Question regarding 1st edition of Five on a Treasure Island

[egoon]

Hi all,
Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend.

I am intrigued by a comment I saw posted against a 1st edition Treasure island book: "Both the front and rear flaps are the wider format, denoting the correct first edition status. "

Without getting into the minutiae of what represents a true first edition (but perhaps its needed) does anyone know what is entailed by "wider format"? I have looked at photos online and the content appears to be the same, which makes me think it must solely be the width of the front and rear flaps - but ive not been able to turn up any information further to that.

I am sure someone here knows the answer..!

[egoon]

I have examined Lupsons forensic examination of DJs (https://www.stellabooks.com/article/the ... ers-part-4) but there is no mention i can find of any variations in the Treasure Island 1st ed. versus later versions (e.g. Sept 1942).

[Fiona1986]

Gordon Lupson had four articles published in the EBSOC journal titled "The Famous Five Series: Some Hodder ... Stoughton Errors and Anomalies" If I recall correctly there were measurements included in those. They began in journal 28. I can dig my journals out at some point later this week to check, if someone else doesn't beat me to it.

[egoon]

Thank you! I think the Stella link has all 4 parts (which I think were a copy from what was published in the journals?).

[Moonraker]

Of course, there is an obvious person to ask about this!

[Fiona1986]

I've just looked through more of the Stella link and you are probably right. I see that part 2 has measurements on the widths of the flaps which is what I must have been thinking of. I assume, then, that that's what your 'wider' format refers to. All the ones shown in part 2 have flaps a few millimetres wider in the true first than any later impressions or editions measured.

[egoon]

@Moonraker - who or do you mean Tony?

Is anyone here in receipt of a true first edition that could perhaps check? I have asked the dealer as to the measurements of their copy in which they refer to the wider leafs and await their response.

[egoon]

Thanks Fiona. Yes that indeed is a good spot - i missed that. What is interesting is that i have observed a 0.2cm difference in my first editions which makes me now ponder as to what indeed is the true first edition and what perhaps is the September (& indeed later) versions.

[Aussie Sue]

Page 58 of Tony's 'An Illustrated Bibliography" Part 1: 1922-1943

Five on a Treasure Island:
notes: The first three editions used exactly the same dustwrapper, the first two were identical but the third had narrower flaps (front cover and flap measure 8 1/2" on the first two and only 8" on the third.

Hope this helps. Tony's bibliography's are a must for every serious collector. The detail is amazing.

cheers
Aussie Sue

[egoon]

Oh thanks every so much Sue. I feel acquiring a copy of the bibliography is now next on my list :/

[pete9012S]

I think you would love it!