Easton Press Book Collection

[@lastfirst5863]

I just bought nine of my favorite books as Easton Press prints for a birthday present to myself, I’m waiting for them to arrive and the anticipation is killing me, they’re so beautiful!

[@WhytheBookWins]

Ooo the anticipation is half the fun haha

[@dparch]

Hi, love your video! That Franklin Press is indeed a faux leather edition. You will find a lot of Franklin Library books available to build your library at very economical prices both on Ebay & Abebooks. They seem to be "undiscovered" gems in the book world, not yet discovered by a lot of book collectors. Franklin Library offered three styles of books, real leather, faux leather, and quarter-bound leather with cloth boards. The genuine leather books are every bit as ornate & beautiful as the Easton Press books. The only problem is determining whether a book you are looking at is real leather or faux leather. Some sellers maybe don't know themselves which type they have, so you can't always depend on their description of the book to determine which one they are selling. The easiest way to determine between real and faux leather is that the real leather will always, always have a permanent silk bookmark sewn into the binding, the faux will not. Happy collecting!

[@jasonwilliams3478]

Great video/review, thanks for posting it. For the first time in my life I’ll get to read recreational as opposed to text and, thanks to you, i was comparing Easton press to others and I’ll be choosing EP. Thanks again for

[@benjaminrneal]

I started buying Easton Press editions a few months ago after stumbling on a Norman Rockwell illustrated edition of Huck Finn. Since then I have bought 11 of them, including a copy of Scarlet Letter off the Easton website. I did not realize I was signing up for the 100 Greatest Books Club. They sent me a Frankenstein (not deluxe) and I promptly canceled since I figured they would send me books I already owned. Three things. 1. I have had mixed luck on Abebooks. A lot of sellers list Easton or Folio as the the publisher and its not even close. I have gotten copies that are published by Borders and Penguin, and some that aren't even hardback let alone Easton. 2. I think those "rough cover" editions are a good thing. Genuine grain leather is not perfect, and I have heard that Easton switched to the inferior bonded leather, which is smoother. I may be wrong though. And lastly, I am nearly certain you and I have competed on eBay for some of these!! lol, small world.

[@WhytheBookWins]

Yeah I use abebooks for some first editions and vintage books, but when it comes to these different editions I stick to ebay, or the direct websites. Interesting about the leather! I'll have to research that. And that's too funny lol 😆

[@robertcerda92]

I just bought my first Easton Press. It is the Bible. I can't wait to start reading it.

[@chrisfair11]

ESV? NKJV? Other?

[@stevedolan8156]

My favorite publisher is always going to be Thunderstorm Books, and they do almost entirely horror. Sub. Press is really great too. I'd for sure recommend the Frankenstein. Over the past couple of years, I've picked up the deluxe editions of Dracula, Dante's Inferno (my favorite one), Phantom of the Opera, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. There isn't a great resale market for them, but if your plan is to have them for display centerpieces, they're hard to beat, and you won't be disappointed.

[@WhytheBookWins]

I've never heard of Thunderstrom, I'll have to check them out! And I'm so excited to get a deluxe edition, they are so gorgeous! I have Misery in suntup any it is amazing, and I have a scanner darkly in suntup arriving in the mail soon!

[@WhytheBookWins]

I didn't know easton had a deluxe edition of dracula! I'll have to see if I can find it for a decent price! I've never read Phantom of the opera, but that would be a cool one to own to

[@stevedolan8156]

I remember when Misery came out. It was ~$200 on the secondary market. I couldn't make up my mind and didn't buy it, then when I went looking for it last year the prices blew me away. Congrats on finding a copy.

[@WhytheBookWins]

@@stevedolan8156 yeah it's the most money I've paid for a book, but I found it for a good price relatively speaking.

[@kevinmonceaux2101]

I started collecting leather and leather like books a while back. I think the first Easton Press edition I added to my collection was Great Expectations back in December. I'm hooked. Easton Press quickly became my favorite. My collection of their books is small, but growing.

[@WhytheBookWins]

That's awesome!

[@GinaStanyerBooks]

The “ugliest” Easton Press is still quite a nice book! I love these a lot. I’ll have to go poke through my collection to see if I own any. I know I have some that look similar but they may be Franklin. What a fun idea for a video!

[@WhytheBookWins]

Very true! No such thing as a truly ugly Easton press book lol. Yeah I'm curious to look more into franklin library!

[@t0dd000]

Franklin and Easton created similar styled volumes. Franklin went under (in 2000, I believe) and Easton essentially took over their business. Franklin's leather volumes (they did make some cheaper volumes) seem to hold a unique value in the marketplace.

[@mauricemarshall3927]

this has really put me on Easton press books I'm in love with the other cops I already have but these are stunning 😍

[@WhytheBookWins]

That's awesome! I definitely want to buy more of their regular ones, but I'm currently saving up for some of their deluxe editions!

[@mauricemarshall3927]

@@WhytheBookWins keep the videos coming PLEASE ❤️

[@WhytheBookWins]

@@mauricemarshall3927 😊😊

[@cbthecollector]

I’m reallyyyyy trying to concentrate on your books but your looks keep taking over haha. You’re beautiful! Back to books, do you find these Easton’s better than Folio Society editions? I only have a Folio book but looking at an Easton just now. 😅😊

[@WhytheBookWins]

I prefer Folio! Aside from easton press deluxe which are incredible but also very expensive.

[@cbthecollector]

@@WhytheBookWins thanks!

[@t0dd000]

The difference in texture. Leather is a wonderful and naturally variable material. :)

[@Meltedbutta7]

I own the Phantom of the Opera deluxe edition. I also just got the Alice in Wonderland deluxe edition which should be arriving today along with Anna Karenina. I have a list of other deluxe editions that I plan on getting :) Thank you for sharing!

[@WhytheBookWins]

I'm so jealous! Their deluxe editions are so incredible

[@Sams911]

I have most of the great works by Easton Press, limited signed when possible.... I also love the "coffee table" Art books by Taschen... if you value high quality printing of fine art work, this is a great publisher.

[@WhytheBookWins]

I'll check them out, thanks!

[@timothywise9731]

How about an Easton Press unboxing???

[@hyrumsk8]

That Franklin Library is actually one of their faux leather editions. Back in the 70s and 80s Franklin Library published more of their genuine leatherbound books, which in my opinion, have a better build quality than even Easton Press. Sadly they went out of business in the late 90s.

[@WhytheBookWins]

ahh, that explains it. I will have to look into some of their higher quality books!

[@reptomicus]

Franklin Library is a tricky matter. In the 80's they also sold an "economy" version in leatherette like they advertised on tv for 14 dollars back then. Many used dealers try to pass off the economy version as the premium version as they look almost identical.

[@jennettemartinez6570]

I have over 200 Easton press, I’m willing to do trades. I want the Frankenstein deluxe edition also. I bought the Beowulf deluxe edition & I’m in love with it. Well lmk if you’d like to trade or buy any, they’re all in new condition. I also have Franklin library & the folio Society books, not as many tho, maybe a hundred or so. Omg I want that “Gone girl”, I’m willing to trade 2-3 books for that one

[@WhytheBookWins]

I've been eyeing the deluxe Beowulf edition as well! So beautiful! As of right now I'm not interested in trading any books. But if you have an ebay shop or website or something I would definitely check out the books you gave available!

[@godofchaoskhorne5043]

.am I hate that Easton press doesn't ship to anywhere but US, Canada and UK. I'm obsessed with leatherbounds and they seem to have the biggest and best collection

[@WhytheBookWins]

I didn't even realize! That does suck. Maybe on ebay you can find someone selling them?

[@t0dd000]

eBay is your friend!

[@elijah5791]

Watching this video, I kept thinking, “Nobody puts Baby in a corner.”

[@WhytheBookWins]

Lol I get that all the time!

[@SoccerFury08]

How do you fix a warped easton press book?

[@andrewbell2712]

The Easton Press books are so beautiful, they might have already died, sadly, and gone straight to heaven. Maybe being gaudy and decadent, ( i.e. gilt edged and leather bound with raised spines ) is just one of the tough things to be endured once you become immortal. Thank you for showing four of your prized possessions. The Wuthering Heights edition you showed looks wonderful. It's one of the greatest love stories in literature, rivalling the best by Shakespeare, Chaucer ("The Wife of Bath"), or Donald Trump with Himself. I think I definitely have to buy that one now. Twenty years ago, Easton Press offered me a Moby Dick edition for $5.99 to give their subscription service a look-see. You had the right to end the subscription once you paid for the introductory volume. I had that one, and I still have The Red and the Black by Stendhal. It's one of 37 books on my reading bookshelf that I hope to get to this year. My favorite book publisher is LOA, Library of America. I have a couple of Phillip K. Dick, and Ursula K. Le Guin ones. These editions do not rival Easton Press in terms of leather, illustrations, or gold leaf, but each one packs four or more novels, and you still get a ribbon book mark. I also like Everyman's Library ( Alfred A. Knoph ), Wesleyan University Press, the Modern Library books, and my near favorites, the Norton Critical Editions, with the backgrounds and criticism added to the back of the text. These are just banging around the planet paperbacks, but I think are wonderful. I have fifteen or so Franklin Press ones, and a couple of Heritage books as well. I have a very nice copy of Ulysses from the Franklin Press. But they ruin page one of Joyce's novel by making the first letter, of the first word, of the first sentence a tiny "s" the size of this one, instead of the full page gigantic "S" that appeared in the first Shakespeare and Co. edition. That big "S" gave the book its modernist imprimatur, as well as its sneaky, snake-y, satiric, and subversive tone. Thank you for the tour!

[@WhytheBookWins]

thanks for commenting! I'll have to look into some of those editions you mentioned!

[@Kornheiser10]

Oh, FYI, the signature on the certificates are copies, not originals.

[@WhytheBookWins]

What?!? That's disappointing

[@BHFWaterloo]

That’s not true it is the real signature

[@darthreilly]

I have over 100 Easton Press books, started a few years ago. I can't speak to the COA signature, but the one in the book is real. Andy Rooney talked about how they sent him a big box of just the page they wanted him to sign and they asked him to use the ballpoint pens they supplied. Makes sense, they want it embossed as well as signed so it's more authentic, but Andy opted for his blue felt pen and signed "Andy" instead of Andrew b/c it was shorter and they wanted 1,000 signed. I took down his book "Not That You Asked" and, sure enough, signed Andy Rooney in blue felt pen. Love these books, just finished "Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage". I also collected the complete 16 volume Easton Press Page Smith History of America for no where NEAR what it sells for. Love your enthusiasm!

[@WhytheBookWins]

@@darthreilly I literally just filmed a new easton press video( it will be up Sunday) and I talk about the signatures haha. Cool story about Andrew Rooney!

[@darthreilly]

I also have William Shatner's signature from "Get a Life!" Alan Alda's from "Never Have Your Dog Stuffed" and most recently John Cleese from his autobiography "So, Anyway..." Great way to collect them and get a great book, too. I'll subscribe and try to catch your new video when it drops.

[@reppingl]

A lot of Easton Press is just using the Limited Editions Club/Heritage Press they bought the rights to, and shrinking the books, replacing the specifically designed covers and slipcases with formulaic leather and gilt, and printing on worse paper not specifically suited to whatever type of illustration it is. And of course these books aren’t signed, and can be more expensive than the Limited Editions Club originals. I don’t want to be rude but serious collectors should not enjoy these.

[@WhytheBookWins]

"Serious collectors should not enjoy these" 🙄 I'll enjoy what I want to enjoy.

[@thegamersgalaxy2855]

😆