First Edition Very Hungry Caterpillar - Eric Carle

[picture*books]

We collectively know that the first edition Very Hungry Caterpillar was published in 1969 by World Publishing, with a Cleveland location (rather than New York). The first edition DJ price is at least $3.95, but uncertain if that is the exact price.

That's about all that is formally documented.

Does anybody have better/more information? What do you know of the first edition identification points for a Very Hungry Caterpillar?

[msnilz]

I also have a copy which may also help to shed some light onto this conversation/confusion. Despite being price clipped it is still a rather complete copy with it's original dust jacket. The copyright page also has the aforementioned number line from 1-5 followed by the print year string....

In the next day or two I will shoot some gerenal photographs and post them to this thread. I can get specific pictures of anything else if anyone likes/needs since this book is in my possession and it would do us all some good to finally sort out the points for this title.

[hollygolightlyplus1]

Penultimate posting …

https://twitter.com/BookAuctionNews

[gretchenfetchinsllc]

6K sterling hardly equates to $30K USD, even post Obama

the game is afoot, 

err

crawling

[msnilz · Accepted solution]

Interesting link to the completed auction at Bloomsbury because it only mentions the Cleveland imprint which neither of the two number lined copies complies with... the second picture is in the dust jacket, have many other pictures if anyone needs for their own research.

[picture*books]

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@msnilz wrote:

Interesting link to the completed auction at Bloomsbury because it only mentions the Cleveland imprint which neither of the two number lined copies complies with... the second picture is in the dust jacket, have many other pictures if anyone needs for their own research. 

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I'm a bit suspect of the Bloomsbury listing also; no mention of the numberline, instead using the red herring of the Cleveland imprint to validate the first edition status.

Given the pre-auction estimate by the esteemed house, I am surprised the auction closed as high as it did. At least the 6,000 pounds/US$9000 sets a mark.

[picture*books · Accepted solution]

Thanks for posting the photographs kirthgersen - I hope you don't mind I used them in a blog post, and disclosed you as the source.

I didn't mention the Bloomsbury or Raptis copies because I'm still somewhat suspect, and the msnitz copy has not been offered for sale. So 2 known copies, and 2 maybe's.

[albioneagle]

Can someone tell me what my copy is?  I do not list NY at all only OH..and there is NO numberline underneath? 

[impertinentwit]

Possibly a book club, but your DJ seems to show a price in the corner...

Note that it has an ISBN, not an SBN, which would place publication after that standard was adopted.

Not worth a great deal, I think, although in good condition. I'd could be wrong about the value.

[picture*books]

Your copy was published after World merged with William Collins in 1974, and before moving the publishing offices from Cleveland to New York. Based upon the DJ price, I would guessimate the publishing year to either be 1974 or 1975, so a fairly early issue. Probably will get at least $100.

[emmbook]

Maybe the question is settled, but I would do two obvious things in the interest of a definitive answer.

(1) Contact the Eric Carle museum:

http://www.carlemuseum.org/

(2) Get the catalogue of the just-closed Grolier exhbition of 100 Books Famous in Children's Literature. The exhbit included Carle's personal copy of the 1st edition, and the catalogue includes full bibliographic descriptions with "a level of bibliography rarely seen in the description of children's books." ($95 from Oak Knoll.)

http://www.grolierclub.org/

[oldbookshopnj]

I don't know if it was mentioned elsewhere, but a signed copy with a price-clipped d.j., described as a first edition, sold for $11,250 last April at Heritage Auctions.

There was no description of the copyright page.  The title page imprint was "The World Publishing Company / New York and Cleveland."

[picture*books]

An annotated copy of the first edition Very Hungry Caterpillar sold Dec. 2, 2014 at Christies for $16,000.

"Lot Description

CARLE, Eric (b. 1929). The Very Hungry Caterpillar. New York and Cleveland: The World Publishing Company, [1969]. Oblong 4°. Original pictorial boards; pictorial dust jacket. Provenance: David Plourde (ownership signature on title).

A SUPERB FIRST EDITION OF ERIC CARLE'S CLASSIC CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOK, ANNOTATED THROUGHOUT AND SIGNED BY HIM AT END. Carle makes notes from the front dust jacket panel ("If I had to change anything I would make my name bigger!") to the final page of text ("The printing could be a lot better") and lays in a drawing of a rabbit on translucent paper with directions to the printer. Dedicated to his sister, Christa, Carle writes on the dedication leaf that "My sister is 21 years younger than I!" and on the first leaf of text "I have often tried to recreate the soul full look of the moon -- never succeeded!" On the penultimate spread, he writes "Some children and teachers point out that cocoon should be chrysalis… and that I am wrong…"

Carle's classic work is revered as one of the greatest of the genre, known for its unique use of collage and die-cutting that combines beautiful book design with a scientifically-oriented tale of life and growth. The Very Hungry Caterpillar has sold over 30 million copies worldwide, the equivalent of one copy per minute since its publication. But first editions are exceptionally RARE."

[picture*books]

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@oldbookshopnj wrote:

I don't know if it was mentioned elsewhere, but a signed copy with a price-clipped d.j., described as a first edition, sold for $11,250 last April at Heritage Auctions.

There was no description of the copyright page.  The title page imprint was "The World Publishing Company / New York and Cleveland."

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Thanks Virginia, I didn't know of this sale.

I know it's been said before, but I'm thrilled to have you again providing your knowledge and experience back to the BSB - I'm indebted to you for the years of teaching/learning so much about the trade.

[jeanpaulbooks]

Here's a very nice "human interest" story about Eric Carle and a "miricle reunion" with a childhood friend in Syracuse:

http://www.syracuse.com/kirst/index.ssf/2015/02/a_miracle_made_real_eric_carle_after_82_years_again_...

[emmbook]

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@jeanpaulbooks wrote:
Here's a very nice "human interest" story about Eric Carle and a "miricle reunion" with a childhood friend in Syracuse:

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Wow, small world. I know that neighborhood well, and my family had a house on that very street for several decades. Literally a stone's throw from where Eric Carle lived.

Great story. Thanks for posting it.