Collectible Childrens Books on eBay

[picture*books]

As per cc's suggestion, a thread for relatively higher dollar children's books sold on eBay and the ensuing discussions.

[lil-bit-o-everything]

Hello,

                    I recently made twopurchases from an estate sale, first: A hard cover "The Story Of Babar" copyright 1933, by Random House, Inc. Printed in the United states of America by the Duenwald Printing Corporation. The book has a beige binding. The endpapers are grey elephants on green background. There is no dust jacket and no previous mentioning of any other books in the series. From what I have read in your previous posts is that this is a 1st addition (if you will) Random House Publishing of this book that was actually printed in 1938. The binding is very loose and the title page was torn and repaired with scotch tape long ago, as the tapeis quite discolored. Other than that the rest of the book is in excellent condition. My question is (if all of my information is correct): What would the value of this book be?

            The second book is a little more mysterious (at least to me). It is "The travels of Babar" but it looks to be a true paperback. At first I thought it had just lost its hard cover, but after further inspection I am not at all sure. There is no sign of tears along the binding in fact the binding as it were seems to be in excellent condition. However there is no title,or words at all on what would be the cover and none on the back either. The cover and back is the grey elephants with the red background.  Which first lead me to believe it came out of a hard cover book. The book has the introduction by A.A. Milne and only mentions the previous book "The Story Of Babar" on the back of the title page inside the book. The book is in excellent condition with the exception of a few crayon markings on the very last blank page, also the pages are still stiff as if it had not been opened much, which is part of the mystery. How can a book in such good shape be without its cover? But the thing that really threw me was the copyright portion. It reads: copyright 1934, by Random House, Inc. Litho in the United states of America by the Duenwald Printing Corporation. What struck me strange about this is I have never seen the word litho in this area within this book....It always says"Printed in the United states of America by the Duenwald Printing Corporation.  Any help you could give me on this would be much appreciated...........I would also like your opinion of a value of both books......Thank you for your time.

[lyceumdreams]

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@spark-the-imagination wrote:

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Some of your information is wrong and neither one of these books has any value. 

[imagine.ink]

Hello Spark,

Stan Zielinski (who posted many entries on this thread, kindly resurrected by Lyceumbooks) wrote the following a couple of years ago regarding first edition points for Babar books:

Hello,

I know just enough about the early Babar books to help flesh out what Craig has provided. In general, look for large size folio books (10 1/2" x 14 1/4") with the correct title listing. The title Zephir's Holiday is a key (see explanation, below), along with a book showing the Random House address at 457 Madison Avenue is published after 1946.

As Craig indicated, the first American printings of the first three Babar books were published by Smith & Haas, as follows:

1933 Story Of Babar
1934 Travels Of Babar
1935 Babar The King

Each of the above was originally issued in dust jackets with a $3.00 price, and were large folio size at 10 1/2" wide by 14 1/4" tall.

In 1936 Random House purchased Smith & Haas and issued the above books under the Random House imprint in the same folio size at 10 1/2" x 14 1/4", with dust jackets, at a price of $3.00. That same year Random House published the ABC Of Babar in the 10 1/2" x 14 1/4" folio size, issued in dust jacket with a $3.00 price.

In 1937, Random House published Zephir's Holiday in the same folio size in dust jacket with a price of $3.00; the first edition book has a blue cloth spine. In 1942 Zephir's Holiday was reissued under a new title, Babar And Zephir, so this is helpful clue to identify the publication date of the Babar books. Any book which lists Zephir's Holiday was published prior to 1942.

(to be continued)

[imagine.ink]

In 1938, Random House published Babar And His Children in the 10 1/2" x 14 1/4" folio size in dust jacket with a price of $3.00; the first edition book has a white cloth spine. 

That same year Random House published a three book slipcased set of the first three Babar books in a smaller size 6 1/2" x 8 1/2", each book issued with a dust jacket. The slipcased set sold for $2.75. It is unusual to find these books together in the slipcase; usually they are found being offered as singles.

Also in 1938, Random House published the six Babar books in reduced quarto size, 8 1/2" x 11 1/4" in dust jacket with a reduced price of $1.00. These books are often confused to be first editions. They can be "First Editions, Thus" of this smaller size format (Craig can offer a better explanation of the meaning of "First Edition, Thus")

In 1940, Random House published Babar And Father Christmas in the 10 1/2" x 14 1/4" folio size with dust jacket; the first edition book has a yellow cloth spine. Note that the first edition book still lists Zephir's Holiday rather than it retitled as Babar And Zephir.

In 1946 Random House moved to 457 Madison Avenue.

In 1948 Random House published Babar's Cousin, the first title written and illustrated by Laurent de Brunhoff, Jean's son (Jean de Brunhoff died in 1937 of tuburculosis). While the next two books in the series (1949 Babar's Picnic and the 1952 Babar's Visit to Bird Island) were published in the large folio size (10 1/2" x 14 1/4"), I don't recall seeing this book in that size, instead only a quarto 8 1/2" x 11 1/4".

Here's the publishing sequence which help to identify a first edition:

1936 Story Of Babar (Jean de Brunhoff)
1936 Travels Of Babar
1936 Babar The King
1936 A B C Of Babar
1937 Zephir's Holidays
1938 Babar And His Children
1940 Babar And Father Christmad
1942 Babar And Zephir
1948 Babar's Cousin (Laurent de Brunhoff, and hereafter)
1949 Babar's Picnic
1952 Babar's Visit to Bird Island
1954 Babar's Fair
1957 Babar And The Professor

I hope this helps some.
Stan Zielinski

[guitaraddict75]

Hi, I have a bunch of collectable Horatio Alger books I'm selling for a lady. They are all from the early 1900's. She paid about $2,000 for them. Is it better to sell them individually or as a set? There are probably 50 of them here.

[rockmaple]

If you sell them on eBay under the user ID that you used here, buy some small items, sell some small items to establish a sense of what it's like to do business with you. Have at least ten positive feedback comments (and a yellow star) before you attempt to sell anything of value here.

[emmbook]

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@guitaraddict75 wrote:

Hi, I have a bunch of collectable Horatio Alger books I'm selling for a lady. They are all from the early 1900's. She paid about $2,000 for them. Is it better to sell them individually or as a set? There are probably 50 of them here.

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Some good info here, from a buyer's perspective, at the Horatio Alger Society website.

http://www.horatioalgersociety.net/112_buyonline.html

I would be happy to be wrong, but I suspect that the $2k will never be recouped, unless she collected 1sts and other special Alger material. Try to educate her and adjust expectations based on actual value -- and not what she paid for the books.

[guitaraddict75]

Thanks for the responses. I know she probably overpaid for them. I think she would be happy if she got $900 for them. I will try craiglist too. At least that way a buyer could inspect them.

[imagine.ink]

Re the Babar question in Post #1111:

I found an entire thread devoted to Babar books.  Oddly enough, it's an old Booksellers Board thread, but I couldn't find it through eBay's search mechanism, even though I used "Babar" as a search word.  I wonder if the shift to Groups from Boards made the old board discussions unsearchable now.

Anyway, I did find the thread dating from 2012-2013 through other means:

http://community.ebay.com/t5/Archive-Booksellers/Identifying-First-Edition-Babar-Books/td-p/2957271

[luci_nz]

These websites might also be helpful http://www.librarist.com/. Great prices too. I just found this beautiful collectible book Babar http://www.librarist.com/us/book/9780394805757/. Whohooou Ebay for $3.99.

[picture*books]

A copy of the Parrish-Baum collaboration sold on eBay for $1703. Modest description, however a competitive auction, with 17 bids and four bidders over $1100.

Item 371172567936 sold for $1703 on Oct. 29, 2014

Mother Goose In Prose L Frank Baum & Maxfield Parrish ULTRA RARE 1897 1ST PRINT

Item Description:

"Way and Williams, Chicago, 1897. Super Rare Copy.

NO MISSING PAGES OR PLATES."

Question & Answer

Q: Hello, I would like to confirm that all 14 inserts are present. They are the frontispiece, the title page itself , illustrator’s plate between the 'Contents' and 'Illustrations' pages, and facing pages 36, 58, 68, 92, 102, 112, 156, 166, 200, 212, and 248. Thanks! Oct-27-14

A: Yes. frontispiece of man with a gun, title page of two men over block, plate between the 'Contents' and 'Illustrations' pages of two men holding sign and all 11 illustrations accounted for. Good luck with your bidding.

[picture*books]

In October, likely the most difficult Dr. Seuss first editions sold on eBay for $7700 (Mulberry Street is close in scarcity). Horton Hatches The Egg is Dr. Seuss's fourth children's book, but the one which established his style for decades to come.

While his first children's book Mulberry Street, was a poem, the 2nd (500 Hats) and 3rd books (King's Stilts) were prose - Horton/Egg established the anapestic tetrameter we've all become so familiar with.

Item 111480417226 sold for $7703 on Oct. 13, 2014

Horton Hatches the Egg 1940 Dr. Seuss 1st Edition 1ST STATE DUST JACKET HC DJ

Item Description:

"A beautiful addition to your Dr. Seuss collection. This "first printing" edition of Horton Hatches the Egg By Dr. Seuss is extremely rare. Published by Random House, New York, 1940. First printing (stated). Gray pebbled hardcover book with red lettering. In its original, first state dust jacket, with $1.50 price on front flap, Mayzie on front panel (flying below palm tree), blurb for The King's Stilts on rear flap (also with $1.50 price on flap), 10 testimonials on rear panel. 8 1/4" x 10 1/4." Approximately 56 pages (unpaginated). Wonderful color illustrations throughout.

Condition: Near mint condition with little wear and tear. Original dust jacket is mylar wrapped for added protection. The cloth has some fading along edges of boards and on spine. Pages lightly browned. Binding tight and square. A scarce first state of this title. Availability: ‘First Printing’ books are extremely difficult to find."

[picture*books]

A first edition Where The Wild Things Are sold on eBay last month for $4277. Some water stains on the DJ, but otherwise in nice shape; as usual, the front flap is clipped (but has no bearing on first edition identification).

Item 151473468312 sold for $4277 on Nov. 18, 2014

Where The Wild Things Are Maurice Sendak 1st Print 1st State w/ jacket NM

1st Edition 1st State Where The Wild Things Are Sendak

Item Description:

"Circa 1963 1st Edition 1st State " Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak, Harper & Row publishers. Identifying hallmarks are : $3.50 and 40-80 1163 on the notched front dust cover flap, 1963 copyright on title page, and no mention of the 1964 Caldecott Medal on the dust jacket. Condition for the jacket is VG with some dust staining, a few minor edge tears (pictured), and two small water stains on the lower left front jacket. The book itself is NM ; you will search a long time to find a finer example. No tears foxing stamps or writing are present. Presented with a low opening bid to give all interested parties a chance to own this classic children's book for a realistic price. "

[picture*books]

I don't know much about The Three Investigators books. See The Three Investigators for another which sold for $$.

Item 161510199918 sold for $370 on Dec. 12, 2014

THE THREE INVESTIGATORS THE MYSTERY OF THE PURPLE PIRATE UNCIRCULATED GLB 1STPRT

Item Description:

"THE THREE INVESTIGATORS THE MYSTERY OF THE PURPLE PIRATE UNCIRCULATED GIBRALTAR LIBRARY BINDING FIRST PRINTING VERY NICE EXAMPLE

See photos: gently bumped top spine end with trace of rubbing. Gently bumped bottom spine end with rubbing. Tiny wrinkle on spine. Bottom 2 corners bumped with rubbing. Top 2 corners pointy with traces of rubbing. Trace of rubbing to bottom board edge. Front cover line indentures visible in light glare and 3 tiny spots of color loss. Rear cover light line indentures barely visible in light glare. Page edges just slightly tanning on top when book is closed, side and bottom edges creamy white. First front white end page had owners inscription that looks like "this book belongs to ?someone? Scribbled out. No dog eared page, text immaculately crisp and clean throughout with the exception of small water mark spots about the size of a bb that are on pages 79-83 in the same spots. You can see the mark from outside page edges in the last photo that also show the printing number. A very excellent shape harder to find copy."

[picture*books]

In the spirit of the season, a nice version of The Night Before Christmas sold recently on eBay for $987.

Item 131361987301 sold for $987 on Dec. 1, 2014

1902 DENSLOW'S NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, SCARCE CLOTH/COLOR PICTORIAL FORMAT FIRST

Item Description:

"1902 DENSLOW'S NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, SCARCE CLOTH/COLOR PICTORIAL FORMAT FIRST
 
      This is an ORIGINAL 100+ YEAR OLD RARE FIRST EDITION Volume of Clement Moore's "A Visit From St. Nicholas", immortalized as only the Original Wonderful Wizard of OZ Illustrator could do!

   FIRST EDITION, FIRST CLOTH VERSION (Referenced in the archives as FIRST EDITION / SECOND STATE, (done the same month/year as the First Red Painted Cover Printing).  As to why the change, I have my own theory.  From extensive experience, Finding one of the Heavily inked all Red Wraparound Cover Examples in Nice Condition of the First State is NEARLY iMPOSSIBLE.  It seems likely that Denslow (as well as booksellers/buyers) complained about the almost immediate & universal Spine/Edge chipping that occurred with very little wear/time!  
__________________________

Thus, the Cloth Version was born!  I also prefer it...it is a much more professionally produced book, and even the modern reproductions are of this version, not the "Red" Book.

         >>>>>>>>>>> They were both published by  DILLINGHAM, Copyrighted in 1902 with 1902 on the Title Page, "Published in September, 1902 on the copyright page) and having the same Color Illustrated end papers.  Other than the covers, they are IDENTICAL.  Thus, Still Considered FIRST AMERICAN EDITION.

NOTE:  ALL IMAGES ARE FROM THIS VERY BOOK!!!

    CONDITION - Boards have barely any wear and just a few faint light soiled areas, none distracting, with two very tiny edge rubs on glorious Front Cover Paste-on.  Spine title is complete and bold, binder tight, Hinges solid!

NO MARKS, WRITING, SOILING OR DAMAGE to the Interior -- EXCEEDINGLY RARE for this Title!!   TIGHT, BRIGHT & WHITE, COLORS VIVID & DRAMATIC!!

     . The Format is Quarto (9" x 12"), With Color Illustrated Verse on every other page, & a FULL PAGE COLOR ILLUSTRATION on the opposite page. Unpaginated, with over 65 Color Illustrated Pages, and a lovely Color Illustrated Introduction to Clement Moore's Classic by Grace Duffy Boylan.

As Scarce if not More so as than the Red Cover!

NOTE:  BOTH OF THE 1902 AMERICAN FIRSTS PRECEEDED THE BRITISH FIRST, Which was only Published in the Red Version!!"