Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Nancy Drew Sleuths' Witch Tree Adventure: Convention Details


If you're pining to go to a Nancy Drew convention, here's your chance! Once again, as they do each year, The Nancy Drew Sleuths fan group is having their annual convention Sept. 30-Oct. 5, 2008 in Bird-in-Hand, PA--right near Lancaster. For a Witch Tree Symbol adventure. Registration deadline is June 15, right around the corner. Details and how to register can be found at our website:

http://www.ndsleuths.com

Jenn:)

Nancy Drew Audio Cassettes Format



I recently won an audio cassette set of The Secret of the Old Clock at eBay. My audios that I bought in the early 2000's, when these came out were different. They were in yellow packaging and the tapes inside in black packaging--like The Clue in the Diary shown above. This was a big thick white case with the cassettes inside, and the info on the outside. It appears to be how this was sold, I have just never seen this format before. Has the original retail price of $18.00 on the back and other info.

Anyone else purchase their cassettes in this white case format? And if so, which books came like this that you have found?

Jenn:)

Friday, May 23, 2008

Sleuthing at eBay for Nancy Drew #8

More eBay commentary on what's up for auction every once in a while to help educate collectors and--well, have snarky fun too:) So, I'll highlight a few interesting finds, crazy listings, and eBay Nancy Drew flubs and the like. Chime in, in the comments section with your thoughts or questions! Copy the item number and go to http://www.ebay.com and enter it into the search box to view the following auctions:

(Disclaimer: No offense meant to any seller or bidder/potential bidder--I'm sure you're all lovely people:)...)

Auctions:

Sorry, It's no Mystery, It's Just Not Rare...

Item Number: 380030651804 Description: NANCY DREW HAUNTED SHOWBOAT #35 1957 W/DJ 1958A-1// VERY RARE 1ST EDITION BLUE TWEED GRAVEDIGGER NO WRITING

(Ends: 05/03/08) - Not rare. The endpapers are not of a "gravedigger." They're called Digger endpapers and the scene of the digger is from Twisted Candles where the villain was burying items he was stealing from an inn, Nancy peering out from the tree is from Red Gate Farm. No graves being dug. Would spice it up a little more, though wouldn't it!?

Item Number: 230254294663 Description: NANCY DREW Nancy's Mysterious Letter BLANK BACK RARE!

(Ends: 05/26/08) - Sorry, not rare!

Surprising Ending Price:

Item Number: 120257617481 Description: 1932A-1 NANCY DREW MYSTERY 7 Clue in the Diary FIRST!

(Ended: 5/10/08) - This first printing of Diary is very scarce--only printing with the format 1--very scarce indeed! I've seen this book sell for upwards of 5000.00 before at eBay. Prices are really down, it went for only $1650.88. Considering (see below) that a white private eye diary sold for $1400.00 recently, this figure for a 1932 first printing/first edition of Diary is rather sad.

Item Number: 200223996055 Description: Nancy Drew Private Eye Diary RARE WHITE! with KEY!!!

(Ended: 5/20/08) - Wow, I'm almost at a loss for words:) So the auction started out with a buy it now option of 1500.00. An offer for 1400.00 was accepted. I think that's extreme. I've seen this sell for upwards of 500.00 on a good day. I purchased my Harriet Adams signed edition for around 250.00 several years ago. The greatest thing about this auction is that it had the key--that's rather uncommon, usually the diaries come up missing the key. I've seen half a dozen to a dozen of these sell at eBay in the last 10 years--and that's just auctions I caught. I let the seller know that this wasn't as rare as he claimed it to be, but they didn't revise their info describing it as a once in a lifetime collectible or "rare." It's not rare, it's semi scarce at best.

Bidding Mania:

Item Number: 230250937421 Description: Nancy Drew Ski Jump Vintage DIGGER Tweed / DJ

(Ended: 5/18/08) - This one is a good example of 2 bidders bidding something up way past its value--or at least paying a lot more than they have to. eBay is a buyer's market right now, you can get stuff for good deals! There were 3 bidders--1 of whom bid once. The other 2 bid more, and 1 of the bidders bid the most, really running up the price. People get a clue--bid at the last minute and you'll save a few bucks:) I learned that the hard way when I first started out. The price for a 13th common printing of Ski Jump: $92.99.

A check of recently ended auctions for other Ski Jump books reveals a more reasonable selling price of between $29.00-$31.00 and even one selling at $12.25. See, no need to go hog wild, there's plenty of them out there! Just tell yourself, another will surface again and you won't feel like you have to snap everything up no matter the price.

Jenn:)

Friday, May 09, 2008

Sleuthing at eBay for Nancy Drew #7

More eBay commentary on what's up for auction every once in a while to help educate collectors and--well, have snarky fun too:) So, I'll highlight a few interesting finds, crazy listings, and eBay Nancy Drew flubs and the like. Chime in, in the comments section with your thoughts or questions! Copy the item number and go to http://www.ebay.com and enter it into the search box to view the following auctions:

(Disclaimer: No offense meant to any seller or bidder/potential bidder--I'm sure you're all lovely people:)...)

GREAT FINDS & FUN THINGS:

Item Number: 270234445796 Description: Nancy Drew.....Reporter - original Lobby card 1939

(Ends: 5/10 '08) - This is a great lobby card and I know the seller well--bid with confidence! These old lobby cards are worth quite a bit and I would expect the auction price to go up a little more at the end on this one.

Item Number: 130221252630 Description: Nancy Drew Old Clock 1930 True 1st w/ Exact Repro DJ!

(Ends: 5/15 '08) - This is a great find, a first of Old Clock even though it does have a reproduction dust jacket. The dust jacket doesn't add a lot of value to the book when it's a repro, however, there are not many reproduction dust jackets of the actual first printing dust jacket, so this would add some value to this auction. I would expect the final price to be in the $500 to $600 range given the way prices are going at eBay these days.

Item Number: 320249501885 Description: Nancy Drew Emma Roberts Denim & Picture Tote Bag Purse

(Ends: 5/14 '08) - This is cute! I have one of these and it's nicely made! A recommended fun buy!

INSANITY!

Item Number: 280224510788 Description: Nancy Drew Applewood 1st edition The Haunted Bridge+1

(Ends: 5/12 '08) - Another set of reproduction Applewood Nancy Drews--2 books--going for over $50.00 and then some. It never ceases to amaze me. I don't think the reproductions are worth this much. You can find vintage copies of these titles and pay the same or even less now that eBay seems to be a buyer's market the last few years! Get a clue people:)

Item Number: 370049509494 Description: Nancy Drew #49 Mirror Bay 1st Ed PC RARE Yellow Overlay

(Ends: 5/13 '08) - The seller states that this book is in "excellent condition" and then states quite a few flaws that would not make this book excellent condition--more like good to good plus.

Item Number: 230250372947 Description: APPLEWOOD SECRET OF THE OLD CLOCK Nancy Drew Keene OOP

(Ends: 5/11 '08) - Wow! Amazing! Or as George Fayne would say, Hypers! A seller actually selling Applewoods for about what they're worth--the original sales prices! Imagine that ;) Snap these up collectors before those resellers do!!!!!!!!!!!!

NOT SO FAST SELLER!

Item Number: 290227956049 Description: LOT OF 16 NANCY DREW CAROLYN KEENE VINTAGE RARE PLUS!!

(Ends: 5/11 '08) - None of these books are rare, more like common :)

Item Number: 270235658729 Description: NANCY DREW NANCY'S MYSTERIOUS LETTER..OEPS..WS.DJ.RARE!

(Ends: 5/14 '08) - Just begging the question here Nancy style, but would a seller who really thought this book is rare, sell it for a buy it now of $56.99?!

Item Number: 230250393573 Description: COMPLETE SET Vintage NANCY DREW BOOKS Rare Girls Gifts!

(Ends: 5/13 '08) - Yellow spine picture cover books even with older art are not rare!

Jenn:)

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Nancy Drew Collectible Finds

I have decided to start sharing some of my eBay/book hunting finds in the blog! I have a lot of items in my collection:) But I still have some loose ends to track down. One of these was the 3rd book in the promo red ink-topped pages set. Books 1-3 were issued this way in a book store promotion of some kind. I had Old Clock and Bungalow Mystery and finally have added Hidden Staircase to the collection. I have purchased all three now from eBay and luckily the seller in each listing chose to mention or highlight the red tops which helped me discover them. Otherwise you have to e-mail the seller of each auction to ask if the tops are red by chance. And that can be a chore! Book is shown above.
Also here is a sample of one of my recent ads purchased. I like how they have a side bar of images of the various series book characters. The page next to this one featured the Nancy Drew books. But there's a cute little illustration of Nancy holding a magnifying glass while looking at a letter/note. Similar in style to the blue multi-pic endpapers.

More finds to come!

Jenn:)

Sunday, May 04, 2008

1930s Vintage Advertising & Ads


Recently on eBay, an advertising sign sold for a nice sum featuring vintage Nancy Drew book art and just a few titles. A fellow collector was the winner of this neat collectible and are we not just all jealous:) haha! I'd love to see more of this advertising come on the market, hopefully more will follow.


Recently, I have been collecting vintage Nancy Drew book ads at eBay. There are quite a few sellers that purchase whole catalogs from eBay and other sources and break them down into separate pages to sell individually. As a book collector that can make me cringe, but it is to my gain that I'm able to purchase just the ad I want and not have to spend the larger amount on buying the whole catalog. I've been amassing quite a few ads from old Sears, JC Penny, Wards and the like. Even an old Milton Bradley catalog featuring the 1950s Nancy Drew boardgame.

In the interest of research, I also came across a website which has been scanning old catalogs and uploading the pages. I was able to print pretty decent copies of pages of old ads from this source to ad to my collection. Here's the link:

http://www.wishbookweb.com/

A lot of other series were advertised besides Nancy Drew including Three Investigators, Hardy Boys, Dana Girls, and Cherry Ames! The earliest example I have is from 1935 Sears and features the Nancy Drew book, The Message in the Hollow Oak.

Search eBay for neat ads like these!

Jenn:)

Sleuthing at eBay for Nancy Drew #6

More eBay commentary on what's up for auction every once in a while to help educate collectors and--well, have snarky fun too:) So, I'll highlight a few interesting finds, crazy listings, and eBay Nancy Drew flubs and the like. Chime in, in the comments section with your thoughts or questions! Copy the item number and go to http://www.ebay.com and enter it into the search box to view the following auctions:

(Disclaimer: No offense meant to any seller or bidder/potential bidder--I'm sure you're all lovely people:)...)

This time I've got current auctions, surprising results from recently ended auctions and HUH!?

CURRENT AUCTIONS (Be sure to bid and bid often on these babies) :

Auctions:

Item Number: 180239730884 Description: NO SS DJ MYSTERIOUS LETTER #8 NANCY DREW Thick KEENERARE 1935 PRINTING ~ 4 GLOSSY ILLUSTRATIONS

(Ends: 5/11) - Neither this book nor this printing are rare!

Item Number: 150243849798 Description: NANCY DREW #9 Applewood Twisted Candles Carolyn Keene

(Ends: 5/11) - I would never pay this much for a reprint! An Applewood reprint, and it's just a 4th printing. Opening bid of 44.99.

Item Number: 200220434797 Description: Rare! ~ NANCY DREW POSTCARDS ~ BEAUTIFULLY ILLUS ~ 30pk

(Ends: 5/07) - Since when is a modern stationary collectible still available to purchase in stores/online rare!?

SURPRISING RESULTS FROM ENDED AUCTIONS:

Item Number: 360045577319 Description: Vintage Nancy Drew LOT OF 9 BOOKS WS white spine hc dj

(Ended: 4/29) - 9 later printing in dust jacket, the way values have been down on eBay the last several years, I'm surprised this set sold this high.

Item Number: 110246117047 Description: 1934B-2 NANCY DREW MYSTERY # 11 Broken Locket SECOND

(Ended: 4/29) - I was surprised to see this auction end for a 2nd printing of Broken Locket at 197.77. Even stranger was when I noticed it had 50 bids and then I clicked on the bidding history and someone with "a....n" had bid up most of these 50 times, which always seems a bit suspicious to me, especially considering they only had 15 feedbacks.

Item Number: 230246623368 Description: ARE APPLEWOOD CLUE OF THE BROKEN LOCKET Nancy Drew

(Ended: 4/27) - Someone actually bought it now for 90.00--An Applewood Books reprint of Broken Locket! Shaking head...

HUH?! :

Item Number: 130216727583 Description: 1978 Hardy Boys & Nancy Drew Meet Dracula TV book EX!

(Ended: 4/29) - Ended on 4/29 with no bids and a starting of 125.00. HUH?! And relisted for the same amount! You'd think the seller would get a Nancy Drew clue that this opening bid is beyond excessive!

Item Number: 140226752160 Description: 1979 RARE Nancy Drew Pamela Sue Martin photo cover #15

(Ended: 4/29) - Ended on 4/29 with no bids and a starting of 74.99. Relisted for same. Another HUH?!

Jenn:)