For once, the books were sorted quite well overall, and this surprised me. Normally around 75% of the books I seek are in the Collector's Choice section with the remaining 25% scattered around the general section. That is what I have noticed year after year. Around 25% of the vintage books always end up in the wrong section.
I estimate that this year approximately 99% of the books I seek were in the Collector's Choice section and only 1% in the general section. I was very surprised that they sorted the books that well. The sorting has never been that good. I have wondered about it, and my thought is that they may have made certain to sort all of the old children's books into the Collector's Choice section because of the lead law.
Since the CPSA has stated that they will not fine people who sell vintage children's books as collectors items, then the library system probably figured that putting all of the old children's books in the Collector's Choice side would be wise. Whatever the reason, it made it much easier for me, and I probably came home with more books as a result.
I came home with 208 books. I ended up with a few overpriced undesirable books, which always happens during the mad rush. I try not to get books like that, but it always happens. For instance, I paid around $4.00 for a few books that are worth less than $1.00. I also ended up with a double oval endpapers Nancy Drew book in rough shape for which I paid $2.50. Ouch!
At least I managed not to get any flashlight editions, and there were a number of those at the sale. While I always end up with some books that I will have to list in bulk to send on their way, I end up with enough good books to cancel out the bad. More than anything, the annual booksale is recreation. I get to have fun selling the books in the coming months.
What is good is that I have found books that I can now pass onto others. I'm not sure right now how many of the books I will be keeping. I know that it will not be many. I will have to check the $1 box Nancy Drew PCs to see whether any of them are in better condition than the ones I have in my collection.
I am amused that I picked up Fire Dragon with the $1 box. I haven't forgotten how that seller dared us to find another one! Ha-ha, I found one! It's not so rare, is it?
I picked up a couple of books by Carolyn Wells in nice dust jackets. I will definitely be keeping those. A big benefit of this sale is that I always find a few books that I can check out to see whether I want to collect them. One year I found a couple of Peggy Lane books and later read one. That is what lead me to collecting the Peggy Lane books. It also led to the creation of my website since my frustration about the lack of information about Peggy Lane was a big part of my motivation to create a website.
For the books that I decide to sell, they will be listed in my Bonanzle booth as time allows. Right now I have a small stack of previously photographed books that will be listed next. I do not expect to list any books from the library sale for at least a couple of weeks.
All in all, this year's sale was great. It was better than last year, which was just so-so. Now I have to wait a year until the next one!
6 comments:
Your blog has prompted me again! I knew there was a big book sale coming up March 12-15 by Friends of the Library. I went to their little store - no Nancy Drews there but they said they get yellow spines all the time. Anyway, I asked the lady there about if there was a Collector's section at the sale and ended up telling her how I am collecting ND's now, etc. She was really nice and told me if I had the time, I could volunteer to help with set up (3 hours) the day before the sale starts and all volunteers are allowed to purchase 10 books that day before the general public! Plus I will get to see what all they have ahead of the crowd. This is my first time going to this sale as a collector, so not knowing the ins and outs as you do, I am thrilled at this opportunity. Just thought I'd share this idea so that others who are just starting like me can use this method to learn the ropes at thie local book sales.
Hi, Jennifer, I have an off-topic question today. I received some PC books I bought on ebay. One was The Secret of Shadow Ranch, with the Gilles artwork in very good condition. I was a little surprised when I opened the book and found early White Multi-Scene endpapers - I had expected Blue. Then I was REALLY surprised to find revised text. I checked your PC art gallery, and it doesn't show a revised text printing for this cover. The book lists to Phantom of Pine Hill inside and on the back and Dana Girls to Silver Dolphin. Do you think I have a copy of the very first printing of the revised text for Shadow Ranch since it is in the Gilles cover? Thanks for any info you can give me about this book!
Thanks for the Peggy Lane comments. I have all except the very last in the series, and have found them to be really enjoyable and different, since they're set in the theater world with mild mystery elements thrown in.
I knew there was a big book sale coming up March 12-15 by Friends of the Library.
I hope you are able to find a few good books!
I received some PC books I bought on ebay. One was The Secret of Shadow Ranch, with the Gilles artwork in very good condition. I was a little surprised when I opened the book and found early White Multi-Scene endpapers - I had expected Blue. Then I was REALLY surprised to find revised text.
I would have been really surprised as well. I checked Farah's Guide, and there were two printings with the Gillies art and revised text. I updated my page to show that information. I think the revised text is quite scarce with the Gillies art. I do not have one.
Even though Farah shows two print runs with the Gillies art and revised text, it is likely that the two printings are subsets of full print runs. I think that your book is very hard to find, and I doubt that there are large numbers of them. I have had so many extra PCs pass through my hands that if it were common, I would have seen it.
Congratulations on a great find!
I hope you are able to find a few good books!
I hope so too! :D I will report back afterwards to let you know.
Congratulations on a great find!
I am so excited! Thank you so much for the information on this book - this kind of accidental find is what makes collecting Nancy Drews so much fun! There are just so many variations, you never know what you will come across.
Okay, so I do have a copy of Shadow Ranch with the Gillies art and the revised text. I have had it for at least a few weeks and did not know it. The book is really trashed, but I will keep it until I see a better one. I was going to toss it in a stack of books to sell in bulk on eBay when I noticed the black and white multi endpapers. Sure enough, it has the revised text.
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