Got a first edition Winnie The Pooh book? You’re on to a WINNER

Winnie-the-Pooh returns to the Hundred-Acre Wood in a newly approved sequel, with his latest adventures expected to increase the value of the original book series published a century ago.

Winnie the Pooh began life as Edward the Pooh, a first birthday present from author AA Milne to his son Christopher Robin in 1921. The bear became the inspiration for the 1926 book Winnie the Pooh with illustrator E.H. Shepherd, who helps bring the magical world of Pooh and friends to life.

The first book cost seven shillings and sixpence (37.5p). Today, a first edition of this Methuen book in excellent condition can sell for £3,500 or more – ten thousand times its original price.

Christian Jonkers, owner of dealer Jonkers Rare Books in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, believes the new book Tales from the Woods by Jane Reardon, illustrated by Mark Burgess, could boost demand for Milne’s classic stories.

He says: “The latest adventures are unlikely to become collectors’ items. Yet there is something magical about the double act of AA Milne and EH Shepard that has a timeless appeal. It constantly raises values ​​as Pooh is discovered by a new generation. Collectors love to buy first edition books.

Inspiration: Winnie the Pooh began life as Edward Bear, a first birthday present from author AA Milne to his son Christopher Robin in 1921.

Jonkers says you ideally want an edition with a dust jacket, as this can double the value. They were often discarded when purchased or disintegrated over time.

Book condition is critical for investors and the best copies are pristine and are described by dealers as ‘new’. For Winnie the Pooh, even if the book is barely touched, it will only be described as “good”. The lowest investment grade is “very good,” meaning reading with light wear. Anything ripped or scratched is rarely investment quality – but it can still be enjoyed.

You can pick up a ‘very good’ 1926 Winnie the Pooh for less than £1,000 without a dust jacket, and a ‘good’ copy for £2,000 – or £3,500 with that all-important dust jacket. Exclusive copies can fetch even more.

Appraisal means it’s important to see the book first-hand if possible when buying, rather than trusting the description on an auction website or from an unknown buyer.

Lucas Boulding, bookseller for Adrian Harrington Rare Books in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, recommends checking whether a dealer is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association or the Country Booksellers’ Fair Association as this is a sign of quality and should to ensure that the ranking is correct.

Although the 1926 classic provided the first starring role for Pooh, its 1928 sequel became another collector’s item: Pooh’s Corner House. But Jonkers believes that expert guidance for hobby collectors may be needed not only to determine whether you have a first edition, but also what type of first edition.

First editions are sought after because they are the first run before the publisher has any idea how well the author will sell – if at all – so there are usually fewer copies in circulation. The first editions of Winnie the Pooh and Pooh’s Corner House were produced in 32,000 and 75,000 copies, respectively.

Look for “first edition” and “first edition” dates on the copyright page to see if the book has been published before.

Jonkers is selling a first edition of The House At Pooh Corner for £35,000 – one of only 20 deluxe large editions bound in vellum, signed by the author and illustrator. He says: “Signed copies are especially valuable. Even a standard first edition Winnie the Pooh in mint condition without dust jacket, normally worth £2,000, can reach £5,000 if signed by the author and illustrator.’

A 1976 Winnie the Pooh, published on the book’s 50th anniversary and signed by the author’s son Christopher Milne, could fetch £1,250.

Specialized book auction websites such as Amazon-owned AbeBooks, Biblio and ViaLibri offer guidance on prices as well as book sellers.

Boulding cites another great writer-illustrator couple – Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake. He says: “When Puffin changed Dahl’s books this year to make them politically correct – removing words like ‘fat’ and ‘ugly’ – it created a boom in demand for earlier editions.”

Their biggest joint hit was The BFG, published by Cape in 1982. A first edition sold for £650, or £5,000 if signed by both Dahl and Blake. A 1964 first edition of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory illustrated by Joseph Schindelman in good condition could fetch £4,000.