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BASICS | PET PEEVES |
PUBLICATIONS |
PERIODICALS
Life Cycle of the Juvenile Series Book
Collector by Jim Ogden
A look at the various stages collectors go through. It
appeared in the Yellowback Library.
JARGON by Gil O'Gara
This article describes some of the terms and abbreviations
used by series book collector's. It appeared in the September 1997 issue
of Yellowback Library. It is reprinted with permission.
Supply and Demand by James Keeline
This article explains the dynamics that go into the
availability and pricing of series books. This article deals
specifically with the Nancy Drew series, but it should be of interest to
series collectors in general. It is reprinted with permission.
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NOTE: These are my personal pet peeves. I am NOT referring to
anyone in particular. If you have a guilty conscience, don't take it out
on me. These are my opinions. If some people change because of them,
that's fine. If no one changes, that's fine, too. I'm just using this
space to vent about some of the little things that bother me.
WRITING PRICES IN THE BOOKS
The wide spread practice of writing the price on the front end papers
really bugs me. Even when done in pencil, this leads to unnecessary
damage to the book if one tries to erase the writing. Using slips of
paper is a possibility.
BOOK LISTINGS WITH TOO LITTLE INFORMATION
If one lists a book, there is a minimum amount of information that
one should include. I don't think that one has to list every detail but
enough information should be given to allow the buyer to know whether or
not the book could be something they are looking for. The following
listing illustrates what I mean.
The Hardy Boys, The Tower Treasure - $10.00
That listing could be a very great bargain for a Red with DJ, a
rip-off for a glossy picture cover or any one of the 100 versions of
that book.
I feel that a listing should include the title and number of the
book, whether or not the book is a picture cover version, whether or not
the book has a dust jacket and condition of the book and dust jacket if
it exists. In the case of books with multiple formats, some hint of the
format should be provided. Generally accepted abbreviations are fine.
For example:
HB #1 - Tower Treasure, VG/VG, brn tweed - $10.00
That listing gives one a much better idea of what is being sold. If
you are interested in a particular version, the seller can be contacted
for complete details to determine.
LISTING THE COPYRIGHT DATE, AS IF IT HAS SOME DEFINITIVE MEANING
Except for the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew series and maybe a few
others, the copyright date has little, if any meaning. It does not tell
one when a particular version of a book was printed. The copyright only
tells when the text was first published.
In the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew series, the copyright has some
meaning because the pre-1960 (approximately) original volumes were
revised. The copyright can tell whether or not you have an "original"
text version.
LASER DJ's THAT ARE NOT CLEARLY MARKED AS SUCH
So-called Laser DJ's or reproduction DJ's are a good way to have a
nice looking collection without having to spend an enormous sum of
money. I'm not going to get into the legal ramifications of such DJ's.
What bothers me is that some of the DJ's are so good that they are hard
to distinguish from the real thing. This leads to the temptation for
fraud. There have been some instances of sellers misrepresenting such
DJ's as originals. While the experienced collector may be able to tell
the difference, the novice may have more difficulty. Anyone who makes
these dust jackets so well that they look like the real thing should
clearly mark them as reproductions. The marking can be done on a flap or
on the back side of the DJ.
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Rick Brant Electronic/Science Adventure Series Guide
 |
The Rick Brant Electronic/Science Adventure Series Guide is in
it's 2nd edition.
As of 22 July 2000, the first edition of the Rick Brant Guide was
sold out.
The 2nd edition is an eBook available on a CD.
This guide includes a lot of information not found on this
website.
The Rick Brant guide includes:
- descriptions of each volume
- descriptions of the various formats
- a list of the 1st printings of each book
- character descriptions and listings
- information on Hal Goodwin
The Guide can be purchase at Spindrift Books:
http://www.spindriftbooks.com/ |
SynSine Press
Synsine publishes a variety of books about series books. You can
contact them at
http://www.synsine.com/ or
SynSine Press
Box 6422
Rheem Valley, CA 94570
(925) 376-1573 voice/fax
Mary Carpentieri:
chryamz@comcast.net
A Collector's Guide to Hardcover Boys' Series Books
by Mattson and Davis - the MAD Book Company
This book is 578 pages and lists over 750 series. It is in it's 2nd
printing and it's packed with a wealth of information.
While the price ($54.75 plus $3.75 shipping) is not cheap, it is well
worth the investment for the serious collector.
If you are interested you can contact:
Tom Davis
MAD Book Company
273 Polly Drummond Road Newark, DE 19711
mtrouble@mtroubleshooting.com
They accept Visa, Mastercard, and AMEX. (800) 755-7572
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The Mystery & Adventure Series Review
is published at irregular intervals from 0 to 4 times a year.
There is no set subscription fee, although donations are requested.
Despite the erratic nature of new issues the content is well worth the
wait when an issue comes out.
The address is M & A Review, P. O. Box 3012, Tucson, AZ 85702. Send
Money Orders payable to Fred Woodworth or cash only. Do not
attempt to telephone Fred, he does not have a phone
Yellowback Library
is a monthly magazine published by Gil O'Gara. The magazine has good
articles and is a good way to stay in contact with many in the
collecting community.
A 1 year subscription is $36, send check or money order (MADE OUT TO
GIL O'GARA) to:
Yellowback Press
P. O. Box 36172
Des Moines, IA 50315
Susabella Passengers
is published 6 times a year. I have not seen this publication but
from what I understand it leans toward the girls series. If anyone has
more information as to content please let me know.
To subscribe send a check for $16 payable to:
Garrett K. Lothe
80 Ocean Pines Lane
Pebble Beach, CA 93953
The Whispered Watchword
From Kate Emburg, the publisher, "It's a thirty-page newsletter,
published 10 times a year (monthly except for July & January.) Content
covers all girls's fiction from about 1900 to the present. We emphasize
series books, but run articles on non-series girls's fiction as well.
Past content has included author interviews (Cherie Bennett, Patricia
Rushford, Julie Campbell, Linda Bailey), and articles on Trixie Belden,
Nancy Drew, Judy Bolton, and Kay Tracey. We do not print articles about
boys's fiction. The content is geared for adults, and would not
necessarily be suitable for children. (Example: articles have discussed
homosexual references & racism in girls's series books.) Most of the
newsletter contains articles; there may be 1-3 pages of ads. Reading,
not buying and selling, is the focus of TWW."
The cost is $30 a year or $33 US$ for Canada. Checks MUST be
payable to 'Kate Emburg', not WHISPERED WATCHWORD.
Mailing address for subscriptions & inquiries:
Kate Emburg
PO Box 1437
N.Highlands, CA 95660-1437
Inquiries, please include a SASE. Or email at
Dolladopt@aol.com
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