I've been doing a bit of web research over the last couple of days for Bird (who is sans Internet), because he is trying to sell a rare book he was fortunate enough to find at a used bookstore last year.
It is a copy of Bobby Fischer's My 60 Memorable Games, one of the most cherished and sought-after out of print books on chess in the world, and it is from the first printing of the first Simon & Schuster edition.
I have discovered the book is very special because:
a) Apparently Fischer will only sign the S&S first edition, believing that the later editions (like the Faber & Faber) have been altered in unacceptable ways. In addition, Fischer is not an eager autographer anyways.
b) The book is signed to the American watercolor artist James Boren, a friend of Fischer's. (In fact, I discovered that some of Fischer's personal effects brought up to auction recently included a book of Boren's art signed by Boren to Fischer.) So it is not as if Boren was just some stranger who approached Fischer for an autograph. Fischer's inscription reads:
"To Mr. James Boren, From Bobby Fischer with Best Wishes."
c) I can't find a listing anywhere for a signed copy of this particular book. It is hard enough finding copies of the first printing of this particular book in good condition. Most of these sell anywhere between $85 and $250.
I can only deduce that Bird has something fairly valuable in his hands. I have seen a signed first edition of Fischer's Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess for $1,274.95.
Of course, one good rule of collecting is that an item is really only worth what someone will pay for it. Bird already has an offer from an interested buyer willing to pay $500 for his book. I can't tell for sure, but I'm thinking that if he listed it in the appropriate places, he could get quite a bit more than that.
If you know someone or of someone (or if you are someone) who can either help us price this book or would like to make an offer on this book, please leave a comment. To sum up the book's specs:
Bobby Fischer, My 60 Memorable Games
1969, first printing, Simon & Schuster
Dust jacket in fair condition -- some minor tears, yellowing, small pen marking.
Book itself in good condition -- no dog ears, no water damage, no scuffs.
Inscription: "To Mr. James Boren, from Bobby Fischer with best wishes."
$1275 for Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess?? It's not even a good book! A signed first edition of My 60 Memorable Games has got to be more valuable than that! However, I'm no expert.