Q: Hello!! I was at a flea market today and picked up a copy of The Dore Bible Gallery. The book caught my eye due to a number of things I had learned in passing from my grandfather, who was an antiquarian bookseller. After some web surfing, I came upon your page and was surprised at what I discovered regarding this book.

The picture of the book can be found on your page here:

The advertising flyer, shown at this link, is still in the book:

I am contacting you in hopes you can help me with some information. Is there a way to determine the exact printing date? There is no date on the cover, or even the preface. How many copies were printed in the various years? Is the inclusion of the flyer that was normally distributed with the book, influence the value, or help in determining when it was printed? Was this volume originally boxed?

Any other tips, clues or information regarding this book you could provide or give me advice about, would be very very appreciated.

A: The book you have did originally come within a box. It was printed between 1889-1900. There is nothing that distinguishes an earlier book from a later book.

I do not have print number runs. But none of the Dore books are especially hard to find. Although I believe that all of the Dore books had an advertising flyer within the book, I cannot prove it.

There is quite a range in prices for this book. The flyer has no effect although I would think it should.

This title sells for between $25-75 in most instances. I frequently see asking prices of $200-300 but these books seldom (if ever) sell. Occasionally I see the individual prints for sale in a book that has been parted out. I have never seen an individual print from the book sell for much at all.

If I can be of any other help, please let me know.