The Enid Blyton Society

Having just commented in another thread about an Enid Blyton Bible, I thought it might be fun to start one about some of the traps waiting for would-be buyers.

There are some very funny ones around, especially on ebay - for example Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit by Enid Blyton, this has appeared more than once on ebay!

I will start this off with the clever seller (ebay again) who sold several Dean books with laminated covers, signed by Enid for about £70 each. As these weren't published until at least 1970 - two years after her death, signed copies here must indeed be remarkable purchases!

I'm sure others have things to add.

Best wishes
Tony

How about this 1990s St Clare's book, listed by a seller on abebooks?:

The Second Form at St Clare's (Rewards)
Enid Blyton
Price: £ 1676.74
Book Description: Egmont Childrens Books, 1991. Hardcover. Book Condition: GOOD. Dust Jacket Condition: GOOD. USED Ships Within 24 Hours - Satisfaction Guaranteed!



Anita

I've seen some ridiculous prices Anita, but that is one of the best! They can't have even got the decimal point in the wrong place - I will have to start saving!! On second thoughts not necessary - I got that one in a car boot for 10p.

Best wishes
Tony

Ebay again, the amount of times i have seen dean & son books listed as 1940's originals, this is mainly the Amelia Jane ones. I used to email the sellers politely, but just dont bother any more, as theres too many

ooh ooh another one, im on a roll lol

£80.38 for...........
Amelia Jane Again
Book Description: London: Dean & Sons Ltd. Hard Cover. Book Condition: Collectible Good. Collectible GoodShips from Michigan, U.S.A. Ships within two days. Fast and reliable

Unfortunately the Dean Amelia Jane books are always in trouble as they are just about the only Deans that use the original publication date in them. Another lot of books that suffer here are the four World Distributors books published in the early 60s which have the original 40s dates inside - Now For a Story etc.

Tony

Hope I don't cause a stampede by posting a link to an Enid Blyton book which is currently listed on eBay. It's a 1992 edition of The Land of Far-Beyond, an absolute bargain at just over £105.00!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/THE-LAND-OF-FAR-B ... dZViewItem" target="_blank

Anita

I am speechless, the sheer cheek of asking over £100 for a 1992 reprint. To put this in perspective, there is another Ebay seller asking £45 for a 1943 2nd edition of the same book. Various other editions are available at more affordable prices depending on age and condition.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ENID-BLYTON-THE-L ... dZViewItem" target="_blank

Ouch!!!! 105 pounds works out to be between $200 and $300 in Australian currency. Expensive!!

My 1992 edition of The Land of far Beyond (Dean hardback) cost me 20p from a charity shop, in v.g condition. My 1955 reprint in a DW cost me £7.00.

Wonder if I can sell my Dean edition on ebay...?!

Tony Summerfield wrote: I will start this off with the clever seller (ebay again) who sold several Dean books with laminated covers, signed by Enid for about £70 each. As these weren't published until at least 1970 - two years after her death, signed copies here must indeed be remarkable purchases!

A couple of shady businessmen have just recently been convicted of selling fake autographs of the stars. I think it was mainly football stars they were forging but it just goes to show that this really is illegal. Those sellers should beware.

And then there are those on Ebay who sell facsimile dust jackets complete with authentic flaws and cuts and scrapes and bruises and blood stains and God knows what else, so that the books look good on the shelf.The books of course are in great condition - real first editions complete with authentically collapsing hinges, and damaged spines.

I lust for these specimens which incidentally are priced amazingly for less than 79.99


And of course the word 'facsimile' is very shyly, coyly mentioned somewhere on the listing...but "authentic" is beautifully acknowledged

I think I found a book worthy of this topic:

Five on a Treasure Island - First Edition - Starts at 300.00 GBP

I can't recall, but I think the first editions have slanting writing on the spine? But in any case... any takers?

Looking at the Book Listing, the first edition doesn't seem to have slanting writing though I could be wrong about that. However, the title ought to be printed in red on the spine but that can't be seen on the book on eBay. If it is a genuine first, the spine would appear to be very badly faded.

Anita

You have it spot on, Anita. It is the genuine article (Bloomsbury Auctions know what they are talking about anyway) but like so many of these early Famous Five books both the title and Enid's name in red are badly faded. In view of the fact that a copy of the book recently sold for over £2000 on ebay, I would guess their starting price is reasonable and I would expect them to get somewhere around the estimate for it.