Today in Aviation History - Book Collecting

Today is the birthday of the great aviation historian, Octave Chanute. The French born engineer and aviation pioneer was born  on this day in 1832. Read more of his bio here. What recently captured my  attention was that he wrote a book titled "Progress in Flying  Machines" back in 1894. Evidently this became a book that was  studied by the Wright Brothers in their quest for powered flight.  What captured my attention was a book that was written so early  on the subject of aviation. This is one book I would like to own.  Would a copy of this book still exist? Could one be found on the  open market? Well... this is the internet age... information is  easily accessable! A quick search on bookfinder.com and there  they are.  Reprints from the 1970s and 1990s BUT also some  originals! Curious enough to look for yourself? Be warned that  the originals are going for about $450 for one copy and $1200 for  another! What are these books worth? As a friend of mine once  said... it is worth what someone will pay for it.

I like this quote from the book...
"...let us hope that the advent of a successful flying machine,  now only dimly foreseen and nevertheless thought to be possible,  will bring nothing but good into the world; that it shall abridge  distance, make all parts of the globe accessible, bring men into  closer relation with each other, advance civilization, and hasten  the promised era in which there shall be nothing but peace and  good-will among all men."

Maybe I will buy a more recent reprint! I have a few rare, early  edition, signed aviation books in my collection. What is in your  prized collection?