The Enchanted Wood (first edition 1949)

[pete9012S]

An interesting thread.

Which versions/edition of the book do those posting here posses and how much did you pay for your copy?

I have three versions - sadly none are first editions and I've had them so long I can't remember how much I paid:




Oh, by the way, the book is back:

Enid Blyton - The Enchanted Wood (Faraway Tree Series) - 7th Ed (inc DJ) 1949

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Enid-Blyton- ... SwFbFdA~wL" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Boatbuilder]

Looks like he forgot to move the decimal point in the price, as well.

[pete9012S]

Which version do you own John?

[Boatbuilder]

I don't, Pete. Hence my cheeky original offer of £1.

[Courtenay]

Looks like he forgot to move the decimal point in the price, as well.

Yes. But he's now listing it as a 7th edition, which at least is honest, even if the price is stupid.

Which versions/edition of the book do those posting here posses and how much did you pay for your copy?

I've got a 15th impression from 1968 with dust jacket in very good condition. Cost me £24.00 plus £3.90 postage (on eBay last year), so you see "chicotthejester" does have his hopes a bit high...

[Daisy]

I paid £30 for a fourteenth impression 1965 copy with a decent dustwrapper. The spine had a picture on it, unlike the white one in Pete's picture. This was within the last year, and was on ebay.

[Rob Houghton]

So far I've sold two Faraway Tree books for £90 each - one without a wrapper (a second edition of Magic Faraway Tree) and one with a VG wrapper - a 1967 ed of The Enchanted Wood. I make no apology, because I didn't twist anyone's arm to buy them, and I clearly stated the year they were printed.

At least its honest of him to now have it listed as 7th edition. I agree the price is steep though - I feel mine is also steep - £90.00...but actually its a fair price. Anyone getting these books for less money, as Daisy did, is very lucky!

[pete9012S]

Yes, I think Daisy paid a fair price.

I have found the best bargains for this book and others like it are when the seller is selling a number of books as a joblot and doesn't have a detailed knowledge of each individual books value.

Sometimes you have to buy more books than you need to get the book you really want!

[IceMaiden]

I've got a fifteenth impression from 1968 with a very good dust jacket that has a pictured spine. I paid £12 for it two years ago.

I think £495 is a bit steep and wishful thinking from the seller!!

[pete9012S]

That sounds like a fair price for your copy IceMaiden.

Yes, the seller is overpricing this book for those who would genuinely like to buy a copy at a reasonable price.
Or, are we all out of touch with the price this book worth in this edition these days???

This version without dustwrapper might be a good choice if anybody is looking for the book:

The Enchanted Wood Enid Blyton 1960

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-Enchante ... SwyFhcxb43" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Rob Houghton]

That sounds like a fair price for your copy IceMaiden.

Yes, the seller is overpricing this book for those who would genuinely like to buy a copy at a reasonable price.
Or, are we all out of touch with the price this book worth in this edition these days???

I'm in two minds, because, as a seller of these books, I know I've managed to sell two copies over the last couple of years, both at £90 each. On the other hand, yes, I think this particular seller is overly-optimistic, offering a less-than perfect dust wrapper version of a 1960's printing for almost £500.

I think this series does command higher prices - although buyers can strike it lucky, as IceMaiden and a few others have - but in my view those are the exceptions rather than the rule. I wouldn't say that the price IceMaiden paid was 'a fair price' personally - I'd say it was dirt cheap!

The main reason these sell, is, as ever, the fault of the publishers, changing the character's names, getting rid of Dame Slap, etc etc. That makes this version (and any older version) much sought after.

While I would probably struggle to sell a Famous Five with very good dj from 1967 for anything more than £10.00, I've sold a 1967 printing of The Enchanted Wood in a very good dj for £95 - so there's the proof!

[pete9012S]

Thanks for you post Rob.
How close/far away would the 1960 edition be regarding text/name changes etc do you know?

[Rob Houghton]

No idea, but I've always presumed that the text remained unaltered until the Dean edition - and even then it was only in small ways - if at all.

[Daisy]

I assume all books which are first edition, with no matter how many impressions, are identical... a second edition hints to me of some changes, but I don't really know.

[Rob Houghton]

I think all editions with a dust wrapper are identical - except maybe for 'other books' lists etc. The faraway Tree Books weren't printed in another (new) edition until the Dean books, and I think these were almost identical text-wise - just had the new illustrations.