As far as we can tell, no other bookstore on the planet sells only signed hardback books. Therefore, we feel obligated to offer this tutorial on the variations of signed books available, terminology, and how signatures are acquired.
Before getting into specifics, please know that regardless of where our books are signed, every single signature is from the author’s hand. We never accept robo-pens or any sort of mass-produced facsimile.
Every Alabama Booksmith treasure comes with a certificate of authenticity guaranteeing a hand signature.
Our books are all new, unread, opened only for signing and except for a handful in our Collector’s Corner, sell for the same publisher’s price as unsigned copies.
The number one question we face is “How in the world do you get every book signed?” The answer is each acquisition is a cool story. Quite a few writers come in the store for events or sneak in the back door, sign, and leave. Our staff is amazingly quick in flapping and helping our authors zip in and out.
Routinely, we ship books to writer’s homes and offices to be signed. Often, publishers have writers come to their warehouse and sign. Regularly, publishers send blank pages to authors to sign and bind those signed pages into the book.
Our graphics department has been designing beautiful bookplates for decades and sending them to authors around the world.
On a few occasions, we publish special editions exclusively for our customers, and of course arrange for the authors to sign.
So there is absolutely no misunderstanding, every book on our website has an image of the signature, signature placement, edition, and where the author was when he or she signed our copy. And remember, we guarantee the book was hand-signed by the author.
NOMENCLATURE:
SIGNED FIRST EDITIONS: If we call a book a signed first edition, it is both signed and a first printing.
SIGNED HARDBACK: A signed copy that is a later printing is a signed hardback.
SIGNED ON THE TITLE PAGE: Of all the potential locations, this is the most desired spot for serious collectors. The title page usually contains the title, the author’s name, and the publisher. It is most often printed on the reverse side of the copyright page. When writers come to the store, stop by the publisher’s warehouse, or have books shipped to them, this is where we request the signature.
SIGNED ON THE HALF-TITLE PAGE: This page can precede or follow the title page and most times is blank except for the title. Some authors gravitate to this page as affords more space.
SIGNED ON THE ENDPAPER: The end paper is the first free page of a book. Authors sign here as it is the easiest spot to access and requires only opening the book and no flapping.
SIGNED ON A TIP-IN: These are pages sent to the author prior to publication that are hand-signed and then bound into the book. We feel that as soon as the hand-signed page is bound with the rest of the pages, it becomes fully a part of the book, hence emits the magic of having been touched by the author.
SIGNED ON A BOOKPLATE: A bookplate is customarily the best method to acquire an author’s signature in a book when they have health issues or live a continent or so away. Often, our graphics department creates an exclusive design and mail to the author in a self-stamped envelope. We feel that as soon as the hand-signed bookplate is affixed, it becomes fully a part of the book, hence emits the magic of having been touched by the author.
SIGNED LIMITED EDITIONS: Signed limited editions are generally elaborate productions produced in a small quantity with each copy numbered. They are signed in a wide assortment of ways.