Dust Jacket Collector Posted 11 July , 2019 Share Posted 11 July , 2019 Yesterday, after many years of diligent searching, I finally completed my set of Bodley Head’s ‘On Active Service Series’. Published between 1919 & 1922 they covered just about every aspect of the War on land, sea & air. There were 28 separate volumes, some of them being particularly elusive. I’d hasten to add they haven’t all retained their jackets. I suspect that having achieved this goal I’ll now lose all interest in them. Many years ago, before the internet, I used to collect a series called Notable British Trials. There were 83 of them published between 1904 & 1964. In those days you found things in real bookshops and our family holidays were always planned with the route taking in as many towns with bookshops as possible. Eventually I got them all and of course lost all interest in them. They gaze down at me as I type, occupying the shelves where more WW1 books should go. Couldn’t bear to part with them though. If I did I’d have to start again. Weird this collecting game! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 11 July , 2019 Share Posted 11 July , 2019 Congratulations Alan , it's always nice to complete a set and the 'On Active Service Series' contain some great memoirs. I think it was that famous German flyer ' The Red Baron' who said that once he had shot down a British plane his hunting instincts were satisfied for ten minutes . I think book collecting is a bit like that , once that elusive book has been found you are happy and satisfied for a short time and then it's on to trying to find the next one on the list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave G Posted 11 July , 2019 Share Posted 11 July , 2019 Sometime in the early 1990's, don't ask me why, I decided to obtain all the military titles published by William Kimber. There were over 200 in that category with titles like Spitfire Pilot, I Flew a Spitfire, I Was a Spitfire Mechanic, I Once Knew Someone Who Flew A Spitfire, Spitfires Up!, Was That A Spitfire? Spitfires Over [fill in the blank], ad nauseum. Before the internet and on this side of the pond there were many rather hard-to-find Kimber titles. Got most of the way there and promptly lost interest. I can't shift them now because they are easily found on the internet priced quite modestly. Oh to have that money back in my pocket to contribute to Tom Donovan's retirement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 11 July , 2019 Share Posted 11 July , 2019 Hi Alan, time to pop a cork, completing a set is always an achievement! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 11 July , 2019 Author Share Posted 11 July , 2019 1 hour ago, MartH said: Hi Alan, time to pop a cork, completing a set is always an achievement! The wife opened a bottle of Prosecco but it may have been to dull the pain of knowing I’d spent more money on books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 11 July , 2019 Share Posted 11 July , 2019 33 minutes ago, Dust Jacket Collector said: The wife opened a bottle of Prosecco but it may have been to dull the pain of knowing I’d spent more money on books. Well at least she knows that no more to be spent on these these elusive titles, or did I speak too soon and you are now after them in dust wrapper? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 11 July , 2019 Author Share Posted 11 July , 2019 9 minutes ago, MartH said: Well at least she knows that no more to be spent on these these elusive titles, or did I speak too soon and you are now after them in dust wrapper? Well......I do only have jackets on 10 of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 11 July , 2019 Share Posted 11 July , 2019 Just now, Dust Jacket Collector said: Well......I do only have jackets on 10 of them. Only 10? You will have to change your nickname.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 11 July , 2019 Author Share Posted 11 July , 2019 3 hours ago, MartH said: Only 10? You will have to change your nickname.... They are remarkably scarce in their jackets. I suspect, the cloth bindings being identical, that maybe the jackets were discarded to give a more uniform effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
other ranker Posted 11 July , 2019 Share Posted 11 July , 2019 Congratulations DJC. Remember I found 'With The Chinks' for you and its listed again on ebay. Hope to see you soon. All the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 11 July , 2019 Author Share Posted 11 July , 2019 4 minutes ago, other ranker said: Congratulations DJC. Remember I found 'With The Chinks' for you and its listed again on ebay. Hope to see you soon. All the best. I think it sold straight away - £375 as I recall. Still the last one I saw was with Harringtons and that went for £750. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 12 July , 2019 Share Posted 12 July , 2019 On 11/07/2019 at 10:23, Dust Jacket Collector said: Yesterday, after many years of diligent searching, I finally completed my set of Bodley Head’s ‘On Active Service Series’. Published between 1919 & 1922 they covered just about every aspect of the War on land, sea & air. There were 28 separate volumes, some of them being particularly elusive. I’d hasten to add they haven’t all retained their jackets. I suspect that having achieved this goal I’ll now lose all interest in them. Many years ago, before the internet, I used to collect a series called Notable British Trials. There were 83 of them published between 1904 & 1964. In those days you found things in real bookshops and our family holidays were always planned with the route taking in as many towns with bookshops as possible. Eventually I got them all and of course lost all interest in them. They gaze down at me as I type, occupying the shelves where more WW1 books should go. Couldn’t bear to part with them though. If I did I’d have to start again. Weird this collecting game! " Weird this collecting game!" Correction : "Weird this collecting game mania" But a pleasant one though............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 12 July , 2019 Author Share Posted 12 July , 2019 " Weird this collecting game!" Correction : "Weird this collecting game mania" But a pleasant one though............. Actually I might be able to justify keeping the NBT set as one of the most famous, that of George Joseph Smith (‘The Brides in the Bath’), took place in 1915 & John Christie served on the Western Front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 12 July , 2019 Share Posted 12 July , 2019 (edited) On 12/07/2019 at 16:34, Dust Jacket Collector said: Actually I might be able to justify keeping the NBT set as one of the most famous, that of George Joseph Smith (‘The Brides in the Bath’), took place in 1915 & John Christie served on the Western Front. And what part did the Glasgow Bank Directors play in the Great War??? I refer you to the last 3 words spoken in the film "Bridge on the River Kwai" ("Madness................Madness................Madness") PS- Thompson and Bywaters- "Pin to See the Peepshow"- Bywaters was a Great War veteran. Edited 15 July , 2019 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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