The Secret Seven, First Edition, first impression, 1949

[viv]

For Sale - First Edition of The Secret Seven, (1949), in a Dust Jacket (also in polythene wrapper). The flyleaf is clean with no signature. It is in very good condition indeed.

I would be pleased if a Society member might be interest in making an offer. Having seen the prices of first editions of Enid Blyton books from the 1940s being sold by a London book seller priced between £1,250 and £ 3,750, these vintage books are clearly a great investment.

I could send an image by email or on the forum (if I can be advised how to do so).

thank you,
Viv

[Fiona1986]

Unfortunately I think you should be extremely lucky to get even half of the figures you have quoted! Many people put high prices on Blyton books - whether anyone actually buys at that price is another matter.

Currently on Abebooks for £15

For £35

for £40

And so on. The most expensive is £175, and it looks fairly pristine.

[viv]

Thank you for your response with advice on valuation. I browsed Peter Harrington Bookseller,
selling 1940s Famous Five books at the prices I quoted. I thought it could be worth around £250.

Best wishes,
Viv

[Fiona1986]

A book's only worth what someone is willing to pay, so you never know when you will get someone who desperately wants what you've got and is willing to pay a great deal to get it.

Five on a Treasure Island (first with dustjacket) commands prices like you mentioned, and actually sells. So often though people see the name of Enid Blyton and just whack silly prices on them.

[John Pickup]

Peter Harrington might be selling a copy of that book for £250 but if he was buying it from you I doubt he would be willing to give you more than £30 if that. As Fiona said, books are only worth what people are prepared to pay and the Secret Sevens don't command anything like the prices you quote.

[Rob Houghton]

I would also add that most people on here (me included) would only be looking for a fairly cheap copy! certainly not a £200 + copy!

[pete9012S]

I would probably go for an copy like this £18 one - a later edition.
You could probably get it even cheaper if you were patient:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-Secret-Se ... SwYudXG0R0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Rob Houghton]

I would probably go even cheaper if possible! I tend to try and get an early edition (making sure in the Secret Seven's case that the boards are decorated with the child figures rather than the later 'SS' symbol) with colour on the illustrations and a good jacket for as little as possible. There are many around for about £8.00 - £15.00.

I would normally only go for a more expensive copy of a book if it was something I really wanted (like Banshee Towers, Secret of Moon Castle etc) - which are always more money and rare in a jacket.