The cave contains all the individual Juliet Stanwell-Smith Adventure series covers.
I can very distinctly remember being bought Castle & Ship in this edition - the others I'm not so sure about.
They can also be viewed all together in a larger size for comparison here:
I collected the whole set in that livery as a child, saving up my money and buying one every couple of weeks from WHSmith. Before getting hold of copies of my own, I'd read The Valley of Adventure as a Macmillan hardback from the library and was pleased to see that the Piccolo paperbacks still had Stuart Tresilian's glorious illustrations (though not all the illustrations were present, probably because there wasn't sufficient space). Although I definitely bought the whole lot in the spring and summer of 1979, the cover prices vary - partly because older stock was sometimes available, and partly because inflation in the 1970s was high. Ship cost 40p (1976 printing); Castle and Sea cost 45p (1977 printings); Island, Mountain, Circus and River cost 60p (1979 printings) and Valley cost 70p (also a 1979 printing). It's incredible to think that the price of an Adventure paperback almost doubled in just three years! At the time, I received 25p pocket money every Saturday.
I've always liked the Juliet Stanwell-Smith covers very much. They're not as stunning as Stuart Tresilian's masterpieces but they're striking in their own right. The "wraparound" artwork is perfect for conveying the broad scope and alluring panoramas of the books - vast seascapes and landscapes of breathtaking beauty where thrilling adventures beckon. I particularly like her covers for Sea, Island and Castle. The first two manage to combine dreaminess and tension, and are full of colour. The latter is darker and there's a delicious sense of foreboding about it.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
I think on greater reflection I was also bought Circus and Sea of Adventure in this series.
I was fortunate Anita, in that as well as receiving pocket money, my parents and grandparents always seemed to be buying me Enid Blyton books - probably to shut me up and keep me quiet for a bit no doubt!
I loved our days out in the 1970's with my Nan to Alton Towers or the numerous seaside towns of North Wales as she always allowed my brother and me to choose two Enid Blyton books each on these occasions - happy days.
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane - Society Member
I had Circus, Mountain and I think River. In those styles as a child - I particularly remember getting Circus for either Christmas or birthday one year and being really keen to read it asap.
The rest of the series I think I picked up second hand, so although they are all paperbacks, they are in the older style.
pete9012S wrote:I was fortunate Anita, in that as well as receiving pocket money, my parents and grandparents always seemed to be buying me Enid Blyton books - probably to shut me up and keep me quiet for a bit no doubt!
They may have kept you quiet while you were reading them but Blyton books often inspire all kinds of noisy games such as Cowboys and Indians, Woo-hoo-collywobbles, circuses and re-enactments of hair-raising adventures!
Our grandparents (on both sides) lived far away but they often sent book tokens to my sister and me for birthdays and Christmases. Whenever they came to stay at our house they'd buy books for us (having asked which titles we needed).
Tony Summerfield wrote:I have the original artwork of Mountain hanging on the wall in my Blyton room, Pete!
And very nice it looks too!
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
I had the latter four books in these editions; Mountain, Ship, Circus and River. The first four I had in the preceding Armada editions. I much prefer the Armada covers but obviously from a nostalgia point of view I do also like these ones. Particularly Ship as the children look rather wistful sitting around with the little broken ship beside them and the River cover manages to convey just the right level of dark atmosphere for that mysterious river journey.
"What a lot of trouble one avoids if one refuses to have anything to do with the common herd. To have no job, to devote ones life to literature, is the most wonderful thing in the world. - Cicero
Tony Summerfield wrote:I have the original artwork of Mountain hanging on the wall in my Blyton room, Pete!
That's wonderful Tony!
I am not in any way even a tiny bit jealous. As a totally separate aside, what time do you usually pop out to the shops leaving your house unattended?
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane - Society Member
I'm afraid that it is bad news, Pete, as I haven't been into a shop for the last fourteen weeks now!
I have been shielding so I haven't even left the house for exercise as unfortunately I tick almost all the boxes, although I haven't yet got a full house as I still haven't had a transplant.
"I came in hoping to subscribe to the journal, but no-one was home!"
Oh, thank you very much for the update Tony - I do genuinely hope it won't be too long before you are back
into your normal routine and are able to leave your house unattended!
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane - Society Member
Tony Summerfield wrote:I have the original artwork of Mountain hanging on the wall in my Blyton room, Pete!
That's wonderful Tony!
I am not in any way even a tiny bit jealous. As a totally separate aside, what time do you usually pop out to the shops leaving your house unattended?
I suppose it would be a completely different matter if it was an original artwork by Betty Maxey.
