I don’t think it would be fair to refer to
myself as a “Biggles collector”. Admittedly, I do collect Biggles books, and
have done so from my early teens, but compared to some of the more serious
collectors (the ones who can sniff the binding of a book and tell you which
year it was published in), I really am beyond amateur.
My collection is up to 60 odd books now,
half in paperbacks (Red Fox, Armada, Knight) and half in no-dust-jacket hard
covers (Dean and Sons, Oxford, Brock), with nary a first edition amongst them.
I’ve got pretty much all the Biggles books
people can name off of the tops of their heads, Swastika, Flies East, Fails to Return, and so on. Most of the
ones I don’t have are Air Police books, and some of those appear to be books
with no Algy, so, really, I’m not in any particular hurry to get them anytime
soon.
A while back someone on the Biggles Yahoo
Group asked if maybe it was time to sell off his collection, as prices seemed
to be dropping of late, and he’d been keeping the collection as a sort of nest
egg for his children (at this point, I cast a guilty look towards my own
Biggles collection. Maybe I should teach my future kids some sort of life
skills…I don’t think my non-first-edition collection is going to make a good
nest egg for anyone).
Some discussion ensued, with some people
agreeing that he should consider selling, and others taking the view that
Biggles books are amazing reads that can be passed on throughout generations. I
don’t either agree or disagree with any of these views, but the discussion did
give me much food for thought, which is why I’m here typing this post instead
of working on my thesis (which I should have handed in…um…a looong time ago…)
Collections and the concept of collecting
is a strange thing. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a little part of the
brain located in the cerebral cortex or wherever that deals completely in the
desire to collect stuff.
In so many ways Biggles is the perfect
thing to collect. For starters, there are
98 books. And when you’re done reading those, you can collect all the first
editions. And after that, you can collect every
edition of every Biggles book ever.
Whee!
And if you’re one of those people who
somehow manage to get a lot of books really fast, there are Gimlet books to
collect! Worrals books! Steely books! Space books! Every edition of every book
W. E. Johns ever wrote!
Seriously, that’s enough collecting for a lifetime,
isn’t it? And there’s always something to look forward to, since Norman Wright is
republishing some of the Biggles books (new editions to collect!)
But really, is collecting a good thing? I started with four Red Fox books and a
movie novelization wedged in the corner of a bookshelf and now I’m up to my
current collection which is overflowing from a closet drawer. Every time I see
the word “Bigg” anywhere my heart skips a beat. If I see a Biggles book I don’t
own listed on eBay, I check the prices and start mentally calculating whether
or not I can add it to my collection.
I haven’t gotten to the stage where I’m
thinking about collecting first editions yet, but I wonder if I’m on the way
there, and I worry that one day I’ll lose focus on Biggles and just be all
about the collection.
I’m looking at my collection now and
wondering if it’s time for me to say, “Okay, this is it.”
I’ve got all the “exciting” books, the ones
with the brilliant Algy moments. Do I really need to chase after those Air
Police books I don’t have? I don’t think I’m doing anyone a disservice by
saying that the later Biggles books tend to be rather formulaic and dull, especially
the ones with no Algy. (Seriously, Mr. Johns, you of all people should know
that a Biggles book without Algy only counts as half a book at best.) That
being the case, is there any point in reading (or even wanting to read) those
books? There’s really nothing worse than settling in for a good read with a
Biggles book only to find, three pages in, that Algy is staying behind to
answer the phone.
In monetary terms I don’t think any of my
books have or will ever appreciate dramatically in value. That is not to say
that I was planning on selling any of my books in any case, but for me “collecting
to make money” isn’t really much of an excuse.
What I think I’m trying to say here is that
I don’t really have a reason to go on
collecting Biggles books. I’ve read all the good ones, I’m not doing it for the
money, so what am I doing it for?
But even as I say this, in my reasonable
and rational and determined voice, I have the feeling that I can’t stop myself
now. “Biggles radar” isn’t something that one can turn on and off at will. I
know myself well enough to know that if the chance arises, I will definitely
fight tooth and nail to complete my collection (in the same way that some
people will fight tooth and nail to get their hands on a paper cup used by
their favorite rock star. Not that I’m comparing Biggles books to a used paper
cup.)
Is this addiction? Is this normal? Should
we set up Biggles Anonymous for heavy collectors?
Soppy says "Is this addiction? Is this normal? Should we set up Biggles Anonymous for heavy collectors?"
ReplyDeleteMy answer to that is "Possibly" because there isn't a lot of logic in wanting to go on collecting editions in order to have as near a perfect set as possible when your main interest is the characters!!!!! So... that's me = 'not logical'.
I do have to say, however, that to hold a book in your hands that was written in the 1930s, with pages made out of the sort of thick paper that you need to go to a specialist shop for now, written before WEJ even considered introducing the 'Ginger' character, is definitely quite 'something'. It may not be logical but...
The other thing is that it isn't financially logical either, unless you are rich.
I do agree with you about the no-Algy books though. My theory is that the older he got, the less WEJ was able to handle conversations with more than two people. So he took the easy way out and banished one or more of the usual gang for the duration of the book.
Reading some of the later ones currently, I am struck by the number of times Biggles takes just Bertie. We never get just Biggles and Ginger for a whole book, mercifully. At least there are three just Biggles and Algy books amongst the late air police books.
I am puzzled (and possibly even somewhat ashamed) that I have the drive to collect even the Biggles books that I know won't be a good read (aka No-Algy books).
ReplyDeleteI was thinking the other day that the idea of getting my hands on a copy of Deep Blue Sea is something that fascinates me and horrifies me at the same time. On the one hand it would be marvelous to get what is essentially the Holy Grail of the Biggles world. On the other hand, the fact that I WANT to get my hands on it makes me feel quite material (is that even the right word for it?) The best way I can think of to describe it is like those rich people who spend tens of thousands of pounds on a handbag just so they can show it off to their friends. I started out "collecting" Biggles because I love the books, not because they were an "in" thing or because they symbolized some sort of mark of status. I'm horribly afraid that going after the harder to get books will become all about being the "Biggles collector" and having the "most complete collection" instead of just simple Algy love.
Yes, I'm a complex person. I have what I believe are known as "issues" in the trade :)
Is Deep Blue Sea the Holy Grail because it is a late book and hence fewer were printed and hence usually rather expensive, or because it is the last book to have only Biggles and Algy :-) [which gives it some Holy Grail bonus points in my book].
ReplyDeleteI am sure I have seen some not-so-expensive copies of DBS occasionally. Tell me your price limit and I'll keep a lookout for you if you want.
Quote' Yes, I'm a complex person. I have what I believe are known as "issues" in the trade'.
ReplyDeleteIts called 'Being creative'. The norms don't get it.
Being creative...never thought of like that (but perhaps you're right :))
ReplyDeleteHi!! May I just say, PLEASE DO NOT STOP THIS BLOG!!! I am also an Algy fan (a big fan...) and I love the Algy Chronicles - keep up the good work :)
ReplyDeleteIs it possibly just latent hunting instinct, which we all have in us?
ReplyDeleteIf Algy turned up on your doorstep announcing 'I can't find Biggles!' would you give that book a second thought? Possibly ever again?
Thanks to Anon for the support! Going to put up more posts after I get my thesis work done (in a couple of weeks at the most).
ReplyDeleteTS-if Algy turned up on my doorstep he wouldn't have time to say anything. At all. And no, I would never think about any book ever again.
Well, that's nailed that then.
ReplyDeleteGet back to work.
If Algy turned up on your doorstep announcing "I can't find Biggles', I trust you would do the decent thing Soppy and give me 5 minutes with him to get all the gen so I could go and find him :-)
ReplyDeleteIf Algy's at my door, Biggles has probably gone over to your place SA!
ReplyDeleteThat's ok then. I'll stop worrying, and when he says "I can't find Algy", I'll be able to reassure him :-)
ReplyDeleteSurely you would go on a quest to help him find Algy, as I would do with Algy? Neither of them could really be happy without the other one around.
ReplyDeleteGoing on a quest with one to look for the other sounds good :-)))
ReplyDeleteWhat happens when we meet? Do we go and tear a steak like they so often seem to do?
Obviously no vegetarians in the air police... Although I suppose Ginger might tear a tofu steak.
By collecting Biggles, I was assuming, Sppy that you were referring to Biggles books, not collecting the actual characters themselves.
ReplyDeleteMore fun to collect the characters themselves [very wicked grin]
ReplyDeleteWould just have to say, Soppy and SA, that if Algy turned up on Soppy's doorstep, it would be because Biggles was very definitely down this away - out Woop Woop - on my doorstep. Sorry SA. Not sure how we go about sharing our boy :)
ReplyDeleteSharing? Hmmm - have to think about that one.
ReplyDeleteYou could borrow him when he was down your way, helping out your air/police force, just occasionally... :-)))))
"Borrow"!!! "Borrow"!! SA!! Who said anything about borrowing? "Just occasionally"??? Once Biggles really gets to spend quality time in this little corner of the world, he'd see the light :)) He wouldn't even have to bring Smyth along to look after the kite, because I have my own resident engineer who'd happily fiddle with Biggles' Auster.... :-)))))))
ReplyDeleteI love the smilies RSG - how do you get them in to these messages from a Mac?
ReplyDeleteStrange how the two of you are fighting over Biggles and no one is trying to stake a claim for Algy from me?
ReplyDeleteI man, I like Biggles, he's okay, but given a choice between Algy and Biggles, I would never pick Biggles...
Well, the beauty of me being a Bertie fan is that there are very few people to fight off so I can have him to myself. Once in a while I daresay LB may put in an appearance to put up a bit of a fight, but overall I'd say I've got no competition.
ReplyDeleteHappy for you to have Algy, Soppy. I've only ever seen him as a lovely, friendly, protective, big brother sort of bloke....but Biggles is a different story. I mean, he's Biggles!!!!
ReplyDeleteSA - all I'm doing is using the colon-dash-bracket keys.
FB - Bertie's all yours. I do love him, but he's just not in the running.
Funny how no one's laying claim to young Ginger....
Ginger!!! Much too young.
ReplyDeleteI do love Algy a lot too - he and Biggles are inseparable really.
But from the age of ten or eleven, I have loved Biggles best - blame the ABC radio programmes for that :-)
I remember the ABC's female drama import (Pat somebody) saying that Biggles would die if he wasn't got to Australia for treatment and being, as an eleven-year-old, totally devastated that he might die. That was the ABC's dramatic interpretation of 'Biggles in Borneo'.
SA - Aaaarrrggghhh!!! I remember Pat only too well. I was always seriously annoyed that she was in the radio serials (and I was only 11-12 years old myself when I was listening to them). Think I must have already been staking my claim :) Maybe if they rush Biggles, with Algy of course, down here we can restore his good humour etc that seemed a bit strained in those later books :))))
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm totally clueless about these smilies. I was really surprised when they showed up like that - live it, though. Just wish I knew how it happened....
Hang on, hang on. If they rush down to Oz I can't have Algy (and that, my friends, is a big no-no...)
ReplyDeleteI don't think Ginger is the type of bloke girls want to be with, if you know what I mean. He's more like a scampish younger brother rather than anything else.
As for the smilies, they're part of the code I've written into the website, so if you type emoticons into your comment (such as a : and a ) to make a smiley face, it will show up as a smiley face). I have a list of the codes to type somewhere....
Yes please tell us some more :)
ReplyDeleteI'll dig them out and post them somewhere. I can't remember where the file is just now...
ReplyDeleteMust be something to do with the fact that someone just killed Algy off :'(
ReplyDeleteHaven't dropped in for a while for some reason but will try to make amends. Having now got my head around the idea of sharing the actual characters themselves, and still trying to cope with the concept of 'fiddling with Biggles' Auster', I'll go back to the original post. Am I a Biggles collector? I'd have to now say yes - in fact a Johns, not just Biggles, collector. It wasn't planned, though. I originally just wanted to get the Biggles books I hadn't read as a kid - I didn't realise there were so many until a few years ago. At first I didn't care - paperback, hardback, whatever, the cheaper the better was all that mattered. But obviously once I got to the scarcer ones, if I wanted them I was going to have to change my thinking. I couldn't be satisfied until I had them all, no just wanting Algy ones. So I got used to the idea of having to spend a bit more.
ReplyDeleteOnce I got them all though, the transition to full-on collector happened. I then set out to get them all in hardback, with dust jacket. Done. Then all the Worrals/Gimlet/Space/Steeley, also hb/dj. Done. Then all the rest - nearly there but a few to go. Then all the Norman Wrights - ditto.
But they're certainly not all first editions, although I have a lot of the later ones. I only have one John Hamilton, a tatty The Spyflyers. I'm enough of a realist to know that unless I win lotto that's probably not going to change. That said, I got a tatty Deep Blue Sea with all the pages up to the contents page missing but no missing text. Couldn't be satisfied though, had to get a proper version with dj during that quest. Then the NW edition during that quest. So now I have 3 Deep Blue Seas - I guess that's the irrefutable proof that puts me in the collector category.
I read all the books, though, I don't just sit there looking at them (still a few as yet not read, admittedly, but I'm getting there). I bought them because I want to read them.
Sorry for such a long post. Do we need a Biggles Anonymous? My wife certainly thinks so...
It certainly sounds like you've got it bad, SS! I don't think it's about the money, really, it's about the fact that we just HAVE to have that last book or that last first edition or whatever, and even when we think we've completed our collections there's always something else we find we want to collect...and so it goes.
ReplyDeleteAnd then....
ReplyDeleteLater reprints of some of the earlier books no longer had the colour frontispiece in them, so I had to go back and get an earlier edition that still had it....
I wonder what I'll decide needs attending to next!
I'm sure you'll find something, SS. We always manage to do that somehow. Luckily I haven't got to the stage where I've got all the books yet, so I'm still in the "still some Biggles books I haven't read yet" category.
ReplyDeleteWell I did just find something I'm quite pleased with - just got a 1937 reprint of Flies East - not the Pyramid but the one with the original plane on the cover and spine. It's about the last one that still had the colour frontispiece and the 4 b&w plates. Most editions after this had no illustrations at all. No dj but I'll just have to cope.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course it's a bit ironic because Norman Wright has announced that Flies East is going to be his next production, so I'll have to get that as well...
I found a decent h/b of "Breaks the Silence" in a local 2nd hand b/shop last week. Very happy because it now replaces my tatty p/b of "In the Antarctic" (how that re-titling annoyed me!!!). Has a slightly tatty d/j, too. Mr RSG is quite happy to indulge me in all things Biggles and wej. SS, Maybe we need a "Biggles Anonymous" for all the partners / spouses / significant others who indulge us?
ReplyDeleteWell done, RSG. Finding any with a dj in second hand shops is pretty uncommon. They usually end up on ebay.
ReplyDeleteI think if I suggested a Biggles anonymous for my wife there would be violence...
I shouldn't be unfair though - she does shake her head sometimes and ask 'why?', but she'd never stop me (well, so far, anyway!)
I just remembered something else that I overlooked in my long post - the Children's Book Club editions! I've got most of them now too.
And I just scored my first John Hamilton Biggles edition - a very early reprint of Biggles Flies Again, slightly the worse for wear but priced accordingly, so at least I can say I have one now!
Does high postage mean you don't buy from ebay UK? It is not hard to find reasonably-priced early reprints of Hamiltons and Oxfords on ebay UK if you keep watching, and recently some first edition hardbacks of later years have gone cheaply when without a jacket. But I guess the postage does add quite a lot.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course, there's nothing to compare with actually finding a book in a proper bookshop but here in the UK, booksellers are wise to the value of Biggles books so the chance of finding something really exciting is very low. Sadly...
Postage is a pain but I just factor it in and grin and bear it. I buy probably 80% of my WE Johns books from the UK - I always have the Ebay search settings on 'Worldwide' so I see what's available everywhere.
ReplyDeleteYou will still find a few Biggles books in secondhand shops here but usually they're common ones without djs. Our local one had Homefront with a dj a while back so they slapped $AU70 on it.
I was completely surprised at my find in this bookshop. My experience here for years has been that as soon as I ask if they have any 'Biggles' titles or anything else by WEJ, the shop assistant does one of the following:
ReplyDeletea) shakes head sympathetically and mutters something inane like - had some in a couple of weeks ago, but they're all gone now;
b) develops predatory gleam in eye and says 'yes', triumphantly producing the common Dean & Son editions (all of which I seem to have - s.i.g.h.)
c) develops massive predatory gleam in eye and reverently conducts me to a locked glass book-case (usually behind the counter) where a generally tatty H/B resides with some totally ridiculous price tag. I was offered 'Flies South" (not a 1st edition) in a little shop in the NQ tourist trap town of Yungaburra earlier this year for a mere $250 (I think - maybe more?).
Hence, I was totally chuffed when this lovely lady answered my query with a friendly smile and the response "We've got a handful - here they are." I was really surprised at the reasonable prices - and she checked them with the ABE books website on-line while I was there and still seemed happy to offer them for that price. I'm still grinning!
Have you never run into those booksellers who look at you funny and say, "Big-what?"
ReplyDelete