News; Rupert Bear, Marten Toonder and Enid Blyton

Calling all Rupert Bear fans; do you happen to have a spare £20,000 to spend? If so you might like to bid on this legendary rarity… only a dozen or so copies are believed to exist.

Prior to 1973, the annuals depicted a brown faced Rupert as drawn by Alfred Bestall. In 1973 after printing only a few of the 'brown faced' covers the publishers suddenly decided to change the cover to show Rupert with a white face. This change was made without the prior knowledge of the illustrator.

Reports suggest the copy now up for auction was given to a collector of Rupert books by Alfred Bestal himself.After recounting the story of how the white-faced cover came about and how he had refused ever to supply the publishers with artwork again, Bestall got this copy down from a shelf and signed it for his guest, commenting as he did, that he had signed no other copy.

This copy is coming up for sale on the 30th May, 2013 with an estimate of £18,000 - £22,000.

Regular readers of my blog may remember a post from November 2011 (here) where I mentioned spending years trying to find a copy of the Jack and Jill all colour gift book. It’s a lovely book with stories about Tom Puss by Marten Toonder, Spot the dog by Enid Blyton and a Dandino the dream man story by Peggy Fulton. There are also several poems about Little Boy Joe by Barbara C. Freeman.  

Since writing the previous post I’ve received lots of emails from customers asking me to find them a copy. Last week, I finally found one! That’s how scarce it is!  Sadly, as is often the case with this particular book the spine is defective; in fact, the spine covering is completely missing. Because of the damage and because I’ve had so many requests, I’ve decided the fairest option is to list it on eBay with a starting price of £10 (the amount I paid for it), you can view the listing here  
Update: The above mentioned Jack and Jill all colour gift book sold on eBay in May 2013 for £57.01. 

Seven Stories the national centre for children's books in Newcastle Upon Tyne is holding a Mystery, Magic and Midnight Feast Exhibition showcasing the many adventures of Enid Blyton. Seven Stories is the custodian of a nationally important archive of children’s literature, illustrations and manuscripts.The exhibition is on until February 2014, tickets cost £10 per person and booking is essential.

Little Boy Joe from the Jack and Jill All Colour Gift Book

There came an old woman to live in the wood, near Timothy, Thomas and Little Boy Joe.

She'd a long-handled broom and an angry black cat, "and people" said Thomas, "who only have that are certainly up to no good... Oh no! I think we've a witch in the wood!"

"Fiddlesticks!" Joe said, "It's all a mistake. Fiddlesticks!" Joe said, "I'll ask her to tea.
If she's only a broom and an angry black cat she must be pretty lonely - but I'll see to that, I'll take her an apple and cake, Oh yes! You've certainly made a mistake."

Joe knocked at the door with a one, two and three, and there stood the old woman, wrinkled and grey.
And there stood the cat, wild and black as the night, but little Joe bowed, very stiff and polite, and said, "will you come out to tea? Please do!" So they sat in the wood and had tea.

"Now I'll tell you a story," the old woman said. "Such a kind-hearted pigling deserves a reward."
So she told them a tale while the little cat purred on her knee and Joe listened with never a word. Till the summer stars winked overhead, and then, "May I bring all the others?" Joe said.

But the old woman answered "Suppose it should rain" Or to-morrow a thunder cloud break on the wood?
I've a roof and a cat, but I haven't a chain, or a tea-pot or table - my cottage is bare" But Joe said, "I'll come back again, Oh yes! We'll all come prepared for the rain."

They brought her a table, a chair and a mat, a pair of blue curtains, a rug for the floor. They brought her a stool and a plate for the cat, and a shiny brass knocker to hand on the door. "And the rain didn't rain, and the snow didn't snow, but we had a fine story," said Little Boy Joe. Barbara C. Freeman

Thanks for your visit!