Pricing harry

I have borrowed this picture of the first edition of Harry (T.V. Boardman, 1949) from a bookshop in the USA. (I do hope they don't mind!) I found the picture in December 2002 while searching on ABE (Advanced Book Exchange - see Links page) for an affordable Harry first in dust jacket (something I hadn't previously found).

Nice picture, isn't it? I hadn't actually seen a copy of this edition, so I was pleased this shop had attached a photo to their listing (rare on ABE). DJ illustrated by the highly regarded D McLoughlin (as is the 1955 Boardman paperback edition containing The Trouble With Trudy, though a different painting with a seaside postcard mood).

But was this the affordable copy I'd been hoping to find? Well, you're welcome to read the bookshop's text accompanying the picture and decide for yourself!

London T.V. Boardman (1949). First edition. Fine in very attractive, near fine dustwrapper with several short tears. The body of a man found in the woods implicates everyone in sight until it is discovered he died from natural causes. Basis for the 1955 Alfred Hitchcock black comedy featuring Edmund Gwenn, John Forsythe and Shirley MacLaine in her feature film debut. The exceptionally uncommon true first British edition, the only jacketed copy we've seen. First edition.

Price: US$ 2500.00 (£ 1585.63)

Crikey ! Eh, readers?

The copy above did not find it's way into my Christmas stocking, in case you hadn't guessed.

Below is the one that did. The same search found a copy in Wales, at the somewhat more reasonable price of £60.00. My thanks to Martin martin.ashby@martin-ashby.demon.co.,uk for this book. (t came with a very nice archival mylar/paper cover which I removed only for photography and scanning.)

Tip for booksearchers on ABE: use J* T* Stor* rather than Jack Trevor Story in the search box. (That's how I found this one.) Sometimes the surname will be spelled Storey, and sometimes Trevor ends up as Trvor, or Tevor. Some books are listed under J T Story.

Author: Story. Jack Trvor: Title: The Trouble with Harry

Book Description: 128 page novel - 'A Hilarious Mystery' . Light blue cloth. First edition. 21 x 13.5 cms. Some light browning to endpapers and light indentation where former pencilled price erased. Dustwrapper has small loss to top and bottom of spine, no loss to McLoughlin illustration on dustwrapper. Presentable in plastic overwrapper.