An extensive assortment of vintage hardcover and softcover books, primarily comprising mid-20th century children’s literature, railway history, and works of local interest. Notable series within the collection include several Josephine titles by Mrs H.C. Cradock, such as Josephine’s Birthday, Josephine Goes Travelling, Josephine’s Pantomime, and Josephine Keeps House, many featuring coloured illustrations. Children’s fiction is further represented by Enid Blyton’s The Queen Elizabeth Family, Lorna Hill’s ballet-themed works including Veronica at the Wells and Masquerade at the Wells, and Richard Scarry’s Busy, Busy World. The collection includes various annuals and period publications such as the Thomas the Tank Engine Annual 1979, the Disneyland Annual 1978, and The Boy Scouts by Carolyn Soto.
Transport and local history volumes include The Great Western Railway, The Story of the Train by Patrick Whitehouse, and local interest titles by Greg Wall such as The Book of South Brent and The Second Book of South Brent. Religious and classical texts include a small leatherette-bound Holy Bible, John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress, and The Little Picture Hymn Book. Other titles of note include With Roberts to Pretoria, Sir Guyon the Interloper by M.S. Madden, and The Observer’s Book of British Wild Flowers. Bindings consist of illustrated paper-covered boards, publisher’s cloth with gilt-stamped or printed spines, and stapled wrappers. Several volumes retain original dust jackets or bear small adhesive inventory tags to the spines and covers.
Condition report:
The collection is in a generally worn condition consistent with age and previous use. Common defects include bumped corners, shelf wear to the edges, sunning and fading to spines, and minor foxing to page edges. Several volumes exhibit more significant damage, including fraying and loss of cloth at the head and foot of spines, most notably to Sir Guyon the Interloper and With Roberts to Pretoria. Some annuals show typical spine lean and surface rubbing to the pictorial boards. Dust jackets, where present, show edge wear, chips, and occasional tearing.
Share this lot:
