As mentioned in my last post, we had a really good look round the charity shops in Colwyn Bay last weekend. Amongst other things, I found some vintage Enid Blyton books of my preferred era and style… 

These are all published by Dean books and are actually from the ’70s and ’80s. I’d got it in my mind that they were from the ’60s, but now I’m looking at them, it’s obvious they’re later than that. I found these for only 25p each. The covers are in reasonable condition but they’ve all been drawn on the first page inside. 

I particularly like the Enchanted Wood and Magic Faraway Tree covers. Those two stories were some of my absolute favourites as a child. I’ve been reading them now to Corliss, and really enjoying the stories again, even if some of the language has dated. The stories and ideas are timeless really: I just have to hold the giggles in when Dick and Fanny are up to something. Such a juvenile sense of humour, I know.

These ones I found today, in the National Trust book shop at Eyam Hall. They were a pound each, so at the limit of my self imposed limit of how much to spend. My idea is to create a shelf of retro Enid Blyton books in one of the kids rooms. Or just mine, as I can’t even pretend they’re really just for them. 

Dean & Son was a publisher of predominantly children’s books, most likely established in the early 1800s and known for producing good quality books. It seems most of my collection of Enid Blyton books, as a youngster and as an adult, are published by them. Looking at the front matter of these latest finds, Dean’s publishers at that point were part of the Hamlyn publishing group. 

One of these books is published by Purnell.

I don’t recognise the Purnell Sunshine Library name but a quick Google seems to show they published Enid Blyton books. She was such a prolific author; it’s not surprising that some smaller publishing houses printed so many of her books or even just these. 

Some more books to add to the collection. I’ve not got lots, less than twenty I’d say. Mostly Enid Blyton with a few Anne Grahame Johnstone ones included. Actually, if I included all of the vintage and retro books I have by other authors, then we’d be talking a book case full already… A small one at least.