'Original' SMILE booklet on eBay

[Andrew G. Doe]

It's not. It's a repro from the late 1990s. How can I be so sure ?

Smile booklet repro

Bottom left of the right hand page - that's a limited edition number.  

Hmmm... link not working... OK, go here - Smile booklet, then check out the page shots.

[smile-holland]

... and yet the seller's quite convinced:

YOU ARE BIDDING ON A RARE BOOKLET THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE INCLUDED BUT NEVER WAS ON THE INFAMOUS, UNRELEASED SMiLE FROM 1967. THIS IS NOT, REPEAT, IS NOT A DUPLICATE OR REPLICA. THIS IS THE REAL THING!

I assume the seller - according to his name - is a fan. So why do this?
O, and I assume someone informed the seller 


By the way: I happen to have a 90ies reproduction as well, but it doesn't have a lim.edition. Makes me wonder how many reproductions were made... probably 1000 numbered.

[bgas]

It's not. It's a repro from the late 1990s. How can I be so sure ?

Smile booklet repro

Bottom left of the right hand page - that's a limited edition number.  

Hmmm... link not working... OK, go here - Smile booklet, then check out the page shots.

... and yet the seller's quite convinced:

YOU ARE BIDDING ON A RARE BOOKLET THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE INCLUDED BUT NEVER WAS ON THE INFAMOUS, UNRELEASED SMiLE FROM 1967. THIS IS NOT, REPEAT, IS NOT A DUPLICATE OR REPLICA. THIS IS THE REAL THING!

I assume the seller - according to his name - is a fan. So why do this?
O, and I assume someone informed the seller 


By the way: I happen to have a 90ies reproduction as well, but it doesn't have a lim.edition. Makes me wonder how many reproductions were made... probably 1000 numbered.

Yep. Ain't no bout a doubt it.  
The original is a different size than the replica, feels different in the paper texture, the colors are slightly different( less vibrant) and obviously, doesn't have the number.
My replica is numbered 0389.  
I haven't informed the seller. I was going to, but then I thought, "if he's such aa fan, he'd know it was a replica. He's just a lout trying to make a quick buck from someone that doesn't know any better.
 And Ebay won't care if you tell them, which of course, there's no easy way to do this. NO, the only way to stop the seller, if you really are of a mind to, is have someone in the BBs organization file a VERO complaint. 

[Andrew G. Doe]

By the way: I happen to have a 90ies reproduction as well, but it doesn't have a lim.edition. Makes me wonder how many reproductions were made... probably 1000 numbered.

Ah... that would be a repro of the repro, then. 

And yes, 1000 numbered, in the first instance.

I recall when someone re-booted the "Hawthorne Hotshots" double EP from the late 70s, it was pretty easy to tell them apart from the originals: the sleeve was white, not green... and they were all numbered 226 !

[bgas]

WAIT!!!!! 
You mean my 226 isn't real?

[Andrew G. Doe]

WAIT!!!!!  
You mean my 226 isn't real?

If the sleeve is green, yes, it is. Real boot, that is... 

[bgas]

WAIT!!!!!  
You mean my 226 isn't real?

If the sleeve is green, yes, it is. Real boot, that is... 

It was white, but then I wasn't feeling well, so I had some pea soup, and then was REALLY sick, and now my sleeve is green....

[smile-holland]

By the way: I happen to have a 90ies reproduction as well, but it doesn't have a lim.edition. Makes me wonder how many reproductions were made... probably 1000 numbered.

Ah... that would be a repro of the repro, then. 

And I assume both the numbered and not-numbered versions were of UK manufacure?    (got my copy during a visit on the British Isles)

[bgas]

By the way: I happen to have a 90ies reproduction as well, but it doesn't have a lim.edition. Makes me wonder how many reproductions were made... probably 1000 numbered.

Ah... that would be a repro of the repro, then. 

And I assume both the numbered and not-numbered versions were of UK manufacure?    (got my copy during a visit on the British Isles)

Sshhhh!  That's supposed to be AGD's secret....

[Bicyclerider]

The limited edition repro booklet is still a collectible - $56 is not totally unreasonable.

[smile-holland]

And Ebay won't care if you tell them, which of course, there's no easy way to do this. NO, the only way to stop the seller, if you really are of a mind to, is have someone in the BBs organization file a VERO complaint. 

Well, I've seen several SMiLE items (most of them not so very legal) disappear on Ebay before the bidding had ended... so someone's checking it apparently.

[bgas]

The limited edition repro booklet is still a collectible - $56 is not totally unreasonable.

Really?  Makes the original purchase price seem like a good deal then.

[Andrew G. Doe]

The limited edition repro booklet is still a collectible - $56 is not totally unreasonable.

Really?  Makes the original purchase price seem like a good deal then.

Not sure $56 isn't a bit high... but then again, what other way is the fan in the street ever going to see what a booklet really looked like in full colour and (almost) full size ?

[bgas]

The limited edition repro booklet is still a collectible - $56 is not totally unreasonable.

Really?  Makes the original purchase price seem like a good deal then.

Not sure $56 isn't a bit high... but then again, what other way is the fan in the street ever going to see what a booklet really looked like in full colour and (almost) full size ?

Isn't there any place where the booklet and each page is posted?
Maybe Tracy has the space for that; seems like that would dovetail perfectly with the rest of her site.

[Mikie]

I have one of the limited edition reproduced booklets from the 90's. Glad to know it's still a collectible. Were there more of them reproduced after the limited edition quantity?

I've only seen one original Smile booklet in my lifetime, and it belongs to Will Brison. Frank Holmes was in attendance when the "revealing" took place in S.F. Will had to keep it a couple of feet away from us so we wouldn't get any drool marks on it.......  

[bgas]

I have one of the limited edition reproduced booklets from the 90's. Glad to know it's still a collectible. Were there more of them reproduced after the limited edition quantity?

I've only seen one original Smile booklet in my lifetime, and it belongs to Will Brison. Frank Holmes was in attendance when the "revealing" took place in S.F. Will had to keep it a couple of feet away from us so we wouldn't get any drool marks on it.......  

Is that the artist's proof one, with the markings and such?

[Andrew G. Doe]

I have one of the limited edition reproduced booklets from the 90's. Glad to know it's still a collectible. Were there more of them reproduced after the limited edition quantity?

Apparently so - I've seen repros without an edition number.

[Andrew G. Doe]

I have one of the limited edition reproduced booklets from the 90's. Glad to know it's still a collectible. Were there more of them reproduced after the limited edition quantity?

I've only seen one original Smile booklet in my lifetime, and it belongs to Will Brison. Frank Holmes was in attendance when the "revealing" took place in S.F. Will had to keep it a couple of feet away from us so we wouldn't get any drool marks on it.......  

Is that the artist's proof one, with the markings and such?

You're thinking of the back slick. The original booklets are complete, down to the staples.  I've only ever seen two, and one was accompanied by a full sleeve mock-up. God only knows how much that's worth now. Talking Monopoly money to the likes of us: maybe $4.99 to a Beatles fan.

BTW, the eBay vendor has been in touch with me: they didn't know it was a repro.

[bgas]

I've only seen one original Smile booklet in my lifetime, and it belongs to Will Brison. Frank Holmes was in attendance when the "revealing" took place in S.F. Will had to keep it a couple of feet away from us so we wouldn't get any drool marks on it.......  

Hey, I know!  Maye there could be a Smile booklet convention, where the 10(thereabouts) people that own Originals get together:  
"I'll show you mine, if you show me yours"...  then they could charge admission, so other fans could see them all....  

[bgas]

I have one of the limited edition reproduced booklets from the 90's. Glad to know it's still a collectible. Were there more of them reproduced after the limited edition quantity?

I've only seen one original Smile booklet in my lifetime, and it belongs to Will Brison. Frank Holmes was in attendance when the "revealing" took place in S.F. Will had to keep it a couple of feet away from us so we wouldn't get any drool marks on it.......  

Is that the artist's proof one, with the markings and such?

You're thinking of the back slick. The original booklets are complete, down to the staples.  I've only ever seen two, and one was accompanied by a full sleeve mock-up. God only knows how much that's worth now. Talking Monopoly money to the likes of us: maybe $4.99 to a Beatles fan.

BTW, the eBay vendor has been in touch with me: they didn't know it was a repro.

NOT!!  
I'm speaking of the proof copy of the booklet. It has markings, of some sort, on the pages. Pretty sure that's how it was described to me. Maybe the owner will see this thread and chime in...  

I have one of the limited edition reproduced booklets from the 90's. Glad to know it's still a collectible. Were there more of them reproduced after the limited edition quantity?

Apparently so - I've seen repros without an edition number.

Yeah; a slightly less expensive reproduction series. The choice was to make them without the numbering, or make hundreds of copies of # 226....

[Mikie]

"I'll show you mine, if you show me yours"...  then they could charge admission, so other fans could see them all....  

Only if we're talking about female booklet owners. 

[Mike's Beard]

Here's the plan. We'll hold a mock fan convention, get the owners to bring their Smile booklets, then one of us will cause a distraction by exclaiming loudly "Oh my God is that Mike Love over there!", then while everybody turns to look we swipe the booklets and sell them on eBay for no less than $56 each.

[bgas]

Evidently someone explained the differences to the seller of the booklet, as they ended the listing; and relisted it as a reproduction.
I just hope the $56 bid I put on it is really a "steal", and I can resell it for some serious $$.   

[Andrew G. Doe]

I have one of the limited edition reproduced booklets from the 90's. Glad to know it's still a collectible. Were there more of them reproduced after the limited edition quantity?

I've only seen one original Smile booklet in my lifetime, and it belongs to Will Brison. Frank Holmes was in attendance when the "revealing" took place in S.F. Will had to keep it a couple of feet away from us so we wouldn't get any drool marks on it.......  

Is that the artist's proof one, with the markings and such?

You're thinking of the back slick. The original booklets are complete, down to the staples.  I've only ever seen two, and one was accompanied by a full sleeve mock-up. God only knows how much that's worth now. Talking Monopoly money to the likes of us: maybe $4.99 to a Beatles fan.

BTW, the eBay vendor has been in touch with me: they didn't know it was a repro.

NOT!!  
I'm speaking of the proof copy of the booklet. It has markings, of some sort, on the pages. Pretty sure that's how it was described to me. Maybe the owner will see this thread and chime in...  

Interesting - never heard of that before. The print orders were sent out on 12/8/66 and  the litho positives, along with a progressive proof and a sample booklet, were mailed on 12/19/66, with delivery expected  by 1/3/67 (Scranton) and 1/6/67 (LA), so any such proof dates, at a rough guess, to late November 1966.

[Pretty Funky]

Scranton!

Well theres your problem. Still in storage in the Dunder Mifflin wharehouse I bet.