Big Little Books - valuation? 0

[FlyingDonut]

Picked up a collection that has multiple Big Little Books and Better Little Books in it. All from the 1930s and 1940s. I never deal with these - is Overstreet valuation even close? Is there anything I should be looking for? Is there some sort of valuation for Better Little Books? Help! Thanks!

[PopKulture]

1 hour ago, FlyingDonut said:

Picked up a collection that has multiple Big Little Books and Better Little Books in it. All from the 1930s and 1940s. I never deal with these - is Overstreet valuation even close? Is there anything I should be looking for? Is there some sort of valuation for Better Little Books? Help! Thanks!

Overstreet is very optimistic. There are a few that sell near guide, but most sell for considerably less. A comic analogy would be Looney Tunes and unremarkable WDCS. Now, I happen to love them nevertheless, but I do most of my hunting in the wild. I got the first BLB ( Tracy) and the second (Little Orphan Annie) for way less than guide this past year, as well as a dozen or so from a toy dealer who also collects BLB's and those were in the fine range for around ten bucks apiece - well under guide for titles like Don Winslow and Tarzan.

Good luck with the sale - Or, they do look rather near propped up on a shelf in little groups...  

[FlyingDonut]

Ack. That's what I thought. Even real stuff - Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck? Guy didn't like Timely superheros, but loved BLBs and Classics.

[PopKulture]

If they're nicely presenting copies, you can always try the Bay - Mickey, Donald, Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon, Shadow, Mandrake to a lesser extent, and John Carter. One never knows.

Consider posting a group shot so we can see what you have!  

[PopKulture]

8 minutes ago, FlyingDonut said:

Guy didn't like Timely superheros, but loved BLBs and Classics.

Well, not everyone picks the winning ticket. I told my dad a million times to invest in comics in the 70's. He instead bought proof sets, stuff from the Franklin Mint, and Bradford Exchange plates.

That TOS 39 and AF 15 or all those LB Cole covers I would've bought sure wouldn't compare... Nor those Kirby pages for $200. 

[lou_fine]

On 1/11/2018 at 8:44 PM, FlyingDonut said:

Picked up a collection that has multiple Big Little Books and Better Little Books in it. All from the 1930s and 1940s. I never deal with these - is Overstreet valuation even close? Is there anything I should be looking for? Is there some sort of valuation for Better Little Books? Help! Thanks!

Was there a copy of the rare hardcover version of the Big Little Mother Goose Book in the collection? 

[Robot Man]

Maybe the rarest BLB is the Big Little Paint Book. VERY tough to find especially un-painted. The one that sells the best for me is the Wizard of OZ Book. The Disney, Space characters, Shadow, Green Hornet, Tarzan and the Joe Louis ones seem to be the most popular. I like the Big Big Books a lot myself. I just finally got the Little Orphan Annie one last weekend at the flea market. 

I rarely buy them any more unless they are cheap, good characters and in very high grade. Sad, because they are very cool...

Edited January 26, 2018 by Robot Man

[BB-Gun]

I think the Mickey Mouse Book can sell pretty well and the OZ book.  The Macy Mickey Mouse giveaway can fetch a pretty penny.  There are a lot of earlier editions that collectors look for.  I paid more for my Flash Gordon issues because some of them were in very nice condition.  Most don't sell at guide prices. 

 

[Robot Man]

They sure look great spread out like that! They also look great in a book case due to the fully illustrated spines. I especially like the "all picture" and animated corner editions.

[BB-Gun]

On ‎1‎/‎25‎/‎2018 at 11:37 PM, Robot Man said:

They sure look great spread out like that! They also look great in a book case due to the fully illustrated spines. I especially like the "all picture" and animated corner editions.

 

I have a Popeye book that is animated and a Green Hornet.  The Morgan's treasure is all picture by Barks and one of the Buck Rogers is all picture.  I have seen a Bugs or Porky all picture but I am sure there are many more. 

Robotman, did you collect the earliest softcover BLBs?  I think they are harder to find. 

I also heard that a lot of mint copies of many BLB edition were found in PA but most were purchased by Geppi. 

 

Edited January 28, 2018 by BB-Gun