Enid Blyton, 'Famous Five', complete set of the 21 children'...

Hammer

£4,400

Enid Blyton, 'Famous Five', complete set of the 21 children's detective series novels, all 1st editions, 1st impressions, all published Hodder & Stoughton, London, all in original cloth, all bar one in dust wrappers ('Five Go Adventuring Again'), all dust wrappers designed by Eileen Soper, comprising 'Five on a Treasure Island', 1942, 32 illustrations by Eileen Soper, publisher's pale blue cloth lettered in black (no internal names or inscriptions, cloth slightly bumped at top right corner, else generally a clean, tight, VGC+ copy), dust wrapper (first issue wrapper, price clipped, but with wider flaps denoting the first issue, some small part losses and minor internal repairs/restoration, else generally VGC). The first of The 'Fives' Books, a very scarce title in 1st edition, in a generally VGC example of the rare dust wrapper; 'Five Go Adventuring Again', June 1943, colour frontis + black & white ills. by Eileen Soper, publisher's pale blue cloth lettered in black (no internal names or inscriptions, cloth slightly bumped/worn); 'Five Run Away Together', August 1944, colour frontis + 8 full page 2 colour illustrations (4 in red and black and 4 in blue and black) and numerous illustrations in black & white throughout by Eileen Soper, publisher's pale blue cloth lettered in black (neat contemporary gift inscription top corner verso FFEP, else internally leaves clean/VGC, cloth slightly bumped worn), dust wrapper (first issue dust wrapper, with price of 6/- net on the front flap intact, and rear flap having the extract from the Daily Sketch and listing the Happy, Merry and Jolly Story Books as called for, slightly toned and with some small part losses at corners and head and foot of spine, else generally VGC). The third and rarest book in the Famous Five series, difficult to find in any condition, this a nice copy in a generally VGC example of the rare wrapper; 'Five Go to Smuggler's Top', July 1945, colour frontis + full page 2 colour illustrations ( in red and black and blue and black) and numerous illustrations in black & white throughout by Eileen Soper, publisher's pale blue cloth lettered in black (internally no names/inscriptions, leaves clean/VGC, cloth v slightly bumped at corners and with one or two small marks, else generally VGC), dust wrapper (some mainly internal repairs/restoration but else a fairly decent example of the still very scarce wrapper with 6/- price intact); 'Five Go Off in a Caravan', November 1946, colour frontis + illustrations in blue & black and black & white throughout by Eileen Soper, publisher's pale blue cloth lettered in black (internally no names/inscriptions, leaves clean/VGC, cloth v slightly bumped at corners/head & foot of spine, else generally VGC), dust wrapper (some minor internal repairs/restoration, some light creases and v small part losses, else 6/- price intact and generally VGC); 'Five on Kirrin Island Again', August 1947, colour frontis (with telescope the wrong way around as called for) + illustrations in blue & black, red & black, and black & white throughout by Eileen Soper, publisher's red cloth lettered in black (internally no names/inscriptions, leaves clean/VGC, cloth VGC), dust wrapper (some very light edgewear and toning, else an excellent example with 6/- price intact, telescope worng way around as called for); 'Five Go Off to Camp', August 1948, colour frontis + illustrations in blue & black, red & black, and black & white throughout by Eileen Soper, publisher's pale blue cloth lettered in black (internally no names/inscriptions, leaves clean/VGC, cloth slightly discoloured towards top edge of front cover, else VGC), dust wrapper (generally VGC example with 6/- price intact); 'Five Get Into Trouble', October 1949, black & white frontis + illustrations in blue & black, red & black, and black & white throughout by Eileen Soper, publisher's red cloth lettered in black (sporadic light foxing, contemporary ownership signature to recto of rear blank, cloth generally VGC), dust wrapper (couple of very light creases and very small nicks/chips, else generally VGC example with 6/- price intact); 'Five Fall Into Adventure', 1950, frontis + illustrations in blue & black, red & black, and black & white throughout by Eileen Soper, original red cloth lettered in black (internally no names/inscriptions, leaves clean/VGC, cloth VGC), dust wrapper (generally VGC, 6/- price intact); 'Five on a Hike Together', 1951, illustrations in blue & black, red & black, and black & white throughout by Eileen Soper, original grey cloth lettered in red (internally no names/inscriptions, leaves clean/VGC, cloth generally VGC), dust wrapper (VGC, 7/6 price intact); 'Five Have a Wonderful Time', 1952, illustrations in blue & black, red & black, and black & white throughout by Eileen Soper, original red cloth lettered in black (internally no names/inscriptions, leaves clean/VGC, cloth generally VGC), dust wrapper (VGC, 7/6 price intact); 'Five Go Down to the Sea', 1953, illustrations in blue & black, red & black, and black & white throughout by Eileen Soper, original red cloth lettered in black (internally no names/inscriptions, leaves clean/VGC, cloth VGC), dust wrapper (small contemporary inscription at foot of inside front panel, else near fine, 7/6 price intact); 'Five Go to Mystery Moor', 1954, illustrations in blue & black and black & white throughout by Eileen Soper, original red cloth lettered in black (internally no names/inscriptions, leaves clean/VGC, cloth VGC), dust wrapper (generally VGC, 7/6 price intact); 'Five Have Plenty of Fun', 1955, illustrations in blue & black and black & white throughout by Eileen Soper, original red cloth lettered in black (internally no names/inscriptions, leaves clean/VGC, cloth VGC), dust wrapper (generally VGC, 7/6 price intact); ' Five on a Secret Trail', 1956, illustrations in blue & black and black & white throughout by Eileen Soper, original red cloth lettered in black (internally no names/inscriptions, leaves clean/VGC, cloth VGC), dust wrapper (generally VGC, 7/6 price intact); 'Five Go to Billycock Hill', 1957, illustrations in blue & black, red & black, and black & white throughout by Eileen Soper, original red cloth lettered in black (internally no names/inscriptions, leaves clean/VGC, cloth generally VGC), dust wrapper (generally VGC, 7/6 price intact); 'Five Get Into a Fix', 1958, illustrations in blue & black and black & white throughout by Eileen Soper, original red cloth lettered in black (internally no names/inscriptions, leaves clean/VGC, cloth slightly bumped at corners/head & foot of spine, else generally VGC), dust wrapper (generally VGC, 7/6 price intact); 'Five on Finniston Farm', 1960, illustrations in blue & black and black & white throughout by Eileen Soper, original red cloth lettered in black (internally no names/inscriptions, leaves clean/VGC, cloth VGC), dust wrapper (generally VGC, 7/6 price intact); 'Five Go to Demon's Rock', 1961, illustrations in blue & black and black & white throughout by Eileen Soper, original red cloth lettered in black (internally no names/inscriptions, leaves clean/VGC, cloth VGC), dust wrapper (generally VGC, 7/6 price intact); 'Five Have a Mystery to Solve', 1962, illustrations in black & white throughout by Eileen Soper, original red cloth lettered in black (internally no names/inscriptions, leaves clean/VGC, cloth VGC), dust wrapper (generally VGC, 7/6 price intact); 'Five are Together Again', 1963, illustrations in black & white throughout by Eileen Soper, original red cloth lettered in black (internally no names/inscriptions, leaves clean/VGC, cloth VGC), dust wrapper (generally VGC, 7/6 price intact). An excellent first edition complete set of the 21 Famous Five novels, scarce to find together in collectable condition (21)