Webley Book

[steveyb]

Now you come to mention itnot a bad idea

[CHJF177]

I too have received the same email from Robert Hale re September and £70

Price for my order will be £45-50.

As for a second reprint? when? is the question and a first edition has got to be desirable for the future.

[hwvixen]

If you are looking for an "investment"...ie a first edition..then go for it...get two or three..but if you just want it for reference purposes & in no rush...there will sureley be a reprint,or borrow it from the library or share it with a friend/club..it's up to you.

[TopDog]

If you are looking for an "investment"...ie a first edition..then go for it...get two or three..but if you just want it for reference purposes & in no rush...there will sureley be a reprint,or borrow it from the library or share it with a friend/club..it's up to you.

Precisely! As a Scottish Dwelling Yorkshireman I can agree with a thrifty Derbyshire lad!

[slug-gun]

Just to try and clarify some of the issues surrounding the price of my book. The pricing of books is a bit of a mess in this country due to the widespread discounting that exists, together with the necessity to put a price on a book which is not even finished, as was the case with 'Webley Air Rifles'.
The price of £70 that is mentioned is the published price but bears no relation to what most people will pay for it ultimately.
The huge discounts that apply in publishing mean that it should be widely available for well under £50 therefore.

Hale were obliged to state a price in order to satisfy the criteria for the advanced publicity and did so at a time when I was still writing the captions for the photographs - ergo it was nothing more than a guesstimate!!
The large book retailers know this surely and are in fact I think guilty of deceiving propective purchasers by implying that a book is going to cost such and such a price when it fact they must know it could well be more come final publication?

I personally think at £45 to £50 the book is cheap - I know I would say that, but do so for the following reasons.
£50 for example buys a cheap Chinese telescopic sight that will eventually end up in a dustbin.
On the other hand the same nifty can buy you a book containing some unique colour photographs of Webley artefacts some of which have never been published anywhere before let alone in colour!
Further these photos were taken by one of the country's leading portrait painters whose attention to detail is second to none, following which they were further enhanced at a top London photographic studio.
If taken as an individual item any one of these photos would have cost more to produce than the published price - and there are over 200 of them, maybe more i can't remember.

Even if a buyer thinks my text is pants ( and I don't think it is) the book is easily worth the seventy quid just for the photos alone.
So which is better value: the Chinese scope or the book?

I hope that this clarifies both the publishing and pricing issue, together with my views on the subject.
I heard only a few days ago that the printer was not satisfied with the way a couple of the original documents had been scanned and this morning I had to send these originals back to Hale for re-scanning.
They are bent on high quality so I have no issue with this, but it means the date of publication may well move from the current 30th september to 30th October.

I think it will be worth waiting for even if you have to read it after your Christmas lunch, and I hope that it will be found to be of interest irrespective of how much it might have cost.

[Binners]

Where's me book then aye..... I thought Mr Thrale was driving round the country like Postman Pat, dropping em off.

30th October it is then...come on Pat

[Sam99]

Hello Chris,

Very well put but it didn’t need saying.
Collectors will buy your book. It will sell very well.
It will be worth it just for the photos and a good book is forever.

And , Yippee , a book for Xmas , from me to me !!

Regards,

Sam

[TopDog]

Hello Chris,

Very well put but it didn’t need saying.
Collectors will buy your book. It will sell very well.
It will be worth it just for the photos and a good book is forever.

And , Yippee , a book for Xmas , from me to me !!

Regards,

Sam

OK Sam

If I do get mine for the price I was quoted; I will read it and then flog it to a collector!

(Oh; I don't buy Chinese scopes either!).

However; this being Collectors' Corner; everything has it's place!

The date keeps slipping so that is not a good omen (in my view!).

Are you sure you will get one for Xmas?

I am looking forward to a good read anyway!

ATVB all
David

[steveyb]

Just to cover the eventuallity I have just prepared my list for Santa and have put the book at the top of it!!!

[coburn]

30th October my wifes birthday she will be pleased with her present....

[steveyb]

Maybe we should all get an extra discount for ordering early and being so patient?

[le frelon]

Well put Chris, and Sam99 sums it up rather well.

I think we need to encourage people such as yourselves who must spend way more time and effort than was perhaps envisaged and for probably an hourly rate of tuppence!
Many will surely benefit one way or another from dedicated individuals prepared to produce books for us collectors so please, let's be positive in our support.

Thanks from me at least.

Carl.

[harvey_s]

The publishers' stated web price is currently £49. Amazon has them at a guaranteed price of £38 post paid and WH Smith at £32.50 post paid. WHS told me they will honour this price, but only time will tell.

Thanks for that...The WH Smith price and "promise" makes this a no-brainer really and I've just voted with my wallet.

[steveyb]

Thanks for that...The WH Smith price and "promise" makes this a no-brainer really and I've just voted with my wallet.

Just to clarify when you order the book from WH Smith do they require the full price in advance?
many thanks

[TopDog]

Just to clarify when you order the book from WH Smith do they require the full price in advance?
many thanks

Hi Steve

No!! They will debit your card when the despatch!

BFN pal
David