book appeared here, I had not heard of it. In their case, I hope that the shoe shall never fit, but, as your other references attest, there are many others whom it fits all too well.

Thanks for the additional information about the Ackerman fiasco and follow-up. All I know of the "Boiling Point" controversy is what I read in Planets and Dimensions. I believe that another small press published the entire mess, right? I also recall reading that Lovecraft really blew up over the whole business, whereas, some ironic touches aside, CAS kept his distance from it. I recall a few instances in the letters to fanzines where CAS seemed on the verge of losing patience, but I don't recall any strident outbursts of his. You would know this better than most here: Was the tone of his private letters for the most part equally measured? Aside from one letter to Barlow, and the "infamous" letter to Lovecraft commiserating over the latter's rejection by Knopf, I don't recall reading any realemotional outbursts by CAS. In the Behrends edition of CAS's letters to Lovecraft, I sometimes get the impression that CAS conciliates Lovecraft on points of disagreement rather than entering into debate with him. Would you (and others here who have read them) agree?