The notsohidden racism of nancy drew electric literature. Here, i want to focus on the nancy drew tweed books from 1951 to 1961. Series book values collapsed in late 2008 and have never recovered. Pages can include considerable notesin pen or highlighterbut the notes cannot obscure the text. Nancy drew books have been in print from 1930 until present day, so there are a lot. Todays post will show off my books, as well as supply you with a bit of history and other vintage goodies on the super sleuth herself nancy drew. Nancy drew is a fictional character, a sleuth in an american mystery series created by. The books have orange silhouette endpapers and four glossy internal illustrations. The secret of red gate farm nancy drew mystery stories, book 6 by keene, carolyn. Nancy drew the secret of the golden pavilion hardcover book 1959. Nearly all nancy drew books with dust jackets have fallen in value during the last four years.
I found the phrase ten rarest nancy drew books as a search term that led someone to this blog. The first nancy drew book was published in 1930 on the 28th of april with the release of the secret of the old clock. Another useful online source is s book collecting nancy drew girl detective. Nancy drew books taught me many new words, which i did not know before. Nancy drew sleuth is a web site well worth exploring. About very good, some roughening along the outer egdepart of the front cover, some spine fade and shallow wear to the spine ends. Eight years after the novels debut, the series spawned a movie, nancy drew.
Unless what you have is a scarce or rare printing, there will probably be examples of real current value, represented in ebays ended auctions. Its the exciting mystery that readers have fallen in love with for 80 years, with a terrific new look and bonus material. The item in her collection with the highest monetary value is a signed copy of the first nancy drew book. The first nancy drew book, 1930s the secret of the old clock, was ghostwritten by mildred wirt, who penned 23 nancy drew titles as carolyn keenethe same pseudonym used today.
Keep in mind that anyone can place any price on an item on ebaythat doesnt have anything to do with its actual value if it doesnt sell. Hardy boy books which i used to love are in the same class as nancy drew as far as collecting goes. For people who are not very familiar with collecting nancy drew, be aware that the book or collectible has to be exactly like what i mention. Other authors contributed, as well, but in 1959, edward stratemeyers. This book last in list of nancy drew titles on verso of the title page. I grew up reading the adventures of this teenage sleuth and loved them. These sellers will sometimes identify themselves as nancy drew collectors. Hard to find white nancy drew diary 1970s, signed by harriet stratemeyer adams carolyn keene at the time. Beware the prices of glossy flashlight edition yellow spine picture covers. The first nancy drew book, 1930s the secret of the old clock, was ghostwritten by mildred wirt, who penned 23 nancy drew titles as carolyn.
The earliest nancy drew books were published as dark blue hardcovers with. The books were extensively revised and shortened, beginning in 1959, in part to. The character of nancy drew ghostwritten and credited to the pseudonymous carolyn keene has appeared in a number of series over the years 533 nancy drew books have been published as of 2019, in nine series, as follows. They were also famous for their photoplays, including that for king kong. The best way to see if a nancy drew book might have value is to run a search on ebay. I decided to list some of the rarest nancy drew books and collectibles. The best way to see if a nancy drew book might have value is to run a search on ebay, select sold, then view the results. A peak into my vintage collection early 1950s nancy drew. And condition is doubly important when considering the value of childrens books.
Nancy drew is a 16yearold high school graduate her age was changed to 18 in the 1959. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. Nancy drew 1959 yesterday i talked about some of my favorite memories of nancy drew from when i was growing up, mentioning that it took me some time before i realized that the series was updated every so often to keep nancy up with the times. Nancy drew is a great mystery, and the best part is that everyone can read nancy drew. Nancy drew used to be way more ballsy than the girl sleuth. Nancy drew the key in the satin pocket by carolyn keene and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. S ince her introduction in april of 1930, the nancy drew books have never been out of print. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. Examples in rough shape have sold for several thousand dollars. The hidden staircase i dont remember the huge number of mistakes in the hardcover books and the comments by other readers show no one else upset by so many errors. Find great deals on ebay for nancy drew books and nancy drew books lot.
Ten rarest nancy drew books and collectibles series books for girls. Following this an industry was born and it hasnt stopped since, as young people worldwide have flocked around the franchise with its ever relatable central character. See the complete nancy drew mystery stories series book list in order, box sets or omnibus editions, and companion titles. The character of nancy drew ghostwritten and credited to the pseudonymous carolyn. One glossy illustration occurs before the title page, and the remaining three are scattered throughout the text of the book. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large online selection of books at. Heralded by many feminists as a strong female rolemodel, nancy drew has had an extremely positive influence on her young readers over the years. Frequently updated, it is an excellent introduction to the series with enough depth to keep you looking for hours.
The mystery at lilac inn nancy drew mysteries book 4. Humble childrens books from years past can be immensely valuable, but only if they are the right edition in the right condition. A couple years ago i was really into the hardy boys series so my uncle gave me one of his hardy boy books from when he was young. Producing films in the late 1930s and recently as well in 2007, its eponymous character has an enduring appeal, which is also reflected in its videogame titles as well.
For most books, the farahs guide values are greatly inflated from what the books now actually bring. Lowest price, lowest total price, most recently listed, relevance, seller. The pseudonym carolyn keene was also used for the dana girls mystery series and for the river heights spinoff series mildred wirt benson was the author of many early titles and brought nancy to life. Everything you need to know or want to know is here. Additionally, i did not know that the first 34 nancy drew books, published between 1930 and 1956, were revised by other ghostwriters from 1959 in order to amend the characters and adjust their attitudes perhaps a little more sympathetically. It was first published on april 28, 1930, and rewritten in 1959 by harriet stratemeyer adams. Im experienced in antiquarian and rare book collecting. But instead of facing the original books problems, adams avoided it altogether, simply eliminating offensive characters and turning nancy drew s universe into a less and less diverse place revised book by revised book. Out just in time for nancy s 80th anniversary, were releasing a limited number of copies of the secret of the old clock, the first book in the series. What is the value of answered by a verified antique expert.
Nancy drew is a fictional american character in a mystery fiction series created by publisher edward stratemeyer who also created the hardy boys series. The nancy drew mystery stories is the longrunning main nancy drew series, which was. Many of their most famous books were produced in partnership with the stratemeyer syndicate. I have a few 1959 books by keene, drew mystery stories. For people who are not very familiar with collecting nancy drew, be aware that the book or collectible has to be exactly like what i. The line was discontinued after many dust jackets were offered for sale. Nancy drew, first edition abebooks passion for books. Nancy drew books 110 box set the nancy drew mystery stories collection. A second method is to find the online listings of actual nancy drew collectors. The secret of the old clock the hidden staircase by keene, carolyn and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. First editions of wellloved books can become the most prized in literature.
If you hanker to understand the practices of the stratemeyer syndicate, see the online articles by james d. In 1979, the nancy drew books began to be published by wanderer books simon. If you have one of these rare books sitting on a shelf somewhere, get ready to cash in. The nancy drew books have been ghostwritten by a number of authors and are published under the pseudonym carolyn keene. Nancy drew true first the mystery at the mosscovered mansion farah value 300.
Nancy drew secret in old lace hardcover dj book club ed 1st printing. However, i noticed that after i bought this book on kindle, the prices on the subsequent. The worlds most valuable childrens books do you have one. While cleaning out my book shelf today i found it and realized that the date is 1943. The whole world can read nancy drew books, just for a very exciting adventure, kind of scary, good, good book. Youngsters can love a book too much, reading it again and again, which results in extreme wear and tear. This vintage nancy drew book is from the classic series written by carolyn keene. Vintage 1959 nancy drew the secret of the old clock. Confessions of a nancy drew collector antique trader. Nancy drew fans will enjoy the nancy drew sleuth unofficial website, which is devoted to the sleuth, her books, and her timeless quality that endures throughout the ages.
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