The Jewels of Aptor (1962) Signed First Edition Reference

The Jewels of Aptor is Samuel R. Delany’s debut novel, published as half of an Ace Double (D-F 173) in 1962. Delany was nineteen years old. The novel — a quest narrative set in a post-apocalyptic world — was published in a truncated version by Ace editor Don Wollheim; the complete text was not restored until later editions.

First Edition Identification

Publisher: Ace Books (Ace Double D-F 173), New York Publication date: 1962 Format: Mass market paperback (bound dos-à-dos with Second Ending by James White) Pages: 156 (truncated version)

The Ace Double format — two short novels bound back-to-back with separate covers — is distinctive and immediately identifiable.

Signed Copy Market Values

• Signed Ace Double, very good condition: $200–$600
• Unsigned Ace Double, very good condition: $30–$75

Finding a signed copy of this Ace Double is difficult because mass market paperbacks from 1962 were not designed to be collected. Most surviving copies show the wear expected of disposable paperbacks. A clean, tight copy with a signed Delany half is a genuine find.