Auctioned book collection

[IceMaiden]

https://hansonslive.hansonsauctioneers. ... 381?page=6

Did anybody here know of this or get any of the books?

[pete9012S]

An incredible collection IceMaiden.

Over the course of nearly 50 years Julia Sesemann amassed thousands of books written by the famous children s author including valuable first editions of every book she ever wrote. Julia s reputation as a collector of Enid Blyton books even reached Buckingham Palace. Consequently, she supplied books for Prince Harry and Prince William to enjoy when they were young.

These items caught my eye:

LOT 272
ENID BLYTON AUTOGRAPH LETTERS. A small group of 17 SIGNED letters to Nicholas Bebbington, one-time Chief Constable in the Cambridge Police and later author with Blandford Press. Dates ranging from 1947-1953, many with handwritten envelopes, one on card, one typed with signature. The correspondence relates to safety and road safety, and a decline in injuries in 1953, something she discusses in a new magazine, as well as Safety First, a colouring book that she’s working on (published version featu
Estimate£2,000 - £3,000
Realised Price: £1200

Many thanks for posting the link.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Someone mentioned this to Tony - but the auction had already taken place! There were some real bargains among the lots!

[John Pickup]

Yes, some good prices there. I would have loved The Bird Book.
I wish our society had been notified of the auction.

[IceMaiden]

An absolutely incredible collection, part of me thinks how amazing it would be to have gone and seen this (all those marvellous books!), but another part of me feels deeply saddened that this lady's lifelong collection and obvious passion that she's cherished her whole life has ultimately ended up auctionted off to the highest bidder. I'm looking around at my own collection and it's quite a sobering thought . I really hope they went to genuine collectors who appreciate them and Enid Blyton's work and not some dealer who just sees £££ signs.

[Boatbuilder]

I really hope they went to genuine collectors who appreciate them and Enid Blyton's work and not some dealer who just sees £££ signs.

If they went to a dealer/dealers I doubt they would make much more on their investment at some of those high prices.

Of course you never know, they may have been bought by a rather 'well-off' member of this very society who kept stum on here about knowing of the auction in advance.

It certainly wasn't me.

[pete9012S]

An absolutely incredible collection, part of me thinks how amazing it would be to have gone and seen this (all those marvellous books!), but another part of me feels deeply saddened that this lady's lifelong collection and obvious passion that she's cherished her whole life has ultimately ended up auctionted off to the highest bidder. I'm looking around at my own collection and it's quite a sobering thought . I really hope they went to genuine collectors who appreciate them and Enid Blyton's work and not some dealer who just sees £££ signs.

Here here!
I heartily agree IceMaiden.

[Lucky Star]

Wow, what a collection. I agree that it's sad to see it auctioned off piecemeal but I'm sure only genuine Blyton collectors would buy at those prices. If a few pieces did go to dealers then I'm sure they'll swiftly sell to Blyton fans albeit at a higher price.

[Judith Crabb]

Thanks for the link IceMaiden, I'm having a lovely time going through the auction at my leisure. I assume that there would be an additional buyer's premium on all the lots sold, 20% perhaps? Still plenty of bargains for lucky bidders. I started with the non-Blytons - A Bear called Paddington 1150 pounds (I've never worked out how to get the symbol on my computer here down under), the Weirdstone of Brisingamen 420 (and you get 3 other books with it). I'm rationing myself to two pages a day or I won't get anything else done.

[Anita Bensoussane]

There were some incredible Enid Blyton bargains, e.g. £25 for 44 strip books (including repeats), and £40 for 12 Brockhampton books including Secret of the Old Mill, At Seaside Cottage, The Dear Old Snow Man and They Ran Away Together. Wow!

https://hansonslive.hansonsauctioneers. ... 3Fpage%3D3

https://hansonslive.hansonsauctioneers. ... 3Fpage%3D3

Also seven Gifford Flower books, dustwrappered Cherry Tree Farm/Willow Farm books and other titles for £60.

https://hansonslive.hansonsauctioneers. ... 3Fpage%3D3

There were loads more bargains as well - too many to mention!

[tix]

MERGED WITH AN EXISTING TOPIC.


A nostalgic trip!

Referring of course to the recent auction that featured a multitude of what would be familiar publications to a Blyton connoisseur. Trolling through the tomes brought back many fine memories.

It certainly reminded us of the author's incredible output - and many items were signed copies although several short messages ended with "The Author" rather than Enid Blyton's actual name. I think most Blytonites would have preferred the latter.

The collection of course belonged to Julia Sesemann who very sadly left this world a few months ago. I visited her on January 3rd 1979 and entered a hobbyists 'Heaven' containing shelves and cupboards of books penned by our favourite author ...... the setting being an excellent example of the dedication an avid collector may apply to his or her particular interest.

The photograph I took was printed in an EBS journal and Julia's daughter (presumably the envy of her classmates) might now be in her fifties.

[Judith Crabb]

Anita, add to the many incredible bargains lot 215, which included a copy of 'Up the Faraway Tree' in dust-jacket which I have been looking for for almost seventy years. (I've just enjoyed your article 'The Faraway Tree' in Journal 29 and can vouch for the fact that childhood memories wouldn't be the same without the Faraway Tree). I agree of course that 'Up the Faraway Tree' is an altogether slighter addition to the canon, but it is probably the first book I remember wanting and being unable to buy.

[IceMaiden]

If they went to a dealer/dealers I doubt they would make much more on their investment at some of those high prices.

Of course you never know, they may have been bought by a rather 'well-off' member of this very society who kept stum on here about knowing of the auction in advance.

It certainly wasn't me.

Well it wasn't me! I only found out about it days later which I was a bit upset about. What a missed opportunity. Mind you it might be just as well as I might have bankrupted myself if I'd gone, there's no way I could have turned down some of those titles .

[Anita Bensoussane]

Anita, add to the many incredible bargains lot 215, which included a copy of 'Up the Faraway Tree' in dust-jacket which I have been looking for for almost seventy years. (I've just enjoyed your article 'The Faraway Tree' in Journal 29 and can vouch for the fact that childhood memories wouldn't be the same without the Faraway Tree). I agree of course that 'Up the Faraway Tree' is an altogether slighter addition to the canon, but it is probably the first book I remember wanting and being unable to buy.

Thanks for your comment on my article, Judith. Yes, £40 for Up the Faraway Tree and four other dustwrappered books, including The Land of Far-Beyond, is incredible:

https://hansonslive.hansonsauctioneers. ... nt_page=41

Like IceMaiden and others, I might well have been tempted to buy one or two of the cheaper lots if I'd known about the auction!

It's lovely that you were able to visit Julia Sesemann back in 1979 and see her collection, Tix.

[tix]

Adding to the info:

Kemerton Road was traversed on a freezing winter's day, and upon arrival at the designated home I was admitted by nine-year-old 'Caroline.' She led me into a study which looked out onto the back lawn with a bird-table prominent.

Julia Sesemann's room of books contained not only Blytons but also girls' school annuals plus Richman Crompton's 'William' books - so the collectors' requirements were well catered to. Kirrins, Secret Sevens and Bill Smugs were prominent of course, and there were lots of first editions. Also noticed was 'Child Whispers 'and 'Real Fairies' which are tiny little books that don't do all that much to echo the emerging genre, but they achieved fame of course in their role as early examples of Blyton's work.

Julia perused my own catalogue and various titles were noted that didn't grace her own collection - which means a little envy was displayed by both parties. I think that'd be the same with almost any collector when coming across items that are not resident in their own bookcases.

Looking out of the window a squirrel could be seen climbing a bare tree and some robins a goldfinch and a few thrushes were also observed - an adequate Blyton setting. Julia had been amassing the books for about three years and like most collectors, was aspiring to obtain a copy of every single one.

She allowed me several at a reduced price and I had to include a copy of "Real Fairies" (despite its content) for which it appears I paid 7.25. Presumably the '7' means 'Pounds.'

I also purchased "William and A.R.P" - a title which I'd puzzled over when first learning of it round the age of eleven. A.R.P - what's that? "Assistant Something?" "Association Something?" Couldn't figure it out ..... and now the memory has had to be refreshed. William and A.R.P was typed in and the forgotten information located - "Air Raid Precautions" (of course). A wartime edition of the eleven-year-old's adventures.