Thursday 20 September 2012

Newly Catalogued

The last few weeks have flown past but now that my new website is up and running I hope to have more time for cataloguing. If you are looking for a particular title, please let me know, and I will do my best to find it for you.


Speedy the mini story and playbook. Illustrations and story by Tim. [William Timym, (1901-1990) artist whose best-known work is probably the Bleep and Booster cartoons for the BBC's Blue Peter.] Published by Purnell & Sons in 1966.  The historical map of England and Wales and the toy cars came from a vintage antique fair. These are the kinds of things I can never resist, but now there is an excuse – props for this blog! 

Secret Seven books by Enid Blyton always look so colourful side by side on a bookshelf. These were all published by Brockhampton Press between 1967 and 1973. From left to right - The Secret Seven,  Secret Seven on the trail(sold), Well done Secret Seven(sold), Look out Secret Seven(sold), Good Old Secret Seven(sold), Three cheers Secret Seven, Secret Seven mystery(sold), Go ahead Secret Seven and Good work Secret Seven.

There are other Secret Seven books waiting to be listed. If you are looking for a particular title, and don't see it here, please contact me. If I don’t have it, I may be able to find it.  


Little Grey Rabbit books by Alison Uttley are always very popular but have you met Snug and Serena?

Little Grey Rabbit makes lace with illustrations by Margaret Tempest. Complete with dust jacket. Published in 1951 by Collins. When Hare sees an old woman making pillow-lace, he decides to learn how to do it so that he can show Little Grey Rabbit. Little Grey Rabbit makes lace is now sold, thank you for your interest.

Snug and Serena meet a Queen is also by Alice Uttley but this time the illustrations are by Katherine Wigglesworth. Published by Heinemman in 1950 in the same format as the Grey Rabbit books. Snug and Serena are two little field mice. Not only do they meet a Queen but Snug is carried off by a hawk and Serena has a narrow escape from a hungry weasel!

This is the first copy of Feed the animals by H. A. Rey that I've had the pleasure of listing.  It was published by Chatto and Windus in 1960. The story is told in rhyme with transforming pages that lift to reveal different animals. “Harry the keeper is ready to bring a bag which is tied at the top with a string. Now what’s in the bag, and for whom will it be? Open the flap, and you will see.”

Buffers End by Rowland Emett a humorous look at the machine age from steam trains to steam rollers and other forms of transport. Rowland Emett came to prominence in the 1930s with the publication of his cartoons in Punch Magazine. Nellie the steam train made her debut in the March 8th, 1944 issue, and a whole new world was created. The branch lines of Friars Crumbling radiated out to destinations such as Far Twittering, Buffers End, Long Suffering, Freezing in the Marrow and St. Torpid's Creek. In 1950, Emett was approached by the organisers of the Festival of Britain with a view to creating a full-size passenger carrying version of his railway system. Initially reluctant, he finally agreed and began creating the designs. Nellie was the first engine to emerge from the workshops. Two of his other trains (Neptune and Wild Goose) were also created for the renamed Far Tottering and Oyster Creek Branch Lines. Nellie and the Far Tottering Railway carried over 2 million passengers at the 1951 Festival. I must have been about five when my Godmother sent me a birthday greeting telegram designed by Rowland Emett, and I’ve been a fan ever since. 

Thanks so much for taking the time to call in, Barbara.


Update July 2016: All the books featured are now sold. March House books closed on my retirement in 2015, but I am still happily blogging here at March of Time Books. Your visits are always appreciated.

24 comments:

  1. I've never seen that H.A. Rey one before - very cute!
    www.vintagebooksfortheveryyoung.blogspot.com

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  2. I'm intrigued by the Little Grey Rabbit Makes Lace. How cute is that? The Enid Blyton collection does look good side by side, don't they?

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  3. Nice. Nice. Nice. Very nice. My elder sister loved the Famous Five (also by Enid Blyton) so she would have loved the Secret Seven, too. Animal stories are fun, so I imagine 'Feed the Animals' would be picked up very quickly!

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  4. I've always loved the 'transforming pages' type of book. The one you have looks fabulous - I would have loved it to bits as a child.

    When I see the Secret 7's together like that I also wish I had a bookcase of them myself!

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  5. It’s a first for me too. Thanks so much for stopping by.

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  6. That’s the thing with Enid Blyton books – one is never enough! Little Grey Rabbit books are always cute, but this one is especially so.

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  7. I’m sure you're right about your sister. I could never make up my mind if I liked the Secret Seven or The Famous Five best – I just loved them all. Feed the animals is very sweet, so I'm sure someone will love it.

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  8. Transforming pages are such a brilliant idea! I don’t remember seeing anything like them when I was a child. I would have loved them too.

    The Secret sevens are pretty irresistible so much so that I’ve collected a full set, and yes they do look good on ‘my’ shelf.

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  9. You are so enthusiastic and knowledgable about these books that I feel that I have missed out on a great experience in life. Nowadays its books from the mobile library but somehow a good read is allusive even then. Maybe I should claim 'second childhood' and search the junior sections for some of the titles you list. Another fascinating read. Thank you..........

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  10. I loved reading the Miss Bianca stories when I was a kid. I've never seen the Lace Rabbit or Mousie books before, but those are exactly the sort of little books I loved reading when I was young. My sister (the librarian) sure would LOVE browsing through all the books you show here on your blog.

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  11. These are absolutely beautiful books Barbara! It is always a joy to visit your site and see what gems you have found and featured here. The spines of the Enid Blyton editions do look really good lined up together. I love the names of the steam train destinations!
    Lindsay

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  12. Hi Percy, thank you for a lovely memory! The mobile library was one of my favourite places when I was a girl. I was always the first in and the last to leave. The only drawback was the grumpy librarian, but her huffing and puffing were never enough to put me off. They used to park opposite the Chequers pub in Well – do you remember it? It's a very fancy French restaurant now-a-days.

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  13. Hi Gayle, I’ve not read the Miss Bianca stories, but they certainly look interesting and I’m hoping to get time to read at least one of them. Is your sister really a librarian? That was something I planned to do when I left school, but the local general haberdasher and men’s outfitter (one and the same shop) were paying a better wage – so I worked there instead!

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  14. Hi Lindsay, thanks so much for calling in and leaving a comment. I agree with you about the steam train destinations – our local station is called Templecombe it doesn't have the same ring as Friars Crumbling does it!

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  15. Good evening, Babara! I'm so pleased to have stirred a happy memory for you....... So! The Chequers - Well?.... What I mean is..Well, fancy French eatery = Escargot + surplus snails in your patch = trade/barter = free meal = Happy Tum perhaps...maybe.....

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  16. Hi Barbara

    Everything is just so nice, I've been poking around your lovely website. The Enid Blyton book spines do look very nice, they're really eye catching. You've done a great job on your blog and website, so pretty and neat!

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  17. Hi Michelle, lovely to have you back! Hope you had a good holiday. Thanks so much for your kind words, please feel free to poke around as often as you like!

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  18. Only in England would a bunny be making lace! Too cute. I can't think of modern kids wanting to read about doily making and what a shame!

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  19. Love these books! I especially love the cover of Buffer's End. It just looks so fanciful. I really must read an Enid Blyton book asap. I have them on my list- but should move them up. I hear about them everywhere!

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  20. You mean bunnies don’t make lace in the US?
    Ah, but you see grannies (I know because I’m one!) do want to read about doily making so modern kids have to put up with it!
    Actually, these little books usually go to collectors who probably had them when they were kids themselves.

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  21. Buffer’s end is a fantastic book as are all the Rowland Emett’s, he had such a great sense of humour. I’m not sure what you would make of Enid Blyton, the stories are very much of her time. I think you either love them or hate them. (I love them) I would be interested to hear what you think.

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  22. Ah... Enid Blyton... What else can I say? Beautiful books!

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  23. barbaraannefisher1 October 2012 at 10:40

    Thanks Nancy, I think so too!

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I really appreciate your comment. Thank you!
Barbara xx