Transaction Stuff

I had a question about my first printing of Nancy Drew #1 on Bonanzle. I was asked, "Are there any other titles of Nancy Drew books listed on the copyright page above the copyright date?" This kind of question really frustrates me.

The copyright page has no significance whatsoever in the determination of the first printing status for 55 of the 56 original Nancy Drew books. The only exception is the first printing of Larkspur Lane which has a really bizarre copyright page which is undoubtedly a mistake. The first printing of Larkspur Lane has this on the copyright page:


COPYRIGHT, 1932, 1933, BY
GROSSET AND DUNLAP, INC.
First Printing, August, 1932
Second Printing, September, 1932
Revised and Enlarged Edition
First Printing, September, 1933
All Rights Reserved


The copyright page of the first printing of Larkspur Lane makes it sound like a later printing. In this case, the novice collector would draw the wrong conclusion, and it is the only volume for which the copyright page actually means something.

I sent this rather detailed response to the prospective buyer of Old Clock:

The copyright page lists Old Clock, Hidden Staircase, and Bungalow Mystery. The first three Nancy Drew books were issued simultaneously in the spring of 1930, so all three titles appear on the first printing of Old Clock. The next eight printings also have the first three titles listed on the copyright page because the copyright pages were updated only occasionally. This means that the copyright page should never be used to determine first printing status for Nancy Drew books.

For Old Clock, the point that makes this the first printing is that the first post-text ad lists only eight Hardy Boys titles. The second printing lists nine Hardy Boys titles. I photographed the Hardy Boys post-text ad as proof that this is the first printing. That is the point that clinches it.

I know that my response was read, since Bonanzle marks sent messages as read, but I never received a response, and the book was not purchased. I hope I answered the prospective buyer's question.

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On the subject of buyer questions, I had a lot of 16 Dana Girls books with 2 Nancy Drew books for sale on eBay. A prospective buyer asked, "What are the 2 Judy Bolton books?" I am mystified that a buyer thought that the lot contained Judy Bolton books when I never mentioned Judy Bolton books. It is as though the buyer read "Nancy Drew" as "Judy Bolton." I even read through my description to make certain that I did not mention Judy Bolton accidentally.

What I wonder is whether eBay, in its relentless idiocy, is now showing loosely related items in its new search. Could Dana Girls and Nancy Drew books be showing in a Judy Bolton search? I am talking about listings that do not have Judy Bolton mentioned at all. I'm still on the old search, and I am not about to switch to new search early in order to test it out. The fateful day for the end of old search is June 10, by the way...

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So, I bought some books. A day after payment, I received this message:

Do you want to insure your package for another $2.75? I am not responsible if the post office loses it.

I was offended. Why is it always my fault when something goes wrong? When I am the seller, it is my fault, and when I am the buyer, it is also my fault. For those of you who do not avidly read the message boards, insurance is for the protection of the seller, not the buyer. The buyer already effectively has insurance by paying through PayPal. This is why eBay went to payment through PayPal only. All that a buyer has to do is file a claim through PayPal stating that the package was not received. Unless the seller can prove receipt with a delivery confirmation number that shows that the package was delivered, then the buyer gets a refund.

The above is what I wanted to tell the seller, but instead I tactfully stated that as long as the books are packed in a sturdy box and the address label affixed properly, then we should have no problems. The only purchases for which I have problems are the ones in which the seller uses slipshod packaging.