Antiques Roadshow star and expert Eric Knowles should know, with all his years of experience on the Antiques Roadshow, his extensive experience at Bonham’s the internationally renowned auction house and in the trade says this week in the Radio Times 19th. – 235th. September 2009;
“If you’ve got the right Rupert annual you could be sitting on a fortune” and he is not wrong. He is referring to the 1973 issue of this ever popular annual with the distinctive “Brown faced Rupert” on the front cover ( instead of white as specified by Alfred Bestall the illustrator ) of which only about 12 proof copies were produced. This so angered Alfred Bestall that he never produced another cover again. The estimated value of one of these Rupert annuals is a staggering £20,000.00 and it doesn’t stop there, a copy of the first Rupert annual produced in 1936 complete with it’s dust jacket in good condition, you will note I did not say mint condition, could expect to sell for in the region of £5000.00.
This brings us to the mantra always quoted by any collector,
“condition is everything”
Even some of the early Rupert annuals in only good condition, say a 1936 copy with no dust jacket can fetch £400.00 to £600.00 and the war years publications in the paper covers due to wartime printing restrictions, it is well to note that these restrictions carried on to 1949, in good to fine condition can fetch £100.00 to £300.00. Not a bad investment when the purchase price was only 3s/ 6p or 17.5 pence in today’s money.
It also says a lot about a publication that Rupert Bear annuals were considered so vital to the moral of the nation that they were produced despite the grave conditions and shortages.
How do you asses whether or not the condition of your annual is Mint, Mint-, Fine, good or otherwise, well the easiest method is to go to our website www.rupertbearannuals.com and it is all explained in detail, just click on the “about us” icon at the head of the home page, but in brief any damage to the spine or covers will reduce the value as will if the price, usually on the corner of page 2, has been snipped off, some collectors will also devalue an annual if there is an name in the “belongs to “ box or if there is an inscription, usually from the parents or an aunt and uncle. On a personal level a name written in by an evidently childish hand or an inscription from adoring parents or relative is very touching and for me lends an authenticity to the annual, as an example we have a 1948 edition in FINE condition with the inscription;
“To Michael Neil, from Mum xmas 1948”
and my immediate thought is what happened to Dad, was he lost in the war, did the deprivations of the war years tear the family apart, was Michael an evacuee, some never went home as there wasn’t a home to go to, so many features can be conjured up.
Inside none of the puzzles, competitions or paintings should be touched as this will devalue the annual and this is highlighted by the Rupert annuals produced from 1960 through to 1968. Now these Rupert annuals were all produced with 6 to 8 pages of “Magic Pictures” , for the collector a nightmare. What the lucky recipient of the Rupert annual had to do to colour these pictures in was to take a cup of water a paint brush or finger dip it into the water and gently and accurately fill in each part of the picture this would then bring out the colour and when completed you have a beautiful coloured picture, well that’s the theory. If the page was turned before the water was dry it would transfer onto the next page, to much water and it would run or spread. A 1960’s Rupert annual in Fine plus condition with the magic paintings untouched could easily make £50.00 to £120.00. Rupert annuals from the 1950’s in Mint to Fine condition can make similar sums whilst from the 1970’s and 1980‘s can make £20.00 to £50.00, the 1990’s and to present day £8.00 to £20.00.
Limited Edition Collectors Facsimile Reproduction annuals
In 1986 it was decided that due to the interest and demand from the public to produce a true facsimile of the first Rupert annual staying true to the paper, colour and content. These have proven to be incredible popular that they are valued even higher than many of the multi million selling authors of the twentieth century with many of the Limited Edition Collectors annuals having values from £50.00 to £150.00. All of the Rupert annuals produced in this range from 1949 onwards should also be accompanied by numbered certificate whilst the annuals issued for 1936, 37, 38, 39 and 40 were not issued with protective slip cases all of the rest were. The annuals issued for 1936, 37 and 38 were issued with a publicity wrapper. Any loss or damage will once again devalue the annual.
It is well to note that not all of the years could be reproduced and the following years were not;
1946, 1947, 1954, 1956, 1960, 1961 and 1962
this is due solely to the non P.C. ( politically correct ) nature of the contents, Oh how things have changed!
Signed Rupert Annuals
As with most books having a copy that has been signed by the author, or in the case of Rupert Bear the illustrator and/or storey writer, will enhance the value and this can be enhanced even further by having not just the illustrator’s signature but also a personal dedication from the illustrator to you. Values of these would also be in the £20.00 to £60.00 range.
Yes collecting Rupert Bear annuals can be good for you not only financially, make sure your collection is insured or included within your house insurance as even a small selection of Rupert annuals can have a value in excess of £2000.00. You will certainly have fun physically looking for your annuals from either a car boot sale, auction houses or scouring the internet bookshops, and its very evident from my customers that there is an even split of men and women of all ages that collect Rupert Bear annuals. Lastly but not least the quality of the illustrators and storey writers over the last 70 plus years is without equal and on par with some of the most renowned illustrators of the 20th. Century.
Have you ordered your copy of this years yet.
An absolute gem of an annual in FINE + condition due to minor shelf wear to the front and rear cover corners and the top and tail of the spine, some age spots starting to show, well it is 58 years old. Inside there is no inscription in the “belongs to box and the price has not been clipped there is a presentation inscription on the ffp in beautiful neat handwriting that reads “ September 1955. This book presented to: Pauline as 1st prize for Nature Study. 30th St. Helens Brownie Pack” how really lovely on the same page a small area of abrasion 1.5cm x2 cm. The pages are stiff, clean, sound and bursting with colour. So rare to find one of this age in such wonderful condition and a real must for any collector.
