sow the thought seeds

Angus Macvicar: The Lost Planet The Children’s Book Club, 1958. This item is ?1960 [first published date 1958, by Burke Publishing]. It is part of a private collection and set of similar children’s rare books going to auction over the next month. This copy is in vg+ condition, a tight and bright copy with some tanning to page edges but clean text and owner name on free front-end-page. The dust-jacket has been placed in a protective wrapper and is largely vg but has flattened out creases, is nice and clean, and with slight fade to spine and some chipping and small holes (see image). It is not price-clipped. The boards are clean and bright: cream with black or brown titles on spine. There is a historic shopkeeper price inside (for guidance on the grading of this book, please see below).

The following is the system I use for grading books ~

Mint ~ New or as new, clearly unread, no tanning to pages, no creasing to spine or cover, no marks or inscriptions. This is the condition you would expect to find in a high street bookstore or on mail-order.

Excellent ~ The book appears to be in fine condition. A closer look reveals some signs of previous ownership, such as shelf-rubbing and in some cases an inscription. Yet on the whole, the book is perfect.

Very Good + ~ Less than excellent condition with no more than mild tanning or foxing to pages, minor creasing to spine or cover, possible shop sticker/pencilled price or previous owner name, but no other marks or inscriptions. This is still a tight and bright copy.

Very Good ~ The book shows clear signs of previous ownership / shelf wear. There may be some tanning / foxing to pages, slight creases to spine or cover, inscriptions from previous owner (typically their name or words of presentation).

Good + ~ The book cover and contents may have faded in colour and there may be creases, wear and inscriptions. However the book is still intact and readable and there is no loosening to spine or pages.

Good ~ This is an acceptable reading copy and there may be several of the reported problems above as associated with age and/or mishandling.

Poor ~ A book such as this is sent to auction for reasons such as the edition's rarity. This will probably not make an acceptable reading copy, and is more likely to have value in relation to its collectable status.

N.B. where a double grading is given, the latter refers to the dust-jacket, wrapper or cover

This grading guide is updated monthly to save you scrolling through archives. 

Your book can be gift-wrapped with festive wrapping paper and ribbon, together with your message.

Simply request the service when paying indicating the recipient, recipient address and 'your message'.

Your book will then be gift-wrapped, placed in bubble-wrap and secured in a thick, corrugated card sleeve before being sent to the recipient address.

The cost is £1.25. Please add this to the p&p box on your invoice.

Look out for

Buy it Now or Best Offer

Brand new books at least 33% off publisher prices in the December auctions

Gift wrap option available 

Enid Blyton THE QUEEN ELIZABETH FAMILY 1^st Ed 1951 **vg+**

Enid Blyton FIVE GO TO MYSTERY MOOR 1^st Print 1954 **vg+**

Enid Blyton CHILDREN AT GREEN MEADOWS 1^st Ed 1954 **vg**

Enid Blyton FIVE HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME 1^st Print 1952 **vg**

Enid Blyton FIVE HAVE PLENTY OF FUN 1^st Pr 1955 **vg+**

Enid Blyton CIRCUS BOOK 1^st Ed 1949 **g+**

Enid Blyton ANIMAL LOVER’S BOOK 1^st Ed 1952 **vg**

Enid Blyton THE FIFTH HOLIDAY BOOK 1^st Ed 1950 **vg**

Enid Blyton GO AHEAD SECRET SEVEN 1^st Ed 1953 **vg+**

Enid Blyton THE MYSTERY OF TALLY-HO COTTAGE 1^st Ed 1954 **vg+**

Enid Blyton FIVE GO TO MYSTERY MOOR 1^st Print 1954 **vg+**

Enid Blyton MYSTERY OF STRANGE BUNDLE 1^st Ed 1952 **vg**

Enid Blyton THE MYSTERY OF THE DISAPPEARING CAT 1952 **g+**

Enid Blyton THE MYSTERY OF THE SPITEFUL LETTERS 1/8 1954 vg+

Enid Blyton MYSTERY OF THE MISSING NECKLACE 1/5 1952 **vg**

Enid Blyton THE MYSTERY OF THE HIDDEN HOUSE 1/5 1953 **vg+**

Enid Blyton THE MYSTERY OF THE BURNT COTTAGE 1/ 10 1953 **vg**

Enid Blyton THE MYSTERY OF THE PANTOMIME CAT 1952 **vg+**

Enid Blyton THE MYSTERY OF HOLLY LANE 1^st 1955 **vg+**

Enid Blyton FIVE RUN AWAY TOGETHER 1^st / 5^th imp1951 **vg**

Enid Blyton THE FAMILY AT RED-ROOFS 1^st /3 1950 **g+**

Enid Blyton THE SECRET SEVEN 1^st / 5 1953 **vg**

Enid Blyton SECRET SEVEN WIN THROUGH 1^st Ed 1955 **vg+/vg**

Enid Blyton GO AHEAD SECRET SEVEN 1^st Ed 1953 **vg+/vg+**

Enid Blyton THE TWINS AT ST CLARES 1970 **vg**

Enid Blyton BIG NODDY BOOK 1^st Print 1962 **vg**  

Enid Blyton BIG NODDY BOOK 1^st thus 1973 **vg**   

Enid Blyton BIG NODDY BOOK 1^st Print 1969 **g**    

Enid Blyton A DAY WITH NODDY 1^st Print 1962 **g**

Enid Blyton YOU FUNNY LITTLE NODDY 1990 **mint**

Enid Blyton MR MEDDLE STORIES 1^st 1999 **vg+**   

Enid Blyton SLEEPYLAND STORIES 1^st 1971 **vg**   

Enid Blyton BEDTIME STORIES 1^st 1970 **vg**           

Enid Blyton SLEEPYTIME TALES 1^st 1970 **vg**         

Enid Blyton THE TOWER IN HO-HO WOOD 1992 **ex**

Enid Blyton MR MEDDLE’S MUDDLES 1^st 1970 *vg+* SEE PICS

Enid Blyton HURRAH FOR LITTLE NODDY 1^st 1950 **vg**         

Enid Blyton THE CHILDREN’S BOOK OF PRAYERS 1^st 1953 **vg+**    

Enid Blyton’s NODDY – A BOARD BOOK 1^st 1967 **vg+**         

Enid Blyton TALE ABOUT TAIL Grandreams **ex**      

Enid Blyton HOLIDAY BOOK 1^st 1946 **vg** SEE PICS   

Enid Blyton NODDY AND HIS CAR 1^st 1951 SEE PICS

Enid Blyton SHADOW THE SHEEPDOG 1968 **g**    

Enid Blyton SECRET SEVEN WIN THROUGH 1^st Ed 1955 *SEE PICS*

Enid Blyton GO AHEAD SECRET SEVEN 1^st Ed 1953 *SEE PICS*

Enid Blyton NATURE LOVERS BOOK 1971 **vg**     

Enid Blyton THE CHRISTMAS STORY 1^st 1992 **fine**    

Enid Blyton PIXIELAND STORY BOOK **SEE PICS **    

Capt W.E. Johns GIMLET LENDS A HAND 1^st Print 1949 **vg+/vg**       

Angus Macvicar THE LOST PLANET dust-jacket **vg+**   

A. C. Osborn Hann ‘HORRIBLE’ HARRIET *Print Error* 1^st Ed 1949 **vg+**       

Laura Lee Hope THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SPRUCE LAKE w dj **vg+**          

Daniel Defoe ROBINSON CRUSOE Dakers w dj  **vg+/vg+**       

Daniel Defoe ROBINSON CRUSOE A&C Black 1942 **vg+**      

Daniel Defoe ROBINSON CRUSOE Routledge 1890s **g**

Daniel Defoe ROBINSON CRUSOE Frederick Warne c1869 **vg+**         

Howard Pyle’s Book of Pirates *CLICK 4 PICS*

Howard Pyle’s MERRY ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD 1^st 1957 **vg**         

Rupert Daily Express Annual 1972 **ex** unclipped / no marks         

Rupert Daily Express Annual 1974 **ex** unclipped / no marks

Rupert’s FUN & PUZZLE BOOK 1^st 1983 **vg+**

Jonathan Swift GULLIVERS TRAVELS 1949 Arthur Rackham **vg**          

Lewis Carroll ALICE IN WONDERLAND Ward Lock **g**           

Lewis Carroll ALICE IN WONDERLAND +  J Morton Sale **vg+**           

Lewis Carroll THE HUNTING OF THE SNARK Mervyn Peake 1975 **ex**          

Mark Twain TOM SAWYER 1^st Print 1889 **g/vg**        120 Illus

Herge TINTIN le Sceptre d’Ottokar 1949 **vg** SEE PHOTOS      

Louey Chisholm GOLDEN STAIRCASE  1928 **vg+** 

Charles Schulz PEANUTS Christmas is Together-Time 1^st 1966 **vg+**    

Charles Schulz / June Dutton PEANUTS COOK BOOK 1^st 1969 **vg+**    

Charles Schulz PEANUTS Love is Walking Hand in Hand 1966 **vg+**    

Doktor Schrecklichkeit STRUWWELHITLER 1^st Print 1941 **vg**  

D. H. Barber SIGNED 3 VOL SET 1^st 1962-4 **vg+/ex**    

Juliana Ewing / Randolph Caldecott JACKANAPES Rare 1^st 1884 **g**       

Elizabeth Goudge THE LITTLE WHITE HORSE 3^rd Print 1949 **vg**         

Oswald Dutch DROPPY SPLASH & DEW-PEARL No 1 Lottie Gorn 1^st 1945         

Laura Ingalls Wilder LITTLE HOUSE IN THE BIG WOODS 1961   

JRR Tolkein THE LORD OF THE RINGS – 2 TOWERS

Frank Richards BILLY BUNTER DOES HIS BEST  1983 **vg**    

Herbert Strang THE OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN 1^st Print YEAR **vg**        

Capt. Frank H Shaw A MILLION A MINUTE 1^st Print **vg**         

William Horwood THE WILLOWS IN WINTER 1^st 1993 **ex/ex**

Bryan Holme (Ed) TALES FROM TIMES PAST 1^st 1977 Rackham et al **ex/ex**  

Anna Sewell BLACK BEAUTY Facsimile Ed 1^st Imp 1986 **ex**    

Morris & Goscinny LUCKY LUKE STAGE COACH 1^st 1972 HB **vg**   

SCHOOL FRIEND ANNUAL 1959 1^st hb **g **           

Jonathan Coudrille A BEASTLY COLLECTION 1^st 1974

HARRY POTTER and the Goblet of Fire 1st Edition pb *99p* **ex**           

HARRY POTTER Half-Blood Prince 1^st Ed HB **ex**   

HARRY POTTER and the Order of the Phoenix 1^st Ed HB **vg**     

MAGICAL WORLDS OF HARRY POTTER 2001 **ex**  

Carolyn Keene NANCY DREW 1: The Secret of the Old Clock 1959 **vg+**        

Giovanni Guareschi LITTLE WORLD DON CAMILLO 1953 **vg/g**        

Good Housekeeping MY FIRST SCHOOL COOKBOOK 1975 **vg+**    

Stephen Cosgrove SERENDIPITY SET x 9 1^st **ex**     

Stephen King THE EYES OF THE DRAGON new **mint** 

Anthony Masters WICKED Signed copy **ex**              

Caroline Lawrence THE THIEVES OF OSTIA 1^st Signed Copy 2001 **ex**

Steve Jackson CITADEL OF CHAOS Double Signed LTD ED **ex**         

Morris LUCKY LUKE 14 Ruee Sur L’Oklahoma 1^st **vg**  

The Diary of Anne Frank PAN BOOKS 1954 **vg+**    

Dick King-Smith Godhanger SIGNED ED **ex**            

Brian Glanville THE PUFFIN BOOK OF FOOTBALL 1973 **vg+**           

John Hall ODDLY ENOUGH / Curiosities 1979 **vg**   

Peter Eldin THE WHIZZTRICKS BOX Armada 1984 **vg+**         

Beatrix Potter THE FAIRY CARAVAN New Ed 1953 **vg+**        

Bartimeus NAVAL OCCASIONS / TRAITS SAILOR 1915 **vg** 

Walt Disney 101 DALMATIANS 1^st Print 1981 **g**     

Walt Disney THE SORCERERS APPRENTICE 1973 **con**

DISNEYLAND ANNUAL 1972 **SEE PICS** unclipped Ex          

DISNEYLAND ANNUAL 1973 **SEE PICS** unclipped Vg+       

DISNEYLAND ANNUAL 1974 **SEE PICS** unclipped Ex                      

Captain Marryat CHILDREN OF THE NEW FOREST 1^st Print YEAR **vg+**       

DEAN’S SIMPLE STORY BOOK 1^st 1967 **vg+**      

W.J. Gordon PERSEUS THE GORGON SLAYER 1^st 1880 **vg** 

Charles Kingsley THE WATER-BABIES Gatlish (signed?) 1932 **vg**        

OLD STORIES RETOLD Series 1& 2 1^st 1897 **vg**   

Rudyard Kipling JUNGLE BOOK 1^st 1961 **vg+**        

INSTRUMENTS OF THE ORCHESTRA Talking Book **ex**       

CHILDREN’S SINGING GAMES Talking Book **vg+**    

Dorothy Olsen LULLABIES FOR SLEEPY-HEADS RCA 1960 **ex**       

Denise Bryer NUTCRACKER SUITE UA **ex** SEE PICS

Wally Whyton 50 ALL TIME CHILDREN’S FAVOURITES Pye 1962 **ex**         

Burl Ives CHIM CHIM CHEREE + Disney 1963 **mint**     

P. D. Eastman SAM THE FIREFLY 1^st 1961 **ex**       

Terry Pratchett THE UNADULTERATED CAT 1989 **ex**

Nick et Panchito # 17 Paris 1^st 1965 **vg+** SEE PICS  

The Crackerjack Story Book 1^st **vg+** SEE PICS        

Dicky le Fantastic # 20 Paris 1^st 1966 **vg+** SEE PICS

Magic Roundabout abc & Counting Book 1^st 1973 **ex**

A.A. Milne WINNIE THE POOH Pop up Theatre 1^st **ex** 

A.A. Milne POOH GOES VISITING Carousel Book 1987 **vg**    

A A Milne WINNIE-THE-POOH dj **vg**

Asterix: Le Domaine des Dieux 1^st 1971 **vg**                

Lorena A. Hickok FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT 1956 **vg**         

Irene Byers THE SIGN OF THE DOLPHIN 1^st 1956 **vg+**          

Evelyn Smith NICKY OF THE LOWER FOURTH dj **vg+**         

Bessie Marchant THREE GIRLS ON A RANCH dj **vg+** 

Alan Garner THE MOON OF GOMRATH 2002 **mint**                

Jane Austen PRIDE AND PREJUDICE 1^st 1949 **vg+**

Willard Price AMAZON ADVENTURE dj **ex**           

James Herriot DOG STORIES 1^st US 1996 **ex**          

Roger McGough NAILING THE SHADOW  **vg+**    

Don Marquis ARCHYOLOGY 1^st 1996 **vg+**             

Kevin Gilbert ME AND MARY KANGAROO **ex**    

Charles Kingsley THE WATER BABIES **SEE PICS**

Hans Anderson FAIRY TALE  1925  **SEE PICS**

Brenda Girvin THE TAPESTRY ADVENTURE **SEE PICS**        

Lawrence R Bourne COPPERNOB BUCKLAND **SEE PICS**    

Susan Coolidge WHAT KATY DID 1944 **vg**            

Bessie Marchant BY HONOUR BOUND 1940 **SEE PICS**        

Carlton Wallace BOYS BOOK OF SPORT 1^st 1951 **vg** 

David Collins JRR TOLKIEN MASTER OF FANTASY 1^st 1992 **fine**    

L. Frank Baum THE TIN WOODMAN OF OZ 1^st 1974 **vg**       

Mervyn Peake BOOK OF NONSENSE 1^st 1974 **vg**

Kathleen Fidler TALES OF THE SOUTH COUNTRY 1^st 1962 **vg**        

Anna Sewell BLACK BEAUTY Large Format 1^st 1981 **vg+**       

Patricia Coombs DORRIE AND THE DREAMYARD MONSTERS **ex** 

Phyllis Chappell SOFT TOY MAKING 1962 patterns **vg**

Tales and Talks about Animals **SEE PICS**                  

Leo & Jilly Cooper HORSE MANIA 1^st 1986 **fine**    

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS Pop up 1984 **ex**       

Joan Inglesant BELLS OF MYSTERY 1^st 1933 **see pics** 

William Wise NANETTE THE HUNGRY PELICAN 1^st UK 1970 **ex**    

Charles Dickens A CHRISTMAS TREE 1^st ed **ex**      

Charles Dickens CHRISTMAS BOOKS 1^st 1953 **vg**

Charles Dickens GREAT EXPECTATIONS 1^st 1951 **vg**

Charles Dickens CHRISTMAS CAROL / CRICKET **SEE PICS**

Howard Pyle’s Book of Pirates is subtitled Fiction, Fact & Fancy concerning the Buccaneers & Marooners of the Spanish Main but how accurate were the costume depictions in Pyle's great works? 

The artist's articles appeared in Harper’s Monthly Magazine during the early 1900s. These were later collected together in Howard Pyle’s Book of Pirates: Fiction, Fact & Fancy. However, the difference between the fiction and fact of how these gentlemen looked is something that may not have concerned Pyle greatly. There is wide discrepancy between archive costume and historical account, even before Pyle, as depicted in the crude woodcut pictures of the time, of course. In his turn, Pyle dismissed these to concentrate on ‘imaginative’ renderings, exaggerating details of worn-out 18th century clothing, just as Sergio Leone and others have exaggerated particular features of 19th century garb for their Western films. Film costume designers in their turn have relied on Pyle’s idealisations as the source for 'realistic' depictions of pirate characters.

Howard Pyle’s Book of Pirates -- Fiction, Fact & Fancy concerning the Buccaneers & Marooners of the Spanish Main From the Writings and Pictures of Howard Pyle: compiled by Merle Johnson, Harper & Brothers, 1921.

Doktor Schrecklichkeit's Struwwelhitler  is one of those fantastic items that jumps right out at you as you pick it up.  The story of Struwwelpeter is startling enough, but to have the moral story redirected as anti-Hitler propaganda gives this item a palpable historic presence.  Imagine the thrill children felt as they got hold of this Daily Mirror book.

The item is first edition [no date given, but 1941]: the cover depicts Hitler with twin armbands, and is thus  the 1st. The item is part of a private collection and set of similar children’s rare books going to auction over this month. This copy is in vg condition, a reasonably tight and very bright and clean copy. Some wear to spine with loss at bottom, crease and small tear to bottom right of front and crack inside between pages 8/9. Thin card covers with pencil annotation inside: 9/41 (for guidance on the grading of this book, please see below). A very rare, interesting and collectable piece.

Doktor Schrecklichkeit: Struwwelhitler Haycock Press, 1941.

Enid Blyton, Noddy – a board book, Purnell, 1967. This item is first edition [published date 1967]. It is part of a private collection and set of similar children’s rare books going to auction over the next month. This copy is in vg+ condition, a tight and bright cloth backed copy of thick picture boards opening to six colour pages. This is great condition for this item: no juvenile annotations, minimal wear to cloth spine and the rounded corners. A little grubby on the outside but clean interior. Other Noddy first editions available.

Enid Blyton: Noddy, Purnell, 1967

Irene Byers book The Sign of the Dolphin is the first edition [published date 1956].  This copy is in vg+ condition, a tight and bright copy in vg dust-jacket complete with unclipped price -- does have tears to spine area and chips to corners and crease at top. The boards are green with red titles to spine. Pages are bright and clean(for guidance on the grading of this book, please see below).  Hard to come by and has a dust-wrapper too.

Irene Byers, The Sign of the Dolphin, Hutchinson, 1956