I have several versions of The Tomb. It is my favorite. Of course I am most proud of my signed limited Whispers Press version. I also have Rakoshi limited, The UK 1st hardcover, and maybe the neatest (thanks a million to my friend Kenji) the Japanese version. I don't read Japanese, but it is just too cool.

What I want to know is, did Whisper's press make a trade hardcover version of The Tomb (one that is not signed or numbered)? I'd like to get one if there is one. I never see it for sale, but on Abe there are several, from Whispers Press, (too expensive of course) that do not mention a signature or limitation.

Just wondering.

I have several versions of The Tomb. It is my favorite. Of course I am most proud of my signed limited Whispers Press version. I also have Rakoshi limited, The UK 1st hardcover, and maybe the neatest (thanks a million to my friend Kenji) the Japanese version. I don't read Japanese, but it is just too cool.

You're welcome!

You don't read Japanese? You can read! Look at the cover very carefully.

Can you see the word, "マンハッタン"? That's Katakana and pronunciation is "Manhattan". Next word, "の" is Hiragana and pronunciation is "no". Last word, "戦慄" is Kanji(Chinese characters) and pronunciation is "senritus". See? It's easy!

What I want to know is, did Whisper's press make a trade hardcover version of The Tomb (one that is not signed or numbered)?

I've sent your question to Stu Schiff for a definitive answer.

You're welcome!

You don't read Japanese? You can read! Look at the cover very carefully.

Can you see the word, "マンハッタン"? That's Katakana and pronunciation is "Manhattan". Next word, "の" is Hiragana and pronunciation is "no". Last word, "戦慄" is Kanji(Chinese characters) and pronunciation is "senritus". See? It's easy!

Very fine and cool explanation, Kenji!

Here's the bibliographic / bibliophilic scoop from the source.

Stu Schiff, publisher of Whispers Press, says:

The first finished state of the book, other than my printer's proofs, was a xerox of these proofs that was bound in blue paper as review copies for PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY, LIBRARY JOURNAL, and the like, These seven copies cost about $100 each, and I did not even keep one for myself (although I have since reobtained one on the O.P. market). When the pages were printed and before the hardcover binding was accomplished, about 45 copies were bound in orange wraps for reviewers of less import (LOCUS, ALGOL, professional writers, WHISPERS contributors, etc.). Just before FCon, I was able to have my printer bind 96 copies. When they arrived I found two major problems. There was no Whispers Press logo on the spine and the DJ had a white band overlapping onto the covers. There was no way to change this before the convention so the first copies were distributed there with the bad DJ and naked (partly) spine). I also gave most buyers an overrun of your signature page that was supposed to be in the signed edition (and they got a corrected DJ as well (these were reprinted by my printer at no cost to me)). The rest of the trade hardcover print run (less than 1700 copies as the printer screwed up the press run as well as the DJ) was bound in the corrected DJ and had the Whispers Press logo on the spine. The 250-copy signed and numbered edition was bound in black rather than beige cloth and placed in a black slipcase. As I recall (this is where you need to check), the lettered state was also bound in black. It was placed in a beige cloth rather than black cloth slipcase.

Here's the bibliographic / bibliophilic scoop from the source.

Stu Schiff, publisher of Whispers Press, says:

The first finished state of the book, other than my printer's proofs, was a xerox of these proofs that was bound in blue paper as review copies for PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY, LIBRARY JOURNAL, and the like, These seven copies cost about $100 each, and I did not even keep one for myself (although I have since reobtained one on the O.P. market). When the pages were printed and before the hardcover binding was accomplished, about 45 copies were bound in orange wraps for reviewers of less import (LOCUS, ALGOL, professional writers, WHISPERS contributors, etc.). Just before FCon, I was able to have my printer bind 96 copies. When they arrived I found two major problems. There was no Whispers Press logo on the spine and the DJ had a white band overlapping onto the covers. There was no way to change this before the convention so the first copies were distributed there with the bad DJ and naked (partly) spine). I also gave most buyers an overrun of your signature page that was supposed to be in the signed edition (and they got a corrected DJ as well (these were reprinted by my printer at no cost to me)). The rest of the trade hardcover print run (less than 1700 copies as the printer screwed up the press run as well as the DJ) was bound in the corrected DJ and had the Whispers Press logo on the spine. The 250-copy signed and numbered edition was bound in black rather than beige cloth and placed in a black slipcase. As I recall (this is where you need to check), the lettered state was also bound in black. It was placed in a beige cloth rather than black cloth slipcase.

Thanks for posting this. I couldn't remember what was so special about my copy of "The Tomb". I have one of those 96 copies without the logo and the messed up DJ.

Thanks for posting this. I couldn't remember what was so special about my copy of "The Tomb". I have one of those 96 copies without the logo and the messed up DJ.

I've heard it called "the WFC variant."

I managed to get one of the orange proofs today - and a pretty penny I had to pay for it too! :eek:

It's winging its way over the Pond as we speak

I managed to get one of the orange proofs today - and a pretty penny I had to pay for it too! :eek:

It's winging its way over the Pond as we speak

That's the fanatic collector in you, eh?

I just own the plain vanilla trade edition, complete with a few foxings, rubbings, and minor tears in the DJ (now in a Brodart protective cover). Still, very happy to own this copy, and so far have resisted getting the updated version.

Wow! It is one book have many editions, isn't it?

Japanese edition's The Tomb have 3 editions. First 2 editions are now out of print.

This is new print version.