Wanted: FF Betty Maxey HARDBACKS (5 titles needed)

[kirrin_castle]

I have been collecting the Famous Five Betty Maxey illustrated books, but in HARDBACK that were issued by Brockhampton in 1974. I like these much more than the paperbacks, and I am partial to the Betty Maxey illustrations. I have been searching for months and managed to get all but 5 titles in excellent condition (some from as far as Australia). However, the five I am having trouble finding are:

Five Go Down To The Sea (have not got at all)
Five Have Plenty Of Fun (my copy a bit tatty)
Five Go To Billycock Hill (my copy a tatty school library book)
Five Have A Mystery To Solve (my copy sun faded on spine)
Five Are Together Again (my copy a tatty school library book)

If anyone has any of these they are willing to sell, or ever come across one or know where one is, I would be very pleased to hear from you.

I am only looking for good + condition books, not too faded, no scribbles / colourings (I don't mind someone's name at the front or a dedication), and generally clean, uncreased pages throughout.

Thank you

[pete9012S]

I am partial to the Betty Maxey illustrations.

Where have you been all my life!

I will keep a look out for the books you need.

I have a few, but they are ones bought for me back in the mists of time and they are now too well worn and battered to be of any use - they just hold sentimental value to me.

Regards

Pete

[Daisy]

I thought you'd be thrilled to find a kindred spirit, Pete!

[kirrin_castle]

Hi Pete, I think we bounced a few replies about on the Betty Maxey re-read thread recently. Yes I had mostly the 70's TV covers as a child with a few of the early's 80's ones as well.

I now have my original childhood copies, about 3 copies of the TV series (I was trying to get a really good set together which I managed, but ended up with some tatty ones too), I have a set of the early 80's ones, and I have the Betty Maxey covers in paperback as well. I didn't even realise there were hardback Betty Maxey ones until a few months ago but as soon as I got one, I just loved the crisp thicker pages, the hardback feel, and that the illustrations show easier, rather than sometimes being stuck in the binding on the paperbacks.

I do have 1st edition Soper's as well, which I love, but I still picture the five as I grew up, in the BM illustrations, and feel more comfortable reading them. Timmy especially, I can't identify with a small Timmy in Soper's illustrations!

[pete9012S]

Five Get Into Trouble
Five Fall Into Adventure
Five on a Hike Together
https://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/boo ... amous+Five" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Five Run Away Together
Five Go to Smuggler's Top
Five Go Off in a Caravan
https://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/boo ... e+Together" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Do you have these books?

They are large, sumptuous hard-backed books from 1973 & 1974 and contain the Betty Maxey illustrations throughout, although for some reason Betty was not responsible for the external dustwrapper artwork.

The Cave does not include the stories contained in each book, so I have listed them above.

Regards

Pete

[kirrin_castle]

Hi Pete
I have seen those advertised on ebay, Abe Books etc and they seem more readily available, but I haven't really been in to multi book editions before. Thanks for for pointing them out.

The individual books in hardback are really difficult to find, oddly enough I've found most from Ebay Australia, and they have a few for sale on there now which I already have. The only drawback is the postal costs (if the seller will send to UK), and these often cost more than the book itself. Otherwise, the cost of these books are usually very good (about £8 on average for a good + book I'd say).

Thanks again
Regards
Jonathan

[kirrin_castle]

I have been collecting the Famous Five Betty Maxey illustrated books, but in HARDBACK that were issued by Brockhampton in 1974. I like these much more than the paperbacks, and I am partial to the Betty Maxey illustrations. I have been searching for months and managed to get all but 5 titles in excellent condition (some from as far as Australia). However, the five I am having trouble finding are:

Five Go Down To The Sea (have not got at all)
Five Have Plenty Of Fun (my copy a bit tatty)
Five Go To Billycock Hill (my copy a tatty school library book)
Five Have A Mystery To Solve (my copy sun faded on spine)
Five Are Together Again (my copy a tatty school library book)

If anyone has any of these they are willing to sell, or ever come across one or know where one is, I would be very pleased to hear from you.

I am only looking for good + condition books, not too faded, no scribbles / colourings (I don't mind someone's name at the front or a dedication), and generally clean, uncreased pages throughout.

Thank you

I still haven't been able to locate any of the above 5 books in the last 2 months despite having Want lists posted on Abe books, writing to several childrens bookshops, and checking almost daily the auction sites, Oxfam online etc. If anybody has any of the titles I am missing in their collection and would be willing to part with them, I would be very happy to hear from you. Alternatively, if you see any in any 2nd hand bookshops or online, please could you kindly let me know. As a reminder, they are the Betty Maxey illustrated versions in HARDBACK only, and were only issued in limited supply in 1974 (I've been told they were mainly issued to schools and libraries at the time, so probably a good amount have been destroyed by now).

Many thanks
Jonathan