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.

[picture*books]

Another Night Before Christmas, this one from 1941, but comes with the original hankies!

Item 221602134834 sold for $450 on Nov. 17, 2014

The Night Before Christmas Hankies Book 1941 by The Herrmann Hankerchief Co

Item Description:

"The Night Before Christmas Hankies 1941 by The Herrmann Hankerchief Co. Printed in the U.S.A. All original hankies included in original condition! You will not find this rare book every day. And if you do, it is usually without the hankies or with reproduced hankies. This is the real thing! I have documented the condition the best I can in the form of pictures. Please review carefully and ask questions about specifics if you should have them. This is a very old book and will show signs of age."

[picture*books]

An 1888 McLoughlin Brothers version of The Night Before Christmans sold last week for nearly $500.

Item 261600030198 sold for $499.99 on Dec. 12, 2014

1888 THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, OR A VISIT FROM ST NICHOLAS McLoughlin Brothers

"Moore, Clement C. The Night Before Christmas, Or A Visit from St. Nicholas. NY: McLoughlin Brothers, 1888. Printed wrappers, 12" x 10", 18pp

Moore, Clement Clarke. The Night before Christmas, or a Visit from St. Nicholas. McLoughlin Brothers, 1888. Softcover: G The spine is chipped and split about halfway up from the bottom. Some wear and creasing on the edges and light scratching on the rear cover. The magnificent chromo-lithographic illustrations are in good condition - there are 12 full page, two half-page and one double page color illustrations. A good copy of this very scarce, early McLoughlin title."

[picture*books]

Here's an interesting book which I've never heard of, Frederick Waugh's only children's book. Aleph-Bet's copy has a DJ, so the book was originally published with. Looks to be scarce.

Item 181590487036 sold for $909 on Nov. 26, 2014

Clan of Munes", antique children's book, Clan of Munes by Frederick J. Waugh

Item Description:

"This book, The Clan of Munes, copyright 1916 by Charles Scribner's Sons, [...]. Legend has it, the Clan of Munes inhabited this island (the name revealed in the story) and sprang from the spruce stumps.The story, a children's book, is both intriguing and magical, no one really knows for sure if they are real or imagined.....Read for yourself and decided! "Of the American artists who have won fame as painters of the sea, none have shown greater mastery of wave forms, of the effect of storms in mid-ocean, the break of great waters on rocky shores, than Frederick J.Waugh"

[picture*books]

Here's a book I've never seen, the first softcover edition of Le Petit Prince, selling for the tidy sum of $3,500. The book is not in great shape, perhaps a VG- or so. Likely this book from Le Petit Prince Collection.

Item 321061551343  sold for $3,500 on Dec. 14, 2014

Le Petit Prince ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPERY 1st Softcover Edition 1943 Little RARE

Item Description:

"A Rare First Printing of the Extremely Scarce Paper Bound Edition Le Petit Prince by Antoine De Saint Exupery

New York: Reynal & Hitchcock, 1943. Wraps. First Softcover Edition, First Printing with no subsequent printings listed on copyright page; "Flying Crow" present on page 63; Publisher's name at base of spine extends slightly onto covers as called for in first issue. In Very Good overall condition, though a bit fragile. Pages are clean with light signs of handle, and a light storage odor. Crease to corner of last page with text on it. Wraps show light soiling, wear and foxing. Front cover has a tide mark to the bottom right corner, tide mark on first and last blank page as well. Light wear to corners. Spine is worn, with light loss at ends; spine shows a bit of a concave crease and some gentle creasing. A bit fragile on account of the binding type, as would be expected. An extremely rare first printing of this highly sought after format."

[picture*books]

It really pains me to post this item, a first edition Goodnight, Moon with dust jacket sold last week on eBay for BIN of $800. I might be mistaken, but I believe this to be the first known sale of the first edition.

There are two other known first editions in existence, one in the Kerlan Collection, and the other in the hands of a private collector (pitch in private collector if you want to be known). I would estimate the book in this condition to be offered by a reputable children's bookseller in the $20,000 range.

Item 291351086722 sold for BIN of $800 on January 10, 2015

Margaret Wise Brown.Goodnight Moon,True 1st Edition + Dust Jacket 1947

Item Description:

"This is a first edition of the popular American children's book titled, Goodnight Moon,

It was written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd.

Published by Harper & Brothers with a copyright date of 1947, this is an authentic first edition of this wonderful bedtime story,

The rhyming text describes a bunny's bedtime ritual of saying goodnight to the different familiar objects in the bunny's bedroom.

This classic bestselling piece of children's literature is in remarkably good condition for its age.

There is minor age related wear to the edges and corners of the board front and back covers.

Some very minor wear is also seen at the top and bottom edges of the cloth spine.

The rare Dust Jacket has protected the front and back cover as shown, no markings.

There are no inscriptions and there are no stray marks or dog-eared pages. There is a one tear with scotch tape repair on one page as shown.

Pages are firm and tight. Dust Jacket is worn and taped as shown, but complete.

This is a very rare edition of an ever increasingly popular children's book with rare dust jacket, in unusually good condition!"

[picture*books]

After revisting the condition of the DJ, probably closer to $12K than $20K.

Bibliomonster and I had a dialogue on the BSB a couple of years ago concerning the first edition poi....

Based on this conversation, the book sold last week could be either a first or second printing of the book. I'm inclined to think the Little Fur Family on the rear flap takes precedence over that of the book with Little Chicken.

[bugler1998]

When my oldest grandaughter was a baby, I found a children's illustrated book titled

"Told After Tea, by M. & C. Lee.  My copy is dated 1893, published by Lippincott.  The first edition appears to have been published in London in 1892.

A search of all the usual sites finds four listings for the 1892 edition, none for mine.  I did look at worldcat and found 3 copies in US libraries.

As my granddaughter is now 7 and an avid reader, reading above her age level, I thought she might enjoy reading it with me.

I really don't think she will ever be able to relate to it.  The first chapter starts with a discussion of a rainy child's birthday...".And when this falls in July, and one has arranged to have a picnic on it, and the pigeon-pies, and the jellies and tarts, are all ready, and lots of children invited to come, and the morning has been so bright that every one of them has arrived, what can be more provoking than to see the rain at one-o'clock...coming steadily down....."

I can just see the 7 year old asking why they made pies from pigeons, asking what a tart is, and otherwise wondering why they didn't put the picnic lunch in the refrigerator or otherwise use the microwave to warm up lunch after the rain ended. We might even get into a description of Pop Tarts.

Anyway, I think I will put it up for sale after I show her the wonderful color illustrations (8 in beautiful color) and otherwise discuss with her how times have changed.

With no comparables other than the London 1st edition, how does one set a price?  I believe the 4 listed 1sts are advertised at $75-$95.  Mine is good condition at best, maybe only acceptable due to wear along the edge of the covers.  If I was going to describe the best part, I have to say the color illustrations are bright and colorful, much better than one sees with modern printing.  Some might say the illustrations should be framed (don't worry, I won't).

I generally do not sell children's books, but after reading some of the discussions on this board, maybe I am missing something.

[picture*books]

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

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This Little Black Sambo which sold on Ebay last week looks to be a good buy, apparent First American edition in tattered dust jacket. In this instance two halves are definitely better than none.

What do you think about the BIN price of $750? What do you think if this were an auction?

Item 301495192023 sold for BIN of $750 on Jan. 21, 2015

THE STORY OF LITTLE BLACK SAMBO - Hellen Bannerman - rare FIRST with Dust Jacket

Item Description:

"The Story of Little Black Sambo

BANNERMAN, Helen

New York: Stokes, 1900. First. hardcover. very good. Frontispiece, title, and 3 page introduction followed by 56 single-sided pages, with text pages facing the illustrations so there are back-to-back blanks throughout. light tan cloth pictorial boards quite clean and solid . New York: Frederick A. Stokes, no date, [1900]. First printing of the first American edition. Very good. Very scarce in any condition, this is a rather nice copy complete with all 27 illustrations. First published in London by Grant Richards who apparently did not properly compensate the author when sales were surprisingly strong. They transferred the American rights to Stokes, but because Bannerman felt mis-treated she refused permission to print in the States and thus all early American printings lack copyright information. This version has all points of the true first American: size and color of the cloth spine along with illustrations on both covers with lettering in the the same shade of pale blue as Sambo's shorts.    The Dust Jacket is fragile but in two complete front and back pieces. Front piece has all the important information."

[picture*books]

An astute eBay buyer made a great buy on this second edition Horton Hatches The Egg for $325 on eBay recently. The book is stated 'Second Printing". I've never seen this dust jacket issue with two different prices - it is likely the earliest issue of the non-Mayzie dust jacket (i.e. I've yet to see a non-Mayzie $1.75/$1.75 priced dust jacket either). For those children's bookers, consider saving the dust jacket photo's for future reference.

Horton Hatches The Egg was Seuss's fourth children's book, however really established his future work as poetic in nature (i.e. anapestic or iampic pentameter/tetrameter), following the prose format of Seuss's second and third books. Without conclusive evidence, I think the first edition Horton Hatches The Egg is the scarcest Seuss issue, even more so than And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street.

Item 111569965465 sold on Jan. 15, 2015 for $325

Horton Hatches the Egg~Dr. Seuss~ Second Printing~ $1.75-$1.50 DJ

Item Description:

"HORTON HATCHES THE EGG, DR. SEUSS'S THIRD BOOK - 1940 - $1.75-$1.50

This is a rare TRUE SECOND PRINTING of Dr. Seuss's 1940 classic as stated on the copyright page.  The book and dust jacket have all the requisite Younger and Hirsch printing points.

The only difference between this and the first printing is the color of the book, red with black lettering, the first printing being grey with red lettering.  

The dust jacket has two prices:  $1.75 on the top of the front flap and $1.50 on the bottom of the back flap.  I have never seen this combination but assume it is the earliest of the second printings.  The Mayzie Bird has disappeared from the front of the jacket.

The red boards are in pristine condition, as if the book just came from the bookstore, with no markings, inscriptions, soiling or darkening.

The dust jacket shows wear, with several old mends with darkened scotch tape inside, some soiling and edge tears.  Please examine the photos carefully."

[picture*books]

A first edition copy of the Dr. Seuss authored Would You Rather Be A Bullfrog? sold recently on eBay for $338. Seuss used the Theo. LeSeig pseudonym for the Beginner Books he authored but did not illustrate - 'LeSeig' is of course Geisel spelled backwards.

A nice result for this book sold as an auction on eBay, with two bidders over $300. This book was issued sans dust jacket and is the 21st book in the Bright & Early Books series.

Item 351293745137 sold for $338 on Jan. 29, 2015

RARE 1ST! Would You Rather Be A Bullfrog? by Theo. LeSieg [Dr. Seuss] HB 1975

Item Description:

"New York: Bright and Early Books for Beginning Beginners/Random House, 1975. BE-21. Hardback. Unpaginated, about 28 pages. Illustrated by Roy McKie. First Edition, First Printing with complete number line: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0. Very Good in No Dust Jacket As Issued. Bright and Early books listed on back pastedown: THE EYE BOOK, IN A PEOPLE HOUSE, THE MANY MICE OF MR. BRICE (A POP-UP BOOK), I CAN WRITE!, WOULD YOU RATHER BE A BULLFROG?; Beginner Books List: TEN APPLES UP ON TOP, I WISH THAT I HAD DUCK FEET, COME OVER TO MY HOUSE, WACKY WEDNESDAY. Glossy pictorial boards, light wear to spine ends and corners, lower spine has a small tear and chipping, no lean, no bumps, pages clean and bright, no writing in book, no previous owner's name, binding tight. Rare in a first printing. ISBN: 0394831284. NOT ex-library, NOT book club, NOT remaindered."

[picture*books]

A fairly good buy on set of Japanese children's books purchased for under $500 - does anyone know the the edition of this issue? I think this set is worth substantially more than what was paid, but it is definitely not in my specialty zone. 

Item 131426321154 sold for $493 on Feb. 15, 2015

SET of 5 BEAUTIFUL JAPANESE CREPE PAPER BOOKS TRANSLATED by LAFCADIO HEARN

INCLUDES ORIGINAL SLIPCASE with BONE CLOSURES

Item Description:

"I have for auction a rare and beautiful set of five Japanese crepe paper books translated by Lafcadio Hearn. These books were painstakingly printed by hand using wood blocks. The books are in excellent condition with no rips or tears. The original slipcase is included, but one side is missing."

[picture*books]

What appears to be a first UK edition of Tom Sawyer sold recently on eBay for $10,100. A lively auction, with 72 bids and four bidders over $5,500.

Item 261751375062 sold for $10,100 on Feb. 7, 2015

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain: 1876 FIRST EDITION, London

Item Description:

"Published: 1876 Chatto & Wndus, London. Original First Edition – Very Good Condition.  Unrestored, red cloth with border. Stored in a burgundy quarter morocco solander box by the Chelsea Bindery. As evident from close-up photos, minor shelf-wear bottom, top binder, superficial cracking on front inner hinge but otherwise this copy is very much intact and in very good condition.

First edition, published on 9 June, 1876 thus preceding the first American edition that appeared in mid-December by some six months. Twain chose to have the book published first in London to ensure copyright and perhaps also because he was more highly esteemed in Britain than at home. Oxford conferred an honorary doctorate on Twain in 1907, three years before his death."

[picture*books]

This Seuss Esso sequel seems to be more scarce than Secrets Of The Deep.

Item 121258080782 sold for $800 on Mar. 13, 2015

DR. SEUSS The Log of the Good Ship by Old Captain Taylor FIRST EDITION

Item Description:

"DR. SEUSS
"The Log of the Good Ship by Old Captain Taylor"
FIRST EDITION
Essomarine nd ca 1947. 4to, pictorial wraps, 36 p. + covers. Faint soil on cover, else near fine. A post World War II sequel to the previous "Secrets of the Deep" series. Illustrated by Seuss with many large aquatints (red, white and blue). Quite rare."

[picture*books]

This obscure one is not in my wheelhouse; thought the BSB might find the obscurity of interest.

Item 161635606715 sold for $750 on Mar. 20, 2015

Clara Tice ABC Dogs - Rare Signed First Edition with Dog Sketch

Item Description:

"Clara Tice ABC Dogs - Rare Signed First Edition

with Dog Sketch

Signed hard cover irst edition of Clara Tice's book ABC Dogs. Signature in front with an inscription "To Grace & Isabel Baboy" under that is a sketch of a dog and ball, then "Clara Tice"  the signature and inscription are in red pencil and on the light side. I'm not sure about the last name of the inscription "Baboy", I can't quite make out the last part of it.  The B and C pages, and the last blank page have some pencil scribbles on them (see photos). These are pencil not pen or crayon and a good paper conservator would be able to remove these with no problem. there is a 1" tear in the middle of the outside of the W page. Cover has some edge wear, corner, scratches and a slight bend crease, which is not too noticeable on the front and does not show on the inside of the front cover. There is no dust jacket, though I don't now if this book came with one or not.  Overall this book is in pretty good condition except for the pencil marks and small tear.  10" X 13" hardbound."

[picture*books]

As everyone knows, first edition Richard Scarry books are very collectible. Like Mercer Mayer's Little Critter books, many of Scarry's books were not issued with dust jacket. Unlike Mercer Mayer's Little Critter books, the first editions of Scarry's books are hardcover. Richard Scarry's first book is the 1949 Little Golden Book The Two Miners, written by little known children's book author Margeret Wise Brown - the 'A' copy is still very affordable; there is a Goldencraft edition which is more difficult to find.

Item 281622384022 sold for Best Offer less than $1800

Funniest Storybook Ever HAND SIGNED by Richard Scarry! HAND DRAWN SKETCH! PBS!

Item Description:

"This auction is for the EXTREMELY RARE book Funniest Storybook Ever HAND SIGNED by Richard Scarry. Scarry has HAND DRAWN a sketch of the lowly worm next to his signature! Scarry's signature is extremely rare to begin with, but the lowly worm hand drawn sketch makes this a MUST HAVE for any collector! Flat signed on the title page "To Jonathon and Joshua from lonely worm and Richard Scarry". Book is in "Good" condition. Book shows a lot of wear. Stain on the front cover (see photo). Dent on the edge (see photo). Hardcover. This is a great piece of literary history! Happy Bidding!

About the Author
Scarry was a popular American children's author and illustrator who published over 300 books with total sales of over 100 million units worldwide."