A Bible Printed in 1905 Is Not a Rare Book

Question: I possess an old Martin Luther Bible, written in German with a 1905 copyright date. My Bible is in very good condition--all the pages are there, and the binding and cover are excellent. Do you know of any museums or collectors or any people who would be interested in buying this Bible?--D.S.

Answer: According to Los Angeles rare-book expert Louis Weinstein, owner of the Heritage Book Shop (8540 Melrose Ave.), “anything after the year 1600 in Bibles is very common. It’s almost the most common text in the world, especially in German.”

For a modern-day Bible (anything published in this century is considered “modern”) to have value, he said, it should have some unique features, such as illustrations by a well-known artist or an unusual binding.

If you had possessed one of the first Martin Luther Bibles, printed in Wittenberg, Germany, in the mid-16th Century, Weinstein said, it would command a six-figure price.

The first American Bible, he said, was produced by missionaries in the Algonquin language in 1661. About 40 of these Bibles exist and have changed hands for as much as $300,000 each.

The first American Bible printed in English, Weinstein said, was produced in Massachusetts in 1781 by Isiah Thomas. About 200 copies have survived, he said, and they have sold for between $15,000 and $20,000.

Q: In my bottle collection is an interesting number. I believe it’s called a “bear grease jar” and that it could be quite valuable, both in terms of age and scarcity.--N.T.

A: In the mid-19th Century, jars shaped like a bear acquired the “bear grease” label because they contained a thick hair lotion that sold fairly well for a number of years.

Such jars, produced in New England, are relatively rare and can sell for several hundred dollars. Usually, the jar isn’t more than 4 inches high and, according to dealers, can be found in white, blue or black colors.

In case you haven’t yet discarded your 1989 calendar, be advised that there are individuals who collect them, provided they’re in good condition.

Collector interest usually focuses on the calendar’s theme, but the year can also be a factor.

Additionally, collectors of advertising items are interested in calendars printed in the latter part of the 19th Century through World War II, a time period when they were widely used as advertising giveaways.

Prices, even for calendars predating this century, usually don’t exceed $100, and most of the dealer prices we’ve seen have been under $50.

Mailbag

For collectors of “Gone With The Wind” memorabilia, there’s a new book: “Gone With the Wind on Film: A Complete Reference,” by Cynthia Marylee Molt (McFarland & Co., Inc., Box 611, Jefferson, N.C. 28640, 544 pp, index, $45, plus $2 for shipping and handling). Among the book’s 10 sections (which deal with such subjects as a history of the characters, costuming and interiors) there is a section on collectibles.

John Seaman of Los Angeles says he is ready to part with his collection of 150 whiskey shot glasses collected from his travels around the world. Countries represented range from the Soviet Union to Mexico, he said.

Seaman, 70, now retired, said he accumulated the glasses over a 20-year period when he was on business trips. “I love picking up souvenirs,” he said during a recent telephone conversation.

Seaman’s telephone number: (213) 478-1860.