What do we have here?
I got something kind of cool.
"Rip Van Winkle."
It could be a first edition.
OK.
Do you know the story's about?
Rip Van Winkle gets trashed and wakes up years later.
But when he wakes up, his wife is dead, his kids are grown.
Everything has changed.
I've given it my best shot, but I couldn't
sleep for as long as he did.
I've lost a day or two once or twice.
[laughter]
[fake snoring]
It is really cool, over a 100-year-old book.
It's "Rip Van Winkle."
And the pictures in the thing are fantastic.
I'm hoping to get 1,500 today.
This is definitely an interesting book.
It was written by Washington Irving.
Yeah.
He was, like, the first really great American author.
Right.
You know, I mean, he did "Sleepy Hollow."
Yeah.
And it's a really short story too.
I mean, if you look at this, it looks like a full-sized book.
But it only goes for 60 pages.
Actually, there's great illustrations in here.
That's cool.
The prints are really pretty.
They're great.
Um, I've never really seen drawings
like this from this early.
Did you know who the artist is?
A guy named Rackham.
I think it's on the front.
I can almost guarantee you he was a really famous artist.
This was really popular right around 1900, 1910,
to make really expensive books.
In the early 1900s, books like this with fine art
were considered very high-end collectibles,
and depending on condition and some other factors,
could be worth a lot of money.
It's really, really interesting.
I'm intrigued.
What were you looking to do with it?
I'm looking at $1,500 for the book.
[music playing]
OK.
Um, the problem is condition, which--
this is not pretty.
No, it's a little scuffed.
And um, if you look right here, 1909.
It's not a first edition "Rip Van Winkle"
because "Rip Van Winkle" was published long before this.
But it could be a first edition with the illustrations.
Yeah.
And that's what makes the money in these kind of books.
But I have a friend.
She's probably, like, one of the top 20
book experts in the world.
Let her take a look at it.
She'll know everything about it.
That would be great.
You have a book for me.
Yes, I do.
"Rip Van Winkle."
OK.
OK, well, I know it's not a first edition because "Rip Van
Winkle" was written, like, in the 1820s,
somewhere around there.
Yeah, early 19th century, "Rip Van Winkle," of course,
by Washington Irving, one of the great early American authors.
What you've got here, though, it's
illustrated by Arthur Rackham in the early 20th century.
There's this era called the Golden Age of Illustration.
And Rackham is sort of the king of the golden age
of illustration.
Absolutely gorgeous.
All right, Rick.
What are you worried about here?
I have no idea what it's worth.
All right.
The first thing we need to see is
whether or not it's a first edition
illustrated by Arthur Rackham.
Oftentimes, that can get up into thousands easily,
like 9,000 even.
OK.
So what do we got here?
All right.
[music playing]
And I can tell you, just by looking at the title page,
this is not a first edition of the Rackham.
The first illustrated edition came out in 1905.
Says 1909 on the title page.
Job done.
OK.
So 5 bucks?
[laughter]
Well, given the condition, which obviously makes
a huge difference, I would probably place it more around,
like, 300.
OK.
Not a complete loss.
No, not bad at all.
The thing that really saves it is you've
got these really beautiful plates.
Did they ever cut these apart and frame those, or--
I'm going to pretend you didn't ask that question.
OK.
[laughs] Thanks.
You're the best.
You're welcome, Rick.
I'm happy to help out Rick.
This is a fine book.
And I know it's not a first Rackham edition
but it's still got some really beautiful plates.
And they're all intact.
But I think it's something good for the pawn shop.
I told you she knows everything
there is to know about books.
You ought to pay me $50 everything she just taught you.
[laughter]
And that's what I'll give you, 50 bucks for the thing.
I know she said it was worth $300.
But I just don't see it flying off the shelf.
But given that, I would counter with 175.
No.
This is going to sit for infinity.
I have collectors look at it, oh, it's pretty beat up.
It's--
Beautiful pictures.
And it's not a first edition.
And 150 sounds like a perfect price to settle on this.
I'll give you $75.
[sighs] Not even 100?
No.
75 bucks.
That's cash right now.
[giggles]
OK.
I'll take that.
All right, I'll meet you right up front.
$75.
Today's economy, yeah, you got be happy with $75.