Collecting Salman Rushdie Books
Is it Profitable?
Is it worth collecting Salman Rushdie Books?
Salman Rushdie rose in popularity as and became a highly acclaimed author as he blended folklore, politics and fantasy into his storytelling which made his books popular within literary circles in the West but division arouse in the East. Religious authorities and Eastern governments plus half of the general public who read his works in the East were not impressed by his satirical writings on powerful establishments so much so they Rushdie had to go into hiding when a bounty was placed on his head. Books that result in controversy are always worth collecting as history shows.
If you’re asking the question ‘Is it profitable?’ I would say yes if you chose Salman Rushdie books wisely I would concentrate on the following books by Salman Rushdie if you really want to make a profit.
Grimus – 1975
This was Salman Rushdie’s first novel and was published in Britain in 1975 by Victor Gollancz in hardback only. There is believed to be between 1000-2000 copies in the first print run. This may seem a lot to be collectable but as Rushdie had not rose to fame, as a writer, many people did not keep the book and threw out when they finished reading it. Many people remove the dust jackets on books as it gets in the way so they throw it out when they start to read a book. As there was not an initial rush to read Grimus there were no mass book signing sessions so any he signed are few and far between making a first edition, first printing copy in hardback that is signed in very good condition very rare. Therefore, try to hunt down Grimus in the first print state with the dust jacket. Look at the copyright page is should state it was first published in 1975 and not have any other numbers meaning print runs after the initial first print run. The Boards will be a purple colour with gold lettering and the dust jacket will have the £3.50 price on.
If you obtain an unsigned copy, write a letter to Salman Rushdie publicist office and you never know he may write back to you and sign the letter which is just as good having a signed manuscript letter with the book and will add much value when you come to sell it. I know this is a bit cheeky but people do it to popular authors. I have done it myself and it works most of the time especially if you are polite and ask a literary question about the book.
Midnight’s Children – 1981
Salman Rushdie wrote Midnight’s Children and it was published by Jonathan Cape in 1981 in hardback. This book was fraught with problems from before it was even published as it was due to printed in the UK and published by Jonathan Cape in the United Kingdom but a chain of industrial strikes by printers resulted in the book being printed in the US after an agreement between Alfred A. Knopf and Jonathan Cape was reached. This book is printed on American sheets. The books were then to be sent to the UK but transport strikes delayed the shipping. when they were finally shipped dock workers on the UK went on strike so cargo could not be unloaded and processed. Knopf released the edition shortly before the UK did with a different dust jacket. The book became a bestseller and won the Booker Prize in 1981 and the Booker of Bookers in 1993, the best Booker Prize winner of booker winners of the last 25 years.
Midnight’s Children caused Salman Rushdie to be embroiled in a political controversy as one line in the book depicted India’s then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as being responsible for her husband’s death by neglecting him. She sued Rushdie and the publishers and the case was settled out of Court with Rushdie agreeing to remove the offending line from future print runs and editions. As first editions still contain the offending line of text and the controversy surrounding it this book will always remain collectable. The Booker Prize win and the Booker of Bookers will keep it up there as a highly collectable book. The initial print run was small 2500 copies which although is not small compared to J. K. Rowling’s The Philosopher’s Stone which was only 500 copies, the demand for the first edition of Midnight’s Children is greater than the quantity initially printed. The American sheets and the production problems also add a tiny bit more value. The uncorrected proof copy unbound paperback is also valuable, more so if signed by the author.
The Satanic Verses – 1988
Viking Press published Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses in 1988 and almost immediately it caused much uproar. Many Muslims considered the novel blasphemous as they believed that Rushdie had insulted Islam, the Quran and the Prophet Muhammed. The backlash was so great that book stores selling the book were bombed and the books was banned in many Muslim countries. The Ayatollah Khomeini, the Iranian Leader ordered the death of Rushdie in a Fatwa. This was issued about four months after the publication of The Satanic Verses. There are believed between 15,000-20,000 UK copies of this first edition, first printing. There was also a special limited edition of 100 signed copies bound in goatskin. Protestors in Bolton and Bradford set fire to many and a handful of book stores that were selling The Satanic Verses was firebombed in protest. There were two fire bombings in London book stores, one in York and one bomb was planted in Nottingham, Peterborough and Guildford which were diffused before they had chance to go off. There were other bombings of book stores around the world.
The US first edition of The Satanic Verses was published in February 1989 with a print run of 50,000 copies and some believe the same amount in paperback copies to be shipped to the UK and other countries including Switzerland. To protect staff in warehouses which stored the books for shipment and retailers Viking ordered the books to be pulped. But, a shipment of 400 first print run in paperback were already in transit to Switzerland. These are deemed highly collectable due to the timing of the ‘Fatwa’ which was the same month. These books were written in English.
There are still many copies of the first UK edition but having a signed copy is the one to collect. If you can collect one of the special 100 signed copies even better. Any proof copies, especially if signed, are very worthy of collecting.
Salman Rushdie and the controversy around The Satanic Versus brought him name into the news headlines all around the world which increased his fame. More and more people in the West wanted to read his books. Any book published after that date was produced in very high numbers on the first print run as the demand was there after his notoriety, so there are many ‘first editions, first prints’. Unless his later books are special limited editions in low print numbers which will be signed, or are proof copies, especially signed then I would personally not bother collecting these as an investment.
Unless, you want to collect the complete set to sell on. The longer you keep hold of your collection, the better it will grow into a decent profit.
Other small special limited signed editions included:
- The Moor’s Last Sigh, published by Jonathan Cape in 1995 (100 copies)
- The Enchantress of Florence published by Blackwell Collector Library in 2008 (100 copies) apart from the 1,200 signed limited edition slip-cased copies. Go for one of the 100 copies if you can.
- Haroun and the Sea of Stories, published by Granta Books, London in 1990 (251 signed limited edition special copies in quarter calf skin.
Collecting Booker Prize Winners
If you want to know more about collecting Booker Prize Winners of which Salman Rushdie has won, read my blog. https://antiquat.com/collecting-booker-prize-winners/