I grew up reading the Hardy Boys, and have all of my personal copies (in yellow dustjackets) still. But here are five early copies in dustjackets you may wish to add to your collection. I have some others without jackets that I will try to add here. And remember, ordering is easy from RAY BOAS, Bookseller
[c1937] – HOUSE ON THE CLIFF – HARDY BOYS NUMBER 2 — Price – $40
– Good with chipped dustjacket (slight cant to book block) dustjacket protector placed on jacket upon shipping.
– Dating at 1937 using back flap data listed in THE BAYPORT COMPANION published 1992
- smooth brown cloth with “boys in thunder storm” – brown stampings
- dustjacket – white spine with red shield
- orange endpapers – boy with binoculars in tree
- Copyright page – (1927) – lists to #3 SECRET OF THE OLD MILL
- B&W frontis
- 212 pages followed by ads: HB / Ted Scott / Spotlight Books / Mark Tidd / Hot off Gridirion / Air Combat
- Front flap lists 16 titles to A FIGURE IN HIDING
- Rear Flap – Ted Scott – 18 titles
- Rear cover – X-Bar-X Boys – 14 titles
[c1932/3] – THE MISSING CHUMS – HARDY BOYS NUMBER 4 – DUSTJACKET – Price $150
Good with lightly chipped dustjacket (extremely faint cant to book block) dustjacket protector placed on jacket upon shipping.
Dating at 1932/3 using back flap data listed in THE BAYPORT COMPANION published 1992
- smooth brown cloth with “boys in thunder storm” – brown stampings – some spotting on rear board and top rear of dustjacket (faint)
- dustjacket – white spine with red shield – faded out
- orange endpapers – boy with binoculars in tree
- Copyright page – (1928) – lists to #5 HUNTING FOR HIDDEN GOLD
- B&W frontis
- 214 pages followed by ads: HB / Western Stories / Ted Scott / Hall Keen / Aviation Series
- Front flap lists 12 titles to FOOTPRINTS UNDER THE WINDOW
- Rear Flap – Western Stories for Boys – 11 titles
- Rear cover – Hal Keen Mystery Series – 8 titles
c1939 – THE MYSTERY OF CABIN ISLAND – HARDY BOYS NUMBER 8 – DUSTJACKET – Price $115
– Good with chipped dustjacket (slight cant to book block) dustjacket protector placed on jacket upon shipping.
– Dating at 1939 using back flap data listed in THE BAYPORT COMPANION published 1992
- smooth brown cloth with “boys in thunder storm” – brown stampings
- dustjacket – white spine with red shield
- orange endpapers – boy with binoculars in tree
- Copyright page – (1929) – lists to itself #8 and below that Ted Scott (10 titles)
- B&W frontis
- 214 pages followed by ads: HB / Ted Scott / Spotlight Books / Western Stories / Spotlight Books /Mark Tidd /
- Front flap lists 18 titles to THE TWISTED CLAW
- Rear Flap – Western Stories – 17 titles
- Rear cover – Spotlight Books for Boys
Probably the 16th printing (1939A-16) with 5050 at top of front flap, and is the only printing of Cabin Island that lists the age code as 120-160 and the bottom of the front flap.
c1939 – THE GREAT AIRPORT MYSTERY – HARDY BOYS NUMBER 9 – DUSTJACKET – Price $95
– Good with lioghtly chipped dustjacket (faint cant to book block) dustjacket protector placed on jacket upon shipping.
– Dating at 1939 using back flap data listed in THE BAYPORT COMPANION published 1992
- smooth brown cloth with “boys in thunder storm” – brown stampings
- dustjacket – white spine with red shield
- orange endpapers – boy with binoculars in tree
- Copyright page – (1930) – lists to itself #9 THE GREAT AIRPORT MYSTERY and below 12 Ted Scott titles
- B&W frontis
- 210 pages followed by ads: HB / Ted Scott / Western Stories / Spotlight Books / Mark Tidd / Air Combat
- Front flap lists 18 titles to THE TWISTED CLAW
- Rear Flap – Ted Scott – 18 titles
- Rear cover – Spotlight books for boys
- 50/50 top of front flap of jacket – 110-150 at bottom
1933 – THE GREAT AIRPORT MYSTERY – HARDY BOYS NUMBER 9 – DUSTJACKET – Price $125
- Good with good dustjacket – dustjacket protector placed on jacket upon shipping
- .Dating at 1933 using back flap data listed in THE BAYPORT COMPANION published 1992
- textured brown cloth with “boys in thunder storm” – brown stampings
- dustjacket – white spine with red shield washed out
- orange endpapers – boy with binoculars in tree
- Copyright page – (1930) – lists to itself #9 THE GREAT AIRPORT MYSTERY and below 12 Ted Scott titles
- B&W frontis
- 210 pages followed by ads: HB / Western Stories / Ted Scott / Tom Swift / Don Sturdy / Hal Keen / Aviation Series / Rex Lee / Garry Grayson Football / Books by Leo Edwards
- Front flap lists 12 titles to UNDER THE WINDOW
- Rear Flap – Western Stories – 11 titles
- Rear cover – Hal Keen Mystery Stories – 8 titles
- Jacket is probably 1933A-6, but the book is 1933B-7. Probably came that way originally.
Ray Boas, Bookseller 