Collecting Jill Books

I am often asked about collecting Jill books, so thought I’d put something on the website about it.

The problem with any article dealing with collectability is that it is subject to the passage of time. Peoples’ tastes change and other unforeseen events can affect value. For example, a very sought-after Chalet School book of Elinor Brent-Dyer tends to decrease in value once Girls Gone By re-publish it. After a year or so, once the Girls Gone By version has gone out of print, the value will recover. The same doesn’t tend to be true of pony books, which aren’t republished to the same extent, but this example shows that valuing is not an exact science.

That said, the first edition, with its dustjacket, of a title will usually be the most valuable of any author’s works, and this is true of Jill. You might then ask what exactly is a first edition? Even between book-dealers, opinions on this vary, but mine is this: a true first edition is the first printing of an author’s work. A first edition, second impression is not a first edition. A first paperback edition is not a first edition. They are all later printings: possibly first edition thus, if you must. A first edition will say “First published in xxxx”. If there is any text underneath it referring to further editions or printings, the book is not a first edition.

Sadly, buyers can often be mislead by descriptions on ebay and on book-selling sites which claim their copy of a book is a first edition. If buying a first edition is important to you, and you’re not sure what you’re buying from the description, ask the seller. Ask exactly what is said on the printing information page, and if you’re still not sure, ask for a photograph of it.

Hardback Jills have become harder to find over the years, and more expensive. Jills are still not, in the general scheme of children’s books, massively expensive (it’s not impossible to pay very well into three figures for some hard to find children’s titles). You can expect to pay anywhere between Ł30 - Ł50 for a very good first edition with dustjacket. Hardback reprints without dustjackets are anywhere from Ł8 upwards: it is possible to buy photocopied dustjackets for bare books, which certainly makes them look prettier, but will not radically affect their value.

The paperback Jills are easier to get hold of; as there were many more printed. Later editions in very good condition can be bought from Ł3 - Ł5 each. Complete sets of the 9 books are often auctioned on ebay, and you should be able to pick up a decent one anywhere between Ł25 - Ł40, depending on the edition and condition.

The Armada paperbacks with Caney covers are probably the most expensive of the paperbacks. They don’t generally survive in very good condition, so if they do can go for as much as Ł8 - Ł12. There are three Armada titles which I believe were printed with Caney covers (A Stable for Jill, Jill Has Two Ponies and Pony Jobs for Jill). I did once see these on ebay some years ago, but never before or since. They are, if they do exist, very rare indeed and would attract a high price.

The earliest Knight paperbacks with the Bonar Dunlop covers and the 1970s printings are sought after; though not quite as much as the Caney Armadas. I’m not certain if the entire series appeared with Bonar Dunlop covers. I have not seen copies of: Jill Enjoys Her Ponies, Jill’s Riding Club, Rosettes for Jill and Pony Jobs for Jill.

Where to buy the Jill books:
My site and catalogue, obviously! However much I might want to, I can’t supply the whole world, so below are some other sources of supply. Out of the bookselling sites, Ibooknet is the best as it vets its sellers. Abe and Amazon do have some excellent sellers, but the quality can be variable. Some of their sellers use a generic description for each and every book they sell, or even no description at all. Ebay can be a good source, but it is quite easy to fall victim to sellers’ over-optimistic views of the quality of their books, and their rarity. With all these sources, if the edition and condition are important to you, ask, ask and ask again. A professional seller will not mind.

Of course, it’s always worth trying second-hand bookshops and book fairs, as well as charity shops and boot sales etc.

May 2007