Featured Nerd out on old books!

Most of these won't be worth anything but they are so old and cool looking. I know I'm not the only one that likes appreciating them so I'll post all the books/periodicals I uncover in my basement cleaning journey on here.






Last for today but definitely not least is a tribute to my dad's epic hoarding. They are worthless but priceless because he loves them. The earliest is from '65, when he was a teen!! And.... This isn't even all of them!!

 

I got good money for a copy of Ben Hur that I had.

Check here to see what others are selling the same books for. You may be surprised.

Be sure you spell correctly.
Check dust jacket if yours has one.

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchEntry

 

Bet the Tom Swift book has some value. Could any of these have belonged to your grandfather? Or did dad collect vintage books?

 

I'll check it out and find out what the publication info is! Thanks Clutteredcloset49.

There's every chance a lot of it could be my grandfather's or further. I found a book that was my great-great-great aunt's yesterday! I wouldn't call my family collectors in a traditional sense (unless it's dad's Nat Geos or sports cards), we're more kind of.. sentimental hoarders I guess.

There's a lot of stuff that's been passed down - like we have a huge hardcover bible that's over 200/250yrs old & all the family births and deaths get written into it. That plus a load of furniture, trinkets, & books ended up passed down through the years. My dad kept basically everything he was given, minus one house move where a few things were lost.

I grew up with everything underfoot, not thinking it was a big deal. I think I remember taking in an excellent condition, super old, hardcover copy of Swiss Family Robinson to carry around and read between classes in middle school and my teacher's eyes popped out of her head at the sight of the perfectly in-tact cover in the hands of a kid. As a child I didn't realize any of it had value. It was just legacy, not valuables at the time.

 

Or maybe not. Just looked around a bit. Think you should continue to pass it down.
Edit: Billy Bunny and the Friendly Elephant too. I'd want to read that one.

 

Most of them will be kept, just a couple of the gems sold. I came across one that'll go today (will post below). Dad has the final call I'm just a minion. Since you liked it I took some close ups of the Bunny book for you!



Why are two in a barrel? What kind of rules does Uncle Lucky play by? Oh, Uncle Lucky!


Here's the first one that'll be sold. It doesn't have sentimental value.

Davy and the Goblin, or What Followed Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, by Charles Carryl. Published 1886 by Ticknor and company.
Right away I knew from the title that there was something to it. It's like a spoof type story off of Alice in Wonderland. There cover & spine looks okay but there's a good deal of inner damage (kid-copy). Worth moving along though.

Diving back in, will post the rest of this adventure later on.

 

If you remember & are selling it on line, let me know, I might be interested. This is probably very different, but The Princess and the Goblins is one of my favorite books.

Oh, & thanks so much for the pics. Looks like a fun tale.

 

In the first picture your most interesting books are the Speedway Cyclone, there’s one copy on eBay for £60 but make sure you line up your publication dates. Speedboat Spies may have some worth because of the dust jacket being intact, maybe over £30. The Tom Swift, Merles Crusade and Billy Bunny (depending on date) are good to sell though too for like £10-15 . Check whether they are first editions though too.

Can’t see much worth in the second photo in the cabinet, but you should research them still cause I can’t read them all.

The sports afields are cool, like £15 each for ones from that era.

The nat geo’s you could be surprised by, selling them in lots of like 10 or 15 they can sell for an okay amount.

At least he wasn’t just keeping 100’s of microwaves and kettles like some haha xD

 

Davy and the goblin, sounds cool. It is a good book to sell on.
I think I actually got a copy of the princess and the goblin not too long ago.

 

I know someone who, after her father died, had to deal with all the non-working lawn mowers he had parked in her back yard (previously his back yard) with the idea he would repair & sell them someday.

 

My grandad keeps a lot of things with fixing them in mind, luckily not a barn full. He used to be an engineer so he like fixing things and making things. It’s really cool.

I’m glad you reminded me about princess and the goblins I didn’t research it when I saw it but I put it to the side and I think it’s quite an old copy

 

George MacDonald is virtually unknown now, but his fantasies are really quirky. At the Back of the North Wind & the Light Princess are a couple of others.

 

Did he grow up during the Great Depression?

 

He was born in the late 30’s

 

I'm very grateful indeed! My dad keeps a lot but it was his sibling that kept everything. Even just old bottles!

I'm going to look into those more thoroughly. Here's some of today's finds... some are from the stacks.

1943 Morton Salt Co.




1962



1944




1901


1965


Another stack

 

Rand McNally

Saalfield Pub. 1955

Little Golden Books


*Oxford Uni Press, 1941


American Book Co (Williams & Rogers)


*Nat'nl Council of the Boy Scouts of America, 1959, NJ copy


Work-Play Book, MacMillan,


*Little Golden Book, Simon & Schuster 1947


Wonder Books


A Day At The Playground (reflection got in the way)


Wonder Books


Wonder Books (no cover, this is the first page)


Wonder Books


*The Motor Boat Club


Scholastic Books


Hartz Mountain Products


*Little Golden Books, 1961

Asterixes are on the ones I know have some above average value. I'm getting better at this!

Look at how gorgeous this calligraphy is!

 

Be sure to investigate the Boy Scout book with Rockwell cover. That may have some value. As well as the MAD.

Also the Golden Books - Chip Chip might be a good one.

I think you have a treasure trove there.

 

These books should be in kids hands......g-d bless your Dad 4 keeping them all these long years !!!!

 

He is a gem There are so many great books that will be kept and stored better. It's fun to go through them all.


The only cookbook I know with a recipe for squirrel.


1895, old schoolbooks


^

1901, ^


1967




Paperbacks

*Hardcover 1915


1965


1978




* no date, Donohue, Henneberry & co.


Stack of wartime Reader's Digests


A couple of Coronet magazines




1936


Just found these - the pile pictured at the top is the rest of the stack! Not all are in great condition but a few surprisingly are!

I'll add more later!

 

I found about a dozen wartime Outdoor Life mags with the Sports Afield ones. Here's the next bunch of books/periodicals that's been uncovered.




*1940


1948


1961


*1937


1961


1951


1948


1960


1969


*1960


*1974




Treasure Island


1960





*1953