My Enid Blyton Bookcase!

[Katharine]

Glad you like them

Katharine - Yes, I do have some Chalet series 1sts - they're on the bookcase with Noddy sitting on the top, 2nd shelf down. I must admit Brent-Dyer isn't one of the authors I particularly like so I have never been very active in trying to find them. Angela Brazil would be my favourite Girls school stories writer. I have several of her own personal copies. On the boys side my favourites are Percy Westerman - I have over 100 of his with 1st wrappers - and Frank Richards Billy Bunter series.

I've never seen the really old Chalet books. I've got several paperbacks. They aren't my favourite books, but eventually I'd like to collect them all. My mother has a couple of Angela Brazil and several other school girl type books from the 1950s. She's kindly said I can have them eventually. I particularly enjoyed her Jane Shaw "Susan" books when younger.

A fabulous collection of books - particularly for a dog! I'm sure you are way ahead of me, but at least I can beat you on the Bunter's as I have 32 out of the 38 - I am not even sure why as I don't really collect them, but if it comes to that I have about 70 Biggles books and I don't really collect them either!

I can't help myself sometimes. If I come across an old children's book somewhere at a reasonable price I feel I have to 'rescue' it, even if it's not something I'd normally collect.

[Anita Bensoussane]

...at least I can beat you on the Bunter's as I have 32 out of the 38 - I am not even sure why as I don't really collect them, but if it comes to that I have about 70 Biggles books and I don't really collect them either!

[Ming]

That certainly is an amazing collection, Timmy-the-dog! Beautifully pristine condition too.

[Lenoir]

Fantastic collection and it's fun trying to make out what they are. Looks like there are some duplicates as well.

Here is my bookcase, which is mostly Blytons, but also some others.

On the second shelf are the books I grew up with, my paperback Find Outers, mostly bought out of pocket money (as were most of the Malcolm Saville paperbacks). I collected the FFO hardbacks much later. I also had no Secret Sevens as a boy, and had only read them from the library.
Notice the precious and few Cherrys books at the end of the second shelf.
I have another bookcase for Jennings, Hardy Boys, Williams and Bunters.
I also have some Biggles books, but not 70!

I must say that the old books with faded covers might be nice to have but they do make the display look a bit shabby!

edit: the site I used for hosting photos seems to be gone, so I will have to do this again sometime.

[Zar Quon]

Glad you like them
Zar Quon
All the covers are protected with Clearsleeve Rolls from: http://www.itsabookslife.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

cheers
Timmy

KPC? I think I got my last batch from them - makes for an entertaining time I find - measuring & cutting & folding...

For lots of other book-protecty stuff, there also librex

[Icecream342]

I will try and put mine on soon, but I don't have many.

[ria ann]

All the bookshelves are superb!!! I showed my mom and she told that they are very well arranged. She got the initiative to arrange the bookshelves here and is making me do that. Just took a break now from the arranging.

[Timmy-the-dog]

I can't help myself sometimes. If I come across an old children's book somewhere at a reasonable price I feel I have to 'rescue' it, even if it's not something I'd normally collect.

I can't agree more
Great to see someone with exactly the same mindset as me. I have done this so many times over the years, which is why I have so many books by authors that I don't collect

Sounds like you're pretty much the same Tony.

I guess the most exciting time for the collection was when the BBC used it for the film "Enid" a couple of years ago. It's great when I watch that now and see my books furnishing the sets. Helena Bonham Carter wrote a great full page of thanks for me in the Facsimile copy of Five on a Treasure Island. (didn't use the original!!)

cheers
Timmy

[Julie2owlsdene]

Wow what a great collection, Timmy-the-dog, and Lenoir.

[Katharine]

I can't help myself sometimes. If I come across an old children's book somewhere at a reasonable price I feel I have to 'rescue' it, even if it's not something I'd normally collect.

I can't agree more
Great to see someone with exactly the same mindset as me. I have done this so many times over the years, which is why I have so many books by authors that I don't collect
Sounds like you're pretty much the same Tony.
I guess the most exciting time for the collection was when the BBC used it for the film "Enid" a couple of years ago. It's great when I watch that now and see my books furnishing the sets. Helena Bonham Carter wrote a great full page of thanks for me in the Facsimile copy of Five on a Treasure Island. (didn't use the original!!)
cheers
Timmy

This is why I love this site so much. I feel 'normal'. No one else in my immediate circle of family/friends has the same interest in books. Infact the other day my father suggested I should give away some of my Blyton books to a charity shop as my house is too cluttered!

From what I've seen and heard I think my collection pales into insignificence compared to Tony's, but it gives me something to aim for.

Wow, the Helena Bonham Carter book sounds great. I've put "Enid" on my Christmas list, so if I get it I'll keep a special eye out for the books

[Zar Quon]

I can't help myself sometimes. If I come across an old children's book somewhere at a reasonable price I feel I have to 'rescue' it, even if it's not something I'd normally collect.

Me too, funnily enough, & not just childrens books. I recently gained a 1965 Bunty annual (sans DJ unfortunately) & a slightly battered The Story of 25 Eventful Years In Pictures, for Their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary (slightly in that the endpapers have split & are detaching from the back, & a blank page has half ripped out...oh & there's 3 spots of silver paint & some vague grease stains on the cover). Only 3 quid the lot.

[Jen-Jen]

What a fabulous collection Timmy-the-dog!!!!
I am especially jealous of your Bunter collection! I haven't any original Bunters at all - but I do have them all in a manner of speaking - I printed out PDF versions of them and had them bound. It was the best I could do on my limited funding.

but at least I can beat you on the Bunter's as I have 32 out of the 38 - I am not even sure why as I don't really collect them

Send them this way Tony!!!! I absolutely adore Bunter!

[Fiona1986]

Good Lord, if I picked up random books like that I'd not be able to move for books.

I'm thrilled to say I've finally completed the Secret Seven series, I won the final book this morning from eBay. Second edition with dust jacket for £3.04 all together. I'm very, very happy, though I will probably have to rearrange my shelves to accommodate it!

[Katharine]

Good Lord, if I picked up random books like that I'd not be able to move for books.

I'm thrilled to say I've finally completed the Secret Seven series, I won the final book this morning from eBay. Second edition with dust jacket for £3.04 all together. I'm very, very happy, though I will probably have to rearrange my shelves to accommodate it!

Well done, sounds like a good purchase. I don't have a complete set of Secret Seven in any editions. I've just got one FFO to get, Banshee Towers, at the moment I'll be quite happy for a cheap paper back, as long as it's not a modern copy. I have the same problem as you whenever I get a new book. Not so long ago I got the 11th Holiday Book. My holiday books are on my top shelf, which meant having to take one from the end of each shelf and moving it to the shelf below to be able to fit it in. The last book removed now resides in the pile on the floor. I still have the 12th book to get, so I'll have to repeat the process again some time.

Unfortunately I'm getting to the point where if I pick up many more random books, I won't be able to move either!

[Fiona1986]

I've just got one FFO to get, Banshee Towers, at the moment I'll be quite happy for a cheap paper back, as long as it's not a modern copy. I have the same problem as you whenever I get a new book. Not so long ago I got the 11th Holiday Book. My holiday books are on my top shelf, which meant having to take one from the end of each shelf and moving it to the shelf below to be able to fit it in. The last book removed now resides in the pile on the floor. I still have the 12th book to get, so I'll have to repeat the process again some time.

Banshee towers is the only FFO I'm missing too. I do have a dragon paperback copy though. I will have to do a large re-organisation as the shelf has 14 secret sevens, 14 FFOS and the 5 secret books. I'll have to take the secret books off, and replace them with something that takes less space as I don't want to split any series between shelves. Oh the stress!