We’re being screwed, just a reprint because there’s demand for the title. And for more than twice the original price. They should stuff em!
Porter seems to be hemorrhaging credibility. Of course, it’s their business, they can charge whatever they wish, and more power to them, but this (the sudden discovery of 250GTE book copies) seems a little odd.
Very interesting. Today I noticed Ferrari 250 GTO - The Autobiography of 4153 GT (Limited Edition; 100 copies) was also back in stock. The listing has a logo that says “Vintage Porter” which is also on the 250 GTE listing.
I imagine that they have reprinted damaged copies (although it would help if they were clear), just as Palawan did with Ferrari in Camera (I must have missed the indignation about that). I don't really see what the issue is. No-one is being forced to buy at the higher price. In any case, the 250 GTE book is still better value at £200 than the 20 GTO book at £450. With regards to Vintage Porter, I found this "Welcome to Vintage Porter, a newly created division of Porter Press International that encompasses our special editions, the last few copies of a particular book, one-offs and specially-signed copies. Vintage Porter is for the collectors. Most high quality motoring books go up in value, not down..."
Porter has some very nice titles, as they have some duds. But they clearly want to milk the cow as much as possible. And they do not communicate well with their audience, they may wish to devote a ‘division’ to solve that problem!
I think, Porter Press operates the same price system than Palawan, but in contrast to Palawan they do it rather unofficially and that causes irritation. The first copies of Palawan's Aston Martin V8 book cost 650 GBP, then the price went up to 750 GBP, and the last 50 copies cost 1,000 GBP. But they said so right from the beginning and everyone knew what he or she would have to pay now and in the future. In my opinion, the Porter Press team are absolutely honest and cordial people. They would never try to market re-prints or sell copies of questionable pedigree (if you excuse that word in this context). They just got their communication a little bit wrong.
Personally the higher price doesn't effect me at all. I bought my copy of 250 GTE on release and am very happy with it. What does annoy me is the SOLD OUT status and then nearly a year later it's now "unsold out", put under a "vintage" category and priced at double the release price. A similar thing happened with the Ferrari Store when selling their 1000 GP book (which was also a subject of discussion) where they sold the book on their official website advertising it as 1/2000, then they sold out and a week or so later they "unsold out" but not mentioning they were now selling the 1/8360 edition. https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/official-book-collectors-thread.200937/page-133#post-147780165 If it's sold out it's sold out. Don't hold 50 copies or so back and then charge punters a premium. Porter Press should be more transparent and use a term like... initial release allocation sold out, further releases to follow.
I agree they should be transparent about where the extra copies have come from. However, I doubt they have "done a Ferrari" and printed a few hundred extra. Rather, I think they have "done a Palawan" and reprinted damaged copies. But there is no reason why they can't be clear about it.
As I mentioned prior Porter definitely have not printed more unnumbered new copies, I just mention the Ferrari situation as an example of a sold out book becoming mysteriosly available again.
Mate of mine bought a copy for about £260 I believe from Cotswold as sold out. Now rather p@s@ed off !
https://www.fullcircleferrarigto.com/ Hardbound. 228 pages, Very entertaining. Marcel Massini Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
The new catalogue for the November auction of Automobilia Ladenburg is online: https://www.automobilia-ladenburg.de/aAPI/catalogs/de/00475423bd726df374ab553a678f00dd/page/1 See lot no. 1976: an original (!) copy of the second-ever Ferrari yearbook: „Il 3. Anno di Corse Modena“, 1930, 1931 und 1932, Modena November 1932. Any guesses how much that could fetch? It should go well into the five-digit price region, shouldn't it?
I'll do more research but personally looks like a bit of a shelf filler to me rather then a must have. Seems like a memoir of the man and how the car crosses his path, rather than the other way around.
How many years did Dr. Bob Bodin own it? My thought is he has to be the longest term owner of S/N3223. Anyone concur? See Michael Dregni's Inside Ferrari as well.
According to the GTO register recently published by Porter Press, Bodin owned the car for 19 years, from 1974 to 1993. The current owner acquired the car in 2004, so in two years he or she will equalize the "record".
Off topic, for the ones with a soft spot for Zuffenhausen: Porsche Silver Steeds, Porsche Racing, a dedication 1948 to 1965 Roy Smith Palawan Press Poor man's edition at pre-order GBP500.- (first 150 copies) Leather fetish edition from GBP2,000.- (first 15 copies)