Beth's Book Collection

Beth's Book Collection

I hope to update this page very soon during summer 2007 with a different layout and more information. (edited June 2007).

Although I have always been reading and collecting books since I can recall, only in recent years have I acquired some antique, rare, and first edition books of some of my favorite authors and others that I found interesting. I go to book stores that specialize in used and rare items, flea markets, antique malls, library sales, and eBay in search of additions to my collection. Note: some of these images are very large, that is why I used thumbnails, and the images will pop up into a new window. I have taken all of the pictures with my HP320 Digital camera.

I am very interested in the early editions of L.M. Montgomery's works, and in George Gibbs and M.L. Kirk among others involved in creating the cover art. L.M. Montgomery has been one of my favorite writers since I first picked up "Anne of Green Gables" and her writing appeals to adults as well as children.

Another one of my favorite authors is Laura Ingalls Wilder, and although I have been to several of her home sites and have an extensive collection of her works, I am now interested in finding earlier editions of her books with illustrations by Helen Sewell and Mildred Boyle.

	"Anne of Green Gables" by L.M. Montgomery. 38th Impression, Popular Edition. L.C. Page and Grosset and Dunlap.
	"Anne of Avonlea" by L.M. Montgomery. Stated 2nd impression, 1909. Cover artwork by George Gibbs. I found this edition on Abe Books.
	"Kilmeny of the Orchard" by L.M. Montgomery. Stated First Edition, 1910. Cover artwork by George Gibbs. I found this wonderful book at the West Lebanon Antiques Mall in W. Lebanon, New Hampshire.
	"The Golden Road" by L.M. Montgomery. Stated First Impression, 1913. Cover artwork by George Gibbs.
	"Anne's House of Dreams" by L.M. Montgomery. First edition, 1917. Illustrations by M.L. Kirk. I found this book at the West Lebanon Antiques Mall in W. Lebanon, New Hampshire.
	"Chronicles of Avonlea" by L.M. Montgomery. Seventh Impression, December 1917. Cover artwork by George Gibbs. This was another eBay find.
	"Rainbow Valley" by L.M. Montgomery. 1919, published by Frederick A. Stokes. Cover art by Maria L. Kirk. I found this copy at Abe Books online.
	"Further Chronicles of Avonlea" by L.M. Montgomery. 1920, L.C. Page Boston- London, stated 1st impression. There are five black and white illustrations (the picture to the left is my favorite). This book was found on eBay. The cover is loose but I am hoping to have it repaired.
	"Rilla of Ingleside" by L.M. Montgomery. 1921, published by Frederick A. Stokes. Cover art by Maria L. Kirk. This edition was found on eBay.
	"Emily of New Moon" by L.M. Montgomery. Published by Stokes, 1923. This book was found on abe books, and is in near fine condition for it's age.
	"Emily's Quest" by L.M. Montgomery, with dust jacket pictured to the right.
	"Anne of Ingleside" by L.M. Montgomery. 2nd printing, 1939. Ex-library copy which I found at the W. Lebanon Antiques Mall. The spine is taped with library tape but the inside is nice. It's interesting how the artwork changed over the years, L.M. Montgomery was quoted as not being fond of the way her heroine was depicted in this cover. "I quite agree with you in regard to the cover of Anne of Ingleside. The day when my publishers put attractive pictures on my books has gone by." (L.M. Montgomery's Ephraim Weber, 197).
	"Mother Home and Heaven" 1884. Inscription from a mother to her daughter. This is the same edition which Almanzo Wilder presented to Laura Ingalls in the "Little House" books. I found this book at the Quechee Antique Mall in Quechee, Vermont.
	"Little House in the Big Woods" by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I found this book at the Brimfield MA Antiques fair.
	"Little House on the Prairie" by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I found this book on eBay.
	"By The Shores of Silver Lake" by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Cadmus edition.
	"Little Town on the Prairie" by Laura Ingalls Wilder, 5th edition 1941. I found this book on eBay.
	"The Irish Abroad and At Home" printed in 1856, this is the oldest book that I have. An attic treasure. :)
	"Poems of Passion" by Ella Wheeler (later Ella Wheeler Wilcox). 1884. Sometimes the curiosity of the book is the inscription written inside, and in this book a young man writes a passionate poem, no doubt inspired by the author.
	"A Little Princess" by Frances Hodgson Burnett
	"Rosemary in Search of a Father" by C.N. & A.M. Williamson, 1906. This book was a gift from my dear godmother Linda.
	"The Child's Day Book" by Margaret Sidney. 1896. A compilation of poetry, verses, and images. Lovely color plates of children's themes. There are pages at the end that were meant as a diary day book of sorts. I found this book at a flea market in Worcester, MA and was happy to "save" it.
	"The Story of Doctor Doolittle" by Hugh Lofting. An adorable book. Fifteenth printing, Nov 30, 1923.
	"Alice Adams" by Book Tarkington. 1926. This book inspired the movie starring Katharine Hepburn. Lovely frontispiece. I found this edition at the Book Barn in Niantic, CT.