Vintage Books Newly Catalogued

The suitcases are unpacked, the washing and ironing done and cataloguing has resumed! I’ve found lots of interesting and pretty vintage books over the last few weeks so it’s time for another quick preview. If you would like more information about any of the featured books, please email me by clicking on the link in the right-hand column.

As readers of this blog know I enjoy finding inscriptions in books, especially when they tell a story or lead to discoveries about people or places. 'The Water Babies' and 'On the Wings of the Wind' (pictured left) were given as prizes by the (then) Reverend John Hartford Jaques Rector of St. Nicholas Church and Sunday School. On the Wings of the Wind was presented to Sydney on February 11th, 1934 and The Water Babies to Doreen on February 24th, 1935. 

I was puzzled as to how two books given to different people ended up in the same auction lot, but then I realised Sydney and Doreen had the same surname. From that I assume they are brother and sister, and presumably the books remained within the family until the time of their parent's death. 

I’ve been unable to find out anything about the family but there is a wealth of information about Studland and its church. Studland is a village on the Isle of Purbeck in the English county of Dorset. Although a coastal village, the houses are mostly sited a few hundred metres inland. At the start of the twentieth-century  Sir Frederick Treves described the village as "a medley of country lanes, lost among trees, with a few thatch-roofed cottages dotted about in a wild garden of brambles, ferns, and gorse." He noted that Studland had "no pretence to a quay", but rather "turns its face from the sea to bury it among its myrtles and fuchsia bushes." He lamented the arrival of tourists and the construction of villas in the village however, commenting that "The red-brick  epidemic ... has seized upon it mercilessly."  

St. Nicholas Church, Studland, Dorset. 

For anyone interested in churches St. Nicholas, is a grade one listed building with a wealth of history easily available online. Much is written about its stone carvings depicting images of carnal sin! The carvings are supposed to warn against lust, luxury and licentiousness, and it’s assumed they were put there to teach biblical concepts to the masses. If you are interested in finding out more pay a visit to The Sheela Na Gig Project. 

Now you understand why the listing of books takes me such a long time. I’m never content to ‘just' list, I want to know the people and places the books originate from. It must be something to do with my nosy nature! 

Alice B Woodward illustration from The Water Babies by Charles Kingsley

On the wings of the wind and The Water Babies are now sold, thank you for your interest.

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell published by A & C Black in 1933; the pretty dust jacket design is by J. H. Hartley. The vintage soldiers were found in a bargain box at the Hungerford Arcade. Not being able to resist a bargain (or a man in a kilt) I treated myself to two and a spare!

The Walt Disney Peter Pan & Wendy (now sold, thank you for your interest) published in 1953 by Brockhampton Press is beautifully illustrated in full colour. Pingwings a flying bird (now sold, thank you for your interest) written by Oliver Postage and illustrated by Babette Cole is a first edition published in 1978 and signed by the illustrator. Little Trulsa's Tea-Party 1st UK edition translated from the Swedish by Anna Berg. First published in Sweden as Lilla Trulsas kalas. Hardback book and dust jacket published in 1966. The Otterbury incident (now sold, thank you for your interest) written by C. Day Lewis with illustrations by Edward Ardizzone published by Puffin Books. Next in line are three Little Grey Rabbit books - Little Grey Rabbit's Washing Day, Little Grey Rabbit's Valentine and Little Grey Rabbit Makes Lace. I always buy these little books whenever I see them as they are incredibly popular and sell very quickly. 

Walt Disney's Peter Pan and Wendy is now sold, thank you for your interest.

Peter Pan the boy who never grew up

Never Never Land

Wendy and the lost boys

The hand-crafted dog in the following picture was a gift from a dear friend. Thank you Nicole, I love him! Nicole is an illustrator and author; see an earlier post about one of her books here  

From left to right; Tiny Tots Annual 1955 stories and pictures for little people, including Father Christmas lucky escape by Phyllis Pearce, Algernon the pink sugar pig by Christine Smith and ballet school babes in the wood by Joan Morris. Picture strips, including happy holiday games and the comical kittens drawn by L. Church. The Secret Seven Adventure by Enid Blyton 3rd impression, 1952 with nice dust jacket. Mice & Mendelson written by Joan Aiken with illustrations by Babette Cole. Far to the North of England lived an old Orkney pony whose name was Mr. Mendelson. He belonged to the Lord of Midnight Park, who had kindly given him a piano because Mr. Mendelson liked to think about tunes. Everyone knows ponies can't play the piano, but Mr. Mendelson's close friends, Bertha and Gertrude the field mice, played beautifully and each evening they dashed to and fro over the black-and-white  keys, producing the loveliest mazurkas and minuets. Life would have been perfect it hadn't been for Dan Sligo the gipsy! This copy signed by the illustrator.  The pretty fairy illustration is from The treasure hunt and other stories by Olive Duhy with illustration by Rene Cloke. A nice copy of Dimsie goes to school by Dorita Fairlie Bruce published by Humphrey Milford in 1936. The Jack and Jill Book, 1955 colour and two-tone picture strip stories, including Harold Hare, Rip, Pip and Tip the puppy pets, Dinky and Binky the playful kittens, Jerry, Don and Snooker, Bibby and Bobby, fun in Toyland, and Freddie Frog.  The Secret Seven Adventure, Mice and Mendelson, Dimsie goes to school and The Jack and Jill book from 1955 are now sold, thank you for your interest.

Thanks for calling in I hope you enjoyed this round-up of recent stock. Now I really must get on with listing some more pretty things!

Update July 2016: March House books closed on my retirement in 2015, but I do still blog here at March of Time Books and always appreciate your visit.