The Enid Blyton Society

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ENID-BLYTON- ... SwRUhY-2ev" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Where's Pete??

I'd love to have those if I was rich and had a huge bookcase.

Courtenay wrote:Where's Pete??

I bought a complete set just like that to bolster my collection not too long ago and sadly it only contained three or four Maxey editions..

I know the feeling, Pete - I had ordered a whole set as well just to figure out first-hand why you are so bewitched by Maxey, but it also contained only a handful of Maxey books.

Wolfgang wrote: I had ordered a whole set as well just to figure out first-hand why you are so bewitched by Maxey,

Pete belongs to the Ministry of Lost Causes. That is why he supports Maxey, Wolfgang.

Wolfgang wrote: I had ordered a whole set...but it also contained only a handful of Maxey books.

You have my sympathies Wolfgang.



1978 Knight - all these 21 books contain illustrations by Betty Maxey, with covers from 1st TV Series

It is really quite frustrating Wolfgang, as the 1970's editions with the 1970's TV Famous Five on the cover always contain Maxey internals.

However, I never took to the 1970's TV Famous Five. Probably because I was bought the slightly earlier 1960's/70's Knight paperback books with the Betty Maxey front cover.

These 1960's/70's Knight paperback editions are most perplexing as the books can contain either Maxey or Soper artwork.
I love both illustrators equally and already possess a full set of Knight paperbacks illustrated by Eileen Soper.

It's collecting a full set of Knight paperbacks with Maxey internals that seems to be the greatest challenge!


Earlier Knight paperbacks containing either Maxey and soper illustrations within.

I never realised some of the paperbacks have Eileen Soper internal illustrations, I thought she only did the hardbacks. Why have they not got her illustrations on the covers too to make it easier to differentiate? Although if you were buying and wanted one over the other, surely you'd only have to ask the seller to provide a picture to know if it was the illustrator you wanted or not .

Good logic. Sellers can be confused themselves,especially the large companies on ebay.

I've bought the above book three times now on ebay and although it was listed as Betty Maxey illustrated in the actual description a Soper illustrated book arrived.

Each seller has told me to just keep the book as it would be too much hassle to change and resend back etc.

I think when they go and get the book to send, the large organisations just pick the book to send based on the external illustration - or they don't update/check that the book's ebay listing description is correct.

It's happened with small sellers too.
The big sellers have now started saying their stock is too vast and stored at a separate location and it would be impractical for them to go and check inside a book...

The search goes on!

Here's an example that is still on ebay:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Five-Have-Ple ... SwJcZWc6H-" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yet when the book arrived it contained Soper internals!

You may have a better luck if you buy the book individually from independent sellers on Ebay or Abebooks by asking them to send some photos of the internal illustrations. Don’t buy the books from the merchants( big companies) because the books are stored in various warehouses and the persons who are in charge of answering the customers’ questions could not check the physical books.

I agree with you sixret. I find individual private sellers often want too much for Maxey paperbacks that are not in the best of condition.

This seller seems to value Betty Maxey paperbacks at prices that even I would baulk at!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/m.html?_odkw ... n&_sacat=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sellers supply image of the book:

https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/Sear ... srp-_-pics" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


The list of 269 Famous Five books published by Knight with Betty Maxey as illustrator as low as 73p. All you have to do is to go through the list and ask question.

https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/Sear ... =2&tn=five" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


The total of Famous Five books published by Knight:

https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/Sear ... =2&tn=five" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Avoid merchants. You will know to differentiate between merchants and independent sellers after a while. Happy browsing, Pete!

I have a Bertelsmann edition of "Fünf Freunde machen eine Entdeckung" 2 times, the inscription of both books is identical stating that the illustrations are done by Soper - but one of these books has illustrations done by Hennecke...

Wolfgang wrote:I had ordered a whole set...but it also contained only a handful of Maxey books.

Count your blessings, Wolfgang; count your blessings.

Wolfgang wrote:I have a Bertelsmann edition of "Fünf Freunde machen eine Entdeckung" 2 times, the inscription of both books is identical stating that the illustrations are done by Soper - but one of these books has illustrations done by Hennecke...

Yes,that is exactly the problem I have experienced too Wolfgang.
You don't want to give the seller a bad review,but it is frustrating!

sixret wrote:Sellers supply image of the book:

https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/Sear ... srp-_-pics" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


The list of 269 Famous Five books published by Knight with Betty Maxey as illustrator as low as 73p. All you have to do is to go through the list and ask question.

https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/Sear ... =2&tn=five" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


The total of Famous Five books published by Knight:

https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/Sear ... =2&tn=five" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Avoid merchants. You will know to differentiate between merchants and independent sellers after a while. Happy browsing, Pete!

Many thanks sixret. You have given me a lot of alternative options via those links.

Best Wishes

Pete