Featured Johann Wolfgang von Goethe books?

Picked these up on a whim as I was leaving the market. A heavy shower started and I struggled to keep them dry. I think they are by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe but not entirely sure. My German is virtually non existent as it wasn't an option at school. It also mentions Ludwig Geiger. So not sure if one person is the author and the other the subject?

The volumes are from 1 to 41 and there is an odd one at the end/beginning, with a letter stuck in it. Not even sure if it's part of the same collection.

 

Goethes Sämtliche Werke.
Volständige Ausgabe in 44 Bänden.
Mit Einleitung von Ludwig Geiger.

Goethe's Collected Works.
Complete edition in 44 volumes.
With introduction by Ludwig Geiger

My brother sold a similar set of books by Schiller, I believe he did well. Make sure Continental buyers can bid too.

 

Okay thank you for the info. I first googled "Sämtliche Werke." And saw some silly prices. Not realising that this is a general term that is used for many works I think.

I don't usually sell abroad but think I might have to in this case. A lot more German speakers on the continent!

I think it might be missing the last 3 volumes as it only goes up to 41. Unless the odd book contains them but I doubt it.

 

Yes, it is a general term, meaning complete works.

Yes, your complete works are not complete. That will affect the value of course. But there could still be interest, with people hoping to find the missing volumes at flea markets etc.

 

I could always try and find the missing book or go back next week and see if the market stall holder still has it.

 

Good idea, he may still have the remaining 3.

 

“Opera” is another common term for complete works.

 

I think it's just one book. Looking the others, each book has several volumes. Good chance it got soaked in the rain though sadly. They don't look after their stock. Just shovel it about like building aggregate.

 

Thanks. I shall filter these terms in future.

 

I can see why someone would want these just for decoration; the Jugendstil/Art Nouveau decoration on the spines attracts eyeballs.

 

Yes. I guess that's why I bought them. Subconsciously I equate things that I find attractive with valuable. Sometimes it pays off. Other times I crash and burn.

 

Yes. I guess that's why I bought them. Subconsciously I equate things that I find attractive with valuable. Sometimes it pays off. Other times I crash and burn.

 

These collected works by Goethe, Schiller etc were printed in huge numbers. In German speaking countries they are very hard to sell, especially incomplete. At a fleamarket I would expect to pay less than a Euro per book. The bindings arent extraordinary ether and I think they are faded.

 

I paid £18 for the set. Oh well. They look nice

Oddly enough I can't find many the same on the internet.

 

Thats a reasonable price. If the postage is about the same as the price of the books few people will invest the time and money to list them on the internet. Btw. your odd one is Nestroys works. A very well known Austrian writer of plays. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Nestroy I dont think that the book is worth
much more than the Others

 

Cool. Thanks for the info