Shop of Horrors

[Katharine]

I can maybe understand someone who is just starting out collecting to pay a bit more than necessary for books. For example, when I first discovered the Holiday books, I think I paid about £6 each for them. They were in fairly good condition, but no D/W. I wasn't sure if that was a good price or not, as until I saw them on the shelf, I had no idea they existed, I'd not discovered the Enid Blyton Society. I was on a day trip in Norfolk, so it wasn't as if I could just pop home, have a Google and then go back again - it was a 2 hour journey. In the end I decided that it wasn't a bad price, as I would easily have to pay that kind of price for a modern book, that would be half the size, and that I wouldn't particularly enjoy!

However, if I'd got several hundred pounds to spend on a book, I'd certainly want to do my research first before I parted with my cash. Then again, maybe to some people £200 or £300 is just as insignificant to them as £6 was to me?

[Rob Houghton]

I agree. I probably spent a lot more than I should have for books, but I've always felt, as long as could afford them, that they are worth it if I want them enough. I also paid about £6 each for most of my Holiday Books (I think that's a fair price) and have paid prices like £12 - £15 for Famous Five books with dust wrappers, and as much as £25 for a good dust wrapper Adventure book - but looking on eBay lately I've found some both much cheaper (such as the £1.99 Castle of Adventure I bought) and also much too expensive, such as a copy of a Famous Five book for £3,000.

I always say - if someone charges £3,000 then there must be people willing to pay that amount. I guess to some people £3,000 is just pocket money.

I do despair a little when I see massive prices for books though - because it just pushes prices higher and higher. I'm convinced that 80% of eBay users are book dealers. They buy a book for £10 and then sell it for £30 then someone sells it on again for £50 and so on. I wonder how many people on eBay are actually buying these books just for the pleasure of owning them?

[Julie2owlsdene]

I think a book is worth what someone is prepared to pay for it, within reason. But some of these sellers just see Enid Blyton and the pound signs just ring up in their eyes. We've all probably paid maybe a little over what a book is probably worth, and there is nothing wrong with that, especially if you really wanted that book. But some of these sellers really need to do a bit more homework.

[Courtenay]

That's just what I was thinking. When the books in question aren't even by Enid Blyton, but are modern-day spin-offs, I can only assume that the sellers have no idea what they're selling, but have just been told that Enid Blyton is highly collectable and anything with her name on it is worth hundreds of pounds. I cannot imagine that there is anyone who is actually stupid or gullible enough to fork out that kind of money for those books, no matter how hopeful the sellers are.

[pete9012S]

Good points Julie.

16 VINTAGE ENID BLYTON 1930's 1940's era HARDBACK BOOKS JOB LOT COLLECTION

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/16-VINTAGE-EN ... SwI-BWIAxm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Worth £494.95??

[Rob Houghton]

Clicking on your link, and then my link from earlier in this thread (the previous page) I see they are the same job lot - but now the seller has updated their photo to show all the book fronts, whereas before they only had their spines showing. Either way, an incredible bargain!!!

[Rob Houghton]

I think, realistically, the seller could expect to get £20 for those books, at the most!

[John Pickup]

I've often wondered how many buyers are dealers as opposed to collectors. I've never bought a book with the intention of re-selling it. The only time I have sold a book is when I come across a better copy than the one I already have. I suppose some people buy books and wait for the price to go up so they can sell it on and make a profit. I buy books to read and put on my library shelves.

[Katharine]

Fascinating to think that some people buy books simply with the idea of selling them on for a profit. The only books I'd consider selling are duplicates, or a few that I really didn't enjoy and wouldn't ever read again, but then I'd either donate them to a charity shop or sell them for what I paid.

[Rob Houghton]

oh, I would definitely sell on for a profit! If people want to pay £10 for a book, I would gladly sell it for that much, but I never sell books that I don't already own, either. Just lately I've bought a few Famous Fives etc, plus the Castle of Adventure, and so I'm selling the versions I'm replacing, but wouldn't ever buy a book I didn't already have just to sell it for a profit!

[Julie2owlsdene]

The link Pete has supplied showing those books for £494.95 is a ridiculous price. The jackets are all torn too. There is no way I'd pay more than £30 quid for that job lot of books!!

[Courtenay]

There is no way I'd pay more than £30 quid for that job lot of books!!

I don't think I'd pay even that, considering they're in poor condition and not all of them are "'30s/'40s" as described!!

[Julie2owlsdene]

There are 16 books, Courtenay, so that's only just less than £2 per book, which in that condition isn't so bad really. Especially if you haven't got those titles or haven't read them. As for the Dust Jackets, I think I'd just throw them away, and have the books for reading purposely only.

Mind you, I do have most of them, and so won't be putting in any bid.

[Rob Houghton]

Considering I bought the Castle of Adventure hardback with near perfect dust wrapper from eBay for just £1.99 the other day, I don't think £2 each for those tatty books is very good value, LOL (although I agree with you in principle!)

What I find even more amazing is that the seller altered the photo between my link and pete's, but didn't alter the price!

[Katharine]

Seeing the state of those books, maybe £10.50 for the slightly The Secret Mountain that I saw the other day wasn't as steep after all.