Dear Sirs:This letter helps date the Patsy and Pudge outline. The Dot and Dash series was published from 1938 to 1940, and the Brownie Scouts series was published beginning in 1949. This places the Patsy and Pudge outline somewhere between 1940 and 1949.
I am enclosing a plot for a proposed tiny-tot book to be called "Patsy and Pudge at the Circus," which follows the general formula of the well known Bobbsey Twins [typo corrected] for this type of story and which I believe would go well either in the twenty-five [typo corrected] cent market or the fifty cent field.
For my past work included from ninety to a hundred published works. I write the Nancy Drew stories, the Kay Tracey, the Dana Girls, Penny Parker and have a long list of individual mystery stories under my own name and pen. I've also done considerable work for Goldsmith Pub Co in the twenty-five cent field. In the tiny-tot line, my work includes Honey Bunch (Grosset and Dunlap) and Dot and Dash (Cupples).
If you are interested in the type of story I offer, I can assure you of a well written, entertaining book suited to which I can offer either on a royalty basis or a flat price.
Monday, June 15, 2009
The Brownie Scouts in the Circus Part 2
The second Patsy and Pudge outline is very similar to the first outline, but it has been fleshed out a bit more. What makes the second outline special is that upside down on the back of one of the pages is a very rough draft of a letter Wirt was composing. The letter has some typos. I have decided to correct the typos for clarity of reading and have noted where I made corrections.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
My Latest Package
I received this package on Saturday:
I had already opened the box when I took the above picture.
It is fine for sellers to reuse boxes, but sellers should turn the boxes inside out whenever a large number of markings are present on a box. I turned boxes inside out for years until I finally decided that the old boxes took up too much space, and it was too time-consuming to reverse the boxes and make them sturdy enough to ship.
The reason why boxes with markings should be reversed is that the extra markings can cause a delay in delivery, especially when bar codes are present. Notice that a bar code is present on the above box. The mail is routed using bar codes, so unrelated bar codes can cause the mail to be routed wrong, even when the bar code is from FedEx or UPS. Just think of what happens when an extra bar code is a recent USPS bar code. The package could get sent back to the seller or to wherever the previous destination of the box was.
I had a package from last year take around four to five weeks to get to me. When I finally received it, I discovered that an old USPS bar code was present on the back of the package. Most likely the package went back and forth a few times before finally arriving. I had been in communication with the seller, so I let the seller know that the old bar code probably caused the delay. Some people have posted evidence online of delivery confirmation numbers showing the back and forth trips of packages. It does happen.
This is what I saw after I opened the top of the box:
The books seem okay, but I have no way of knowing how many corners were bent during shipping. Some of the books are a bit worn, which of course was not mentioned in the description. Actually, there was no description, aside from a picture and a short statement of how many books were in the lot.
I am not dissatisfied with the transaction; it was exactly what I was expecting. I bought the lot because of one book, and I will use the rest of the books to help sell other extras that I have. The purchase was Buy It Now, and this is yet another example of how bulk lot Buy It Now transactions usually turn out. The recent package that I mentioned here in which one book was missing was another bulk lot Buy It Now. The sellers are all like-minded, and the results are very similar.
I had already opened the box when I took the above picture.
It is fine for sellers to reuse boxes, but sellers should turn the boxes inside out whenever a large number of markings are present on a box. I turned boxes inside out for years until I finally decided that the old boxes took up too much space, and it was too time-consuming to reverse the boxes and make them sturdy enough to ship.
The reason why boxes with markings should be reversed is that the extra markings can cause a delay in delivery, especially when bar codes are present. Notice that a bar code is present on the above box. The mail is routed using bar codes, so unrelated bar codes can cause the mail to be routed wrong, even when the bar code is from FedEx or UPS. Just think of what happens when an extra bar code is a recent USPS bar code. The package could get sent back to the seller or to wherever the previous destination of the box was.
I had a package from last year take around four to five weeks to get to me. When I finally received it, I discovered that an old USPS bar code was present on the back of the package. Most likely the package went back and forth a few times before finally arriving. I had been in communication with the seller, so I let the seller know that the old bar code probably caused the delay. Some people have posted evidence online of delivery confirmation numbers showing the back and forth trips of packages. It does happen.
This is what I saw after I opened the top of the box:
The books seem okay, but I have no way of knowing how many corners were bent during shipping. Some of the books are a bit worn, which of course was not mentioned in the description. Actually, there was no description, aside from a picture and a short statement of how many books were in the lot.
I am not dissatisfied with the transaction; it was exactly what I was expecting. I bought the lot because of one book, and I will use the rest of the books to help sell other extras that I have. The purchase was Buy It Now, and this is yet another example of how bulk lot Buy It Now transactions usually turn out. The recent package that I mentioned here in which one book was missing was another bulk lot Buy It Now. The sellers are all like-minded, and the results are very similar.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
The Brownie Scouts in the Circus Part 1
As reported in previous posts, I purchased some of Mildred Wirt Benson's documents, including several outlines. Among these documents are two drafts of the outline for Patsy and Pudge at the Circus and an outline for The Brownies and the Golden Chariot. All three of these outlines are early versions of what later became the second volume in the Brownie Scouts series, The Brownie Scouts in the Circus.
One of the Patsy and Pudge outlines has some scribbled notes in pencil which are very hard to read. Patsy and Pudge's names are marked out and the scribbled notes mention "Brownies" and "Veve." For those who have not read the Brownie Scouts series, the primary characters are Veve McGuire, Connie Williams, their troop leader, Miss Gordon, and the other girls in the troop.
In the Patsy and Pudge story, Patsy Gordon lives next door to Pudge Willmore. An animal trainer, Jim Cardale, and a boy bareback rider, Elwin Leitsall, are two secondary characters who appear in the story.
Patsy and Pudge dig dandelions in the Gordons' front yard to make money for the children to buy kites. While flying their kites, the children spot a sign advertising a circus. The children plan a circus of their own. Pudge tries walking across a clothesline stretched across a pond and falls into the water. All of these events occur in the Brownie Scouts book, except that Veve is the one who falls in the pond.
The Patsy and Pudge story has an event that does not occur in the Brownie Scouts book. Pudge has to watch the baby, but he wants to leave. He tacks the baby's dress to the floor so he and Patsy can go ask a boy if they might borrow his clown suit.
Other events are also very similar to the events of the Brownie Scouts book. The children have their circus. Neighborhood boys cause a disturbance and leave when a policeman arrives at the circus. The children go to watch the circus as it unloads at the train station. A lion escapes, and the trainer Jim Cardale gets the lion back in its cage.
The children go to the circus with Mr. Gordon. While at the circus, Mr. Gordon's wallet is stolen. The circus detective thinks that the thief is likely "Pickpocket Joe." The children meet the circus rider, Elwin, who acts like living with the circus is the greatest. The next day, Patsy and Pudge get into an open box car and are accidentally carried away when the circus leaves on the train. The children are discovered later, and a telegram is sent to their parents.
The children become better acquainted with Elwin and realize that his life is very hard. Patsy and Pudge know that they are fortunate not to be part of the circus. Mr. Gordon sends a telegram stating that he will arrive later that evening to pick up the children.
Patsy and Pudge learn that Elwin has to perform a new trick that night, and he is afraid. In the margin is the note "a Brownie is not afraid," which is a quote that appears in the Brownie Scouts book.
During that night's show, the children spot the pickpocket, and the man is captured. Mr. Gordon arrives, and the children leave with him.
The Patsy and Pudge outline follows the overall same plot as The Brownie Scouts in the Circus. In the Brownie Scouts book, Mr. Gordon becomes the troop leader, Miss Gordon. Veve is something of a composite of Patsy and Pudge, and Connie takes up part of the role of Patsy. Elwin becomes a girl bareback rider, Eva, in the book.
—to be continued
One of the Patsy and Pudge outlines has some scribbled notes in pencil which are very hard to read. Patsy and Pudge's names are marked out and the scribbled notes mention "Brownies" and "Veve." For those who have not read the Brownie Scouts series, the primary characters are Veve McGuire, Connie Williams, their troop leader, Miss Gordon, and the other girls in the troop.
In the Patsy and Pudge story, Patsy Gordon lives next door to Pudge Willmore. An animal trainer, Jim Cardale, and a boy bareback rider, Elwin Leitsall, are two secondary characters who appear in the story.
Patsy and Pudge dig dandelions in the Gordons' front yard to make money for the children to buy kites. While flying their kites, the children spot a sign advertising a circus. The children plan a circus of their own. Pudge tries walking across a clothesline stretched across a pond and falls into the water. All of these events occur in the Brownie Scouts book, except that Veve is the one who falls in the pond.
The Patsy and Pudge story has an event that does not occur in the Brownie Scouts book. Pudge has to watch the baby, but he wants to leave. He tacks the baby's dress to the floor so he and Patsy can go ask a boy if they might borrow his clown suit.
Other events are also very similar to the events of the Brownie Scouts book. The children have their circus. Neighborhood boys cause a disturbance and leave when a policeman arrives at the circus. The children go to watch the circus as it unloads at the train station. A lion escapes, and the trainer Jim Cardale gets the lion back in its cage.
The children go to the circus with Mr. Gordon. While at the circus, Mr. Gordon's wallet is stolen. The circus detective thinks that the thief is likely "Pickpocket Joe." The children meet the circus rider, Elwin, who acts like living with the circus is the greatest. The next day, Patsy and Pudge get into an open box car and are accidentally carried away when the circus leaves on the train. The children are discovered later, and a telegram is sent to their parents.
The children become better acquainted with Elwin and realize that his life is very hard. Patsy and Pudge know that they are fortunate not to be part of the circus. Mr. Gordon sends a telegram stating that he will arrive later that evening to pick up the children.
Patsy and Pudge learn that Elwin has to perform a new trick that night, and he is afraid. In the margin is the note "a Brownie is not afraid," which is a quote that appears in the Brownie Scouts book.
During that night's show, the children spot the pickpocket, and the man is captured. Mr. Gordon arrives, and the children leave with him.
The Patsy and Pudge outline follows the overall same plot as The Brownie Scouts in the Circus. In the Brownie Scouts book, Mr. Gordon becomes the troop leader, Miss Gordon. Veve is something of a composite of Patsy and Pudge, and Connie takes up part of the role of Patsy. Elwin becomes a girl bareback rider, Eva, in the book.
—to be continued
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
New Item Pages, New Search
I have complaints, and the purpose of this post is to complain about them. All of the eBay cheerleaders just need to deal with it. The reason I say this is that often when I complain about eBay, a cheerleader shows up and berates me for it. I have a right to complain about eBay, since I still use it.
I was opted into the new item pages yesterday. Well, the new item pages are not that bad, but I preferred the old ones. I think the tabs are really stupid. I looked at a closed auction that I was watching, and I could not believe how many ads were at the top of the page. They took up the whole screen, and I had to scroll down to see the closed auction. Do I really need that many sample items that I might be interested in? They are useless to me since I never click on them. I am perfectly capable of browsing all of the Nancy Drew books by searching for Nancy Drew and sorting by "ending soonest." I will see any books of interest to me.
I still have to access my saved searches page from Google Chrome, which by the way, I am getting better at using. Google Chrome is an awesome browser. The problem is that eBay's new item pages are rendered oddly in Google Chrome. Take this one, for instance:
Lot of Vintage Books - Collectible - 11 Books
It looks fine in Firefox and Microsoft Internet Explorer, but in Google Chrome, the listing has a vertical scroll bar that is really obnoxious. This is what I mean:
I have to use the extra vertical scroll bar that is within the listing in order to view the last part of the seller's description. How idiotic is that? The first rule of web design is to make certain that websites are rendered correctly in all browsers. What is wrong with the fools who are working for eBay? What is wrong with eBay?
I looked at my own descriptions for my current and recent auctions, and they have the delightful vertical scroll bar. #%&@*!!! All descriptions that are longer than the height of the browser window will have vertical scroll bars in Google Chrome. So I use Google Chrome to avoid the problems that I have with Firefox and Internet Explorer on eBay, so eBay cooks up a problem that is unique to Google Chrome. I can't win!
It was my auction for some Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys Super Mysteries that I checked to see if it had a vertical scroll bar, so eBay's home page shows me this:
I am selling the Super Mysteries, eBay; I do not want to buy them. I know I looked at a listing for the Super Mysteries, but I was the seller. Don't you get it?
And if that is not enough....
We have all been opted into the "new and improved" search today. All of my visited links are gone, since the new search is a different URL from the old search. I will be clicking on lots of items again this week since I will not know whether I have clicked on them.
I also do not like the layout of the new search any better than I like the layout of the "new and improved" message boards or the "new and improved" My eBay. I will get used to it, but I expect it to take a week or so. I have not seen any really funky results yet, but I find the new search pages harder to read than the old search pages.
Worst of all, the new search is also messed up in Google Chrome. When I click on an item and view it, I then hit the back button and should have the page stay where I was when I clicked on the link. But no! The page remains at the top so I have to scroll down. Double #%&@*!!!
This has been a recurring problem for the new search since October 2008. It has happened at times in all browsers but not for all users. When the problem first surfaced, eBay told users that it was their fault. Too many people have had this problem for too many months for it just to be the fault of the users. Please.
Someone defended eBay on the search message board (which will be my favorite place today since I love reading all of the fallout) by saying that eBay is a large company and it is hard to fix problems. Huh? Have the programmers look at the code! I understand that the problem might be hard to fix, but it has been eight months! That is plenty of time! As the Bonanzle site is getting built, there are problems that arise, but Bill, who is the programmer of the site, gets those problems fixed within one week! EBay surely has more than one programmer, so they should be able to fix their problems in fewer than eight months!
Remember that "misery loves company," so if any of you are having problems, I would love to read about them. And if you are happy about the changes, I am sincerely happy for you. Fortunately some people like the changes. I just happen not to be one of them.
I was opted into the new item pages yesterday. Well, the new item pages are not that bad, but I preferred the old ones. I think the tabs are really stupid. I looked at a closed auction that I was watching, and I could not believe how many ads were at the top of the page. They took up the whole screen, and I had to scroll down to see the closed auction. Do I really need that many sample items that I might be interested in? They are useless to me since I never click on them. I am perfectly capable of browsing all of the Nancy Drew books by searching for Nancy Drew and sorting by "ending soonest." I will see any books of interest to me.
I still have to access my saved searches page from Google Chrome, which by the way, I am getting better at using. Google Chrome is an awesome browser. The problem is that eBay's new item pages are rendered oddly in Google Chrome. Take this one, for instance:
Lot of Vintage Books - Collectible - 11 Books
It looks fine in Firefox and Microsoft Internet Explorer, but in Google Chrome, the listing has a vertical scroll bar that is really obnoxious. This is what I mean:
I have to use the extra vertical scroll bar that is within the listing in order to view the last part of the seller's description. How idiotic is that? The first rule of web design is to make certain that websites are rendered correctly in all browsers. What is wrong with the fools who are working for eBay? What is wrong with eBay?I looked at my own descriptions for my current and recent auctions, and they have the delightful vertical scroll bar. #%&@*!!! All descriptions that are longer than the height of the browser window will have vertical scroll bars in Google Chrome. So I use Google Chrome to avoid the problems that I have with Firefox and Internet Explorer on eBay, so eBay cooks up a problem that is unique to Google Chrome. I can't win!
It was my auction for some Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys Super Mysteries that I checked to see if it had a vertical scroll bar, so eBay's home page shows me this:
I am selling the Super Mysteries, eBay; I do not want to buy them. I know I looked at a listing for the Super Mysteries, but I was the seller. Don't you get it?And if that is not enough....
We have all been opted into the "new and improved" search today. All of my visited links are gone, since the new search is a different URL from the old search. I will be clicking on lots of items again this week since I will not know whether I have clicked on them.
I also do not like the layout of the new search any better than I like the layout of the "new and improved" message boards or the "new and improved" My eBay. I will get used to it, but I expect it to take a week or so. I have not seen any really funky results yet, but I find the new search pages harder to read than the old search pages.
Worst of all, the new search is also messed up in Google Chrome. When I click on an item and view it, I then hit the back button and should have the page stay where I was when I clicked on the link. But no! The page remains at the top so I have to scroll down. Double #%&@*!!!
This has been a recurring problem for the new search since October 2008. It has happened at times in all browsers but not for all users. When the problem first surfaced, eBay told users that it was their fault. Too many people have had this problem for too many months for it just to be the fault of the users. Please.
Someone defended eBay on the search message board (which will be my favorite place today since I love reading all of the fallout) by saying that eBay is a large company and it is hard to fix problems. Huh? Have the programmers look at the code! I understand that the problem might be hard to fix, but it has been eight months! That is plenty of time! As the Bonanzle site is getting built, there are problems that arise, but Bill, who is the programmer of the site, gets those problems fixed within one week! EBay surely has more than one programmer, so they should be able to fix their problems in fewer than eight months!
Remember that "misery loves company," so if any of you are having problems, I would love to read about them. And if you are happy about the changes, I am sincerely happy for you. Fortunately some people like the changes. I just happen not to be one of them.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
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:
..................................................
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...
..................................................
So, I bought some books. A day after payment, I received this message:
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.
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.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.
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.
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...
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.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Book Press Trial #2
I placed some books in my book press a week ago. The books had a lot of spine slant, and I hope to sell them at some point in the near future. I think I will do better with these particular books if they have less spine slant.
I checked on the books today. They definitely have less spine slant than they did a week ago. I placed the books back in the press, and I plan to leave them in there at least a few more days and possibly a week or more.
The first time I tried the press, I only kept the books in for a few days. It is no surprise that the results are better when the books are left in the press for a longer period of time. However, the age of the books may be the more important factor. These books are not old books, unlike the books I used the first time I tried out the book press. These books have bindings that are still supple, so they are responding well to the straightening.
I checked on the books today. They definitely have less spine slant than they did a week ago. I placed the books back in the press, and I plan to leave them in there at least a few more days and possibly a week or more.
The first time I tried the press, I only kept the books in for a few days. It is no surprise that the results are better when the books are left in the press for a longer period of time. However, the age of the books may be the more important factor. These books are not old books, unlike the books I used the first time I tried out the book press. These books have bindings that are still supple, so they are responding well to the straightening.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Incorrectly Numbered Nancy Drew Dust Jackets
In 1950, Grosset and Dunlap revised the dust jackets for ten Nancy Drew titles, #1 through #9 and #11, changing from the white spine dust jackets to the wraparound dust jackets. The first wraparound dust jackets for all ten volumes list to Wooden Lady on the front flap. A mistake was made with the first printings of the revised dust jackets for #2, 5, 8, and 11. These four jackets each ended up with the wrong number on the spine. Hidden Staircase had #8 on the spine; Shadow Ranch had #11 on the spine; Mysterious Letter had #2 on the spine; and Broken Locket had #5 on the spine.
As soon as the incorrect numbers were noticed, the numbers were hole-punched from the spines of the dust jackets. The mistake was caught so quickly that very few of the the dust jackets with the incorrect numbers made it into circulation. I estimate that around 90% to 99% of the surviving dust jackets for the first wraparound printings of these four volumes are hole-punched. It is rare to find one that is not hole-punched and that actually has the wrong number on it.
Farah's Guide assigns the hole-punched jackets for these four volumes a value of $120.00 each. He assigns the incorrectly numbered jackets a value of $300.00 each. Keep in mind that the Farah's Guide value is for dust jackets that have minimal wear and chipping. Even so, I disagree with Farah's assessment of the values of these dust jackets. He assigns all four volumes the same value; yet, the four jackets do not show up with the same frequency. Since scarcity factors into the value of a book, the four jackets should have different values since they are unequally scarce.
I have had all four hole-punched jackets for years. It was easiest to acquire the hole-punched Mysterious Letter. In fact, I have had a number of extras pass through my hands. I feel like the hole-punched Mysterious Letter is only worth around $50.00 or so, not the $120.00 quoted in Farah's Guide. The hole-punched Hidden Staircase is a little harder to find, but it is somewhat common as well. Shadow Ranch and Broken Locket are the two hardest to find hole-punched jackets, so these two are the ones that are worth the most.
There is also an interesting anomaly in which many mid-1950s tweed copies of #8 with hole-punched jackets have shown up over the years. I have had several of these in my possession at one time or another. A bunch of the hole-punched dust jackets for Mysterious Letter were probably laying around someplace and were placed on a bunch of tweed books in the mid-1950s. It was hard for me to get a #8 hole-punched jacket that was actually matched up with the correct blue silhouette endpapers book.
The incorrectly numbered dust jackets are much harder to find than the hole-punched ones. Hidden Staircase with the #8 on the spine is unquestionably the easiest one of the four to find. Make no mistake that it is very scarce, but I have one in my collection and have had two others pass through my hands. I would not quite call it rare. In my opinion, the incorrectly numbered Hidden Staircase is probably worth around $150.00, not the $300.00 quoted in Farah's Guide.
The remaining three incorrectly numbered dust jackets are extremely elusive and brutally hard to find. I cannot state which of the remaining three is the hardest to find, although I have my suspicions based on which ones I own. The incorrectly numbered jackets for #5, 8, and 11 just about never come up for sale, so when one does, it must be grabbed regardless of condition. The incorrectly numbered dust jackets for #5, 8, and 11 are easily worth more than the $300.00 quoted in Farah's Guide, provided that they are in excellent condition, due to their extreme scarcity.
I mentioned this auction win of mine in a comment a few days back:
1932 Nancy Drew Nancy's Mysterious Letter HBDJ ERROR? Item #330331955788
The auction was for Nancy's Mysterious Letter with #2 on the dust jacket and closed at $153.51.
While the dust jacket is a bit tattered, I had to have it since I had no idea when I would ever have another chance to get an incorrectly numbered Mysterious Letter dust jacket. I have been looking for these dust jackets for 12 years.
While I have all four hole-punched dust jackets, I only have the incorrectly numbered dust jackets for Hidden Staircase and Mysterious Letter. I almost have an incorrectly numbered dust jacket for Shadow Ranch. Check it out:
The hole missed the first digit of the 11, so this is why I kind of have an incorrectly numbered dust jacket of Shadow Ranch. While the jacket is just the hole-punched version, it is like a deluxe hole-punched version. It will have to do until I someday find an intact 11. Did you know that every single time I get a hole-punched jacket that I check the reverse side immediately just in case the punched-out part is clinging somehow to the jacket? I've never had any luck, but I am ever hopeful.
As soon as the incorrect numbers were noticed, the numbers were hole-punched from the spines of the dust jackets. The mistake was caught so quickly that very few of the the dust jackets with the incorrect numbers made it into circulation. I estimate that around 90% to 99% of the surviving dust jackets for the first wraparound printings of these four volumes are hole-punched. It is rare to find one that is not hole-punched and that actually has the wrong number on it.
Farah's Guide assigns the hole-punched jackets for these four volumes a value of $120.00 each. He assigns the incorrectly numbered jackets a value of $300.00 each. Keep in mind that the Farah's Guide value is for dust jackets that have minimal wear and chipping. Even so, I disagree with Farah's assessment of the values of these dust jackets. He assigns all four volumes the same value; yet, the four jackets do not show up with the same frequency. Since scarcity factors into the value of a book, the four jackets should have different values since they are unequally scarce.
I have had all four hole-punched jackets for years. It was easiest to acquire the hole-punched Mysterious Letter. In fact, I have had a number of extras pass through my hands. I feel like the hole-punched Mysterious Letter is only worth around $50.00 or so, not the $120.00 quoted in Farah's Guide. The hole-punched Hidden Staircase is a little harder to find, but it is somewhat common as well. Shadow Ranch and Broken Locket are the two hardest to find hole-punched jackets, so these two are the ones that are worth the most.
There is also an interesting anomaly in which many mid-1950s tweed copies of #8 with hole-punched jackets have shown up over the years. I have had several of these in my possession at one time or another. A bunch of the hole-punched dust jackets for Mysterious Letter were probably laying around someplace and were placed on a bunch of tweed books in the mid-1950s. It was hard for me to get a #8 hole-punched jacket that was actually matched up with the correct blue silhouette endpapers book.
The incorrectly numbered dust jackets are much harder to find than the hole-punched ones. Hidden Staircase with the #8 on the spine is unquestionably the easiest one of the four to find. Make no mistake that it is very scarce, but I have one in my collection and have had two others pass through my hands. I would not quite call it rare. In my opinion, the incorrectly numbered Hidden Staircase is probably worth around $150.00, not the $300.00 quoted in Farah's Guide.
The remaining three incorrectly numbered dust jackets are extremely elusive and brutally hard to find. I cannot state which of the remaining three is the hardest to find, although I have my suspicions based on which ones I own. The incorrectly numbered jackets for #5, 8, and 11 just about never come up for sale, so when one does, it must be grabbed regardless of condition. The incorrectly numbered dust jackets for #5, 8, and 11 are easily worth more than the $300.00 quoted in Farah's Guide, provided that they are in excellent condition, due to their extreme scarcity.
I mentioned this auction win of mine in a comment a few days back:
1932 Nancy Drew Nancy's Mysterious Letter HBDJ ERROR? Item #330331955788
The auction was for Nancy's Mysterious Letter with #2 on the dust jacket and closed at $153.51.
While the dust jacket is a bit tattered, I had to have it since I had no idea when I would ever have another chance to get an incorrectly numbered Mysterious Letter dust jacket. I have been looking for these dust jackets for 12 years.
While I have all four hole-punched dust jackets, I only have the incorrectly numbered dust jackets for Hidden Staircase and Mysterious Letter. I almost have an incorrectly numbered dust jacket for Shadow Ranch. Check it out:
Closed Polls - eBay and Sleuth Friends
Two polls recently closed:
In this first poll, I asked whether people prefer sleuths who sleuth alone or with friends. 10% prefer sleuths who sleuth alone; 70% prefer sleuths who sleuth with friends; and 20% have no preference.
In the second poll, I asked how happy buyers and sellers are with eBay. The seller response was not surprising. Of the 44 people who responded to that part of the poll, 11% are happy, and 89% are unhappy.
The buyer part of the poll surprised me a bit. I have been an unhappy buyer for several years, but I thought that I was in the minority. While I am in the minority since more buyers are happy than unhappy, far more buyers are unhappy than I realized. I now know that I am not alone in how I feel. 61 people answered the buyer part of the poll. 59% are happy, and 41% are unhappy.
In this first poll, I asked whether people prefer sleuths who sleuth alone or with friends. 10% prefer sleuths who sleuth alone; 70% prefer sleuths who sleuth with friends; and 20% have no preference.
In the second poll, I asked how happy buyers and sellers are with eBay. The seller response was not surprising. Of the 44 people who responded to that part of the poll, 11% are happy, and 89% are unhappy.
The buyer part of the poll surprised me a bit. I have been an unhappy buyer for several years, but I thought that I was in the minority. While I am in the minority since more buyers are happy than unhappy, far more buyers are unhappy than I realized. I now know that I am not alone in how I feel. 61 people answered the buyer part of the poll. 59% are happy, and 41% are unhappy.
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