I have all 17 original books printed by The Burton Club for Private Sbscriberss Only. I have the Teheran Edition, limited to one thousand numbered sets, of which my set is numbered 701.

Does anybody have an idea of what this set is worth? I would appreciate any input. Thank you.

Kim

I have a complete set of sixteen volumes of the first edition of Burton's 1001 Arabian Nights, the property of my Father, in original cloth for private sale and in very good condition. Some expert repairs have been done where necessary and I am ready to provide whatever images (digital camera) you might request. Only 1,000 sets were produced in 1885-8 and it is estimated that, of these, less than two hundred remain in original cloth which can justify the description of "very good". I am writing hoping to receive an offer reflecting an edition of this importance, scarcity and condition. If I am unsuccessful, I shall put the set up on Ebay.

- Peter Attwater

i'm doing a project in archeology about kaaba, and i read in a book that richard burton when he did the hajj he succeded to take a piece of the black stone to london, and then with geological experiments it was proved that this stone is not earthly, is there is something true about this?

Burton only kissed the stone. He presumed - and there is non scientific evidence yet - that it was a meteorite. And very probably it is.

The original Nights are not as rare as the limitation of 1000 suggests. Because they were so expensive to begin with, an amamzingly large number of sets survive. They typcially go for sale in London auction houses in the original black cloth for about US$2000-2500 or less if they are in need of repair--which they ususaly are. You want one now?--Voyager Press in Canada will probably let their's go for $5500. Some dealers jack the price up if they are in fancy morocco rebinds-I've seen them as high as $10-14000--but then I've seen them unsold by these dealers for years!

Excuse me, I just read this and have to disagree. Even if the number of original cloth sets that survive, complete and in GOOD condition is comparatively large (it is a fragile set), you would be getting a wonderful bargain if you were able to buy the sixteen volume set for $2,000-$2,500 retail. You will see the expurgated 1897 "library" edition selling for this sort of price (excessive, true) and even, occasionally, the ominipresent "Burton Club" editions are offered at over $1,000 to unsuspecting buyers (probably worth $300).
Looking, as you have apparently, at www.abebooks.com , the Voyager set at $7,500 - if the condition is truly "very good" and, yes, allowing for negotiation, I'd say that's a very good price - probably because these are not easy times for antiquarian booksellers. The Japanese used to buy a lot of Burton.

I guess Richard read too fast. My $2000-2500 price as I said was for an AUCTION estimate, not retail as he thinks I said.
Of course when the 20% buyers premium is added to the estimate, that bumps the actual price to $2500-3000. And then the dealer mark up is ually at least double so that bring the retail to $5500-$6500.
So I stand by my estimate.
The Keynes sale had a copy estimted for 800=1000 GBP (again even lower than my estimate) with some other books added to the lot and it brought 1900GBP but that was because these single owner sales usually bring out the big spenders and commission buyers. Can you imagine paying 5700GBP for Mission to Gelele, which brought even more than the Sword exercise books? These auctions are pretty strange sometimes!

Martin, I apologize for misquoting you on the distinction between "auction" and "retail" price. I'd be curious to know where else you've seen this set auctioned in recent times?

If my recollection is correct, that (Christies)set fetched just shy of $4,000 with buyer's premium in but, yes, also included the Lechford illustration set (separate of course). I have the catalog and all the hammer prices in UK so it's not to hand and will eat my words if need be. I have to also add it was in very good condition.

For 'pretty strange' pricing on the "Nights", at www.abebooks.com, there is an 1885 edition, apparently tarted up with latterly bound-in illustrations and an elaborately tooled leather binding for $15,000; a fancy Smithers edition (expurgated of course) for $13,500. But most expensive is a 1903 Burton Club number (with an original manuscript sheet bound in) for $20,000.

In fairness, I should mention that it was Martin who put me onto the 1885 set of the Nights that I now have.