To continue with my new trend of posting about things in my new Etsy shop, I thought this week I’d post about a series of books that reside in my parents’ house, but won’t be going up for sale:

One of the types of old books I’ve rediscovered while helping my parents clean out their house make up a collection of Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy books.  While most people are familiar with the wonderfully huggable ragdolls, I’m unsure how many non-enthusiasts know they began as stories illustrated by their creator, Johnny Gruelle.

Gruelle wrote the Raggedy doll stories during a period of great change in American society.  While America was progressing there was (as there always is) a social backlash, glorifying traditional values.  Gruelle exemplified this in his mission statement, “The Gruelle Ideal”:

It is the Gruelle ideal that books for children should contain nothing to cause fright, suggest fear, glorify mischief, excuse malice, or condone cruelty.  That is why they are called ‘BOOKS GOOD FOR CHILDRED’”

The stories were inspired by a ragdoll found in Gruelle’s parents’ attic and given to his daughter Marcella Delight.  And while I would usually rag her for her name, it doesn’t feel appropriate since she sadly died at the young age of 13 from an infected vaccination.  At the time of her death, Gruelle was just getting his Raggedy Ann stories published, and obtaining a copyright to produce Raggedy Ann dolls.  After her death he kept the Raggedy Ann doll he had given her in his studio as an inspiration.

Throughout the years Gruelle used many illustrators, including his son Worth.  The illustrations were what always drew me to these books as a child.  I remember after my older sisters had gone to college, while I was still very young, my mother put the books in my room.  I would sit there looking through the pictures, mainly because at 3 I couldn’t be bothered with reading a whole page of text.

Some of the books are now worth quite a lot, including the 1960s reprints after the Bobbs Merrill Company acquired the rights.  The reprints were nearly identical to the original books, with the same layout, size, and images.

Beloved Belindy, for example, is still a highly sought after item.  It is very often listed for at least $50 on auction and bookseller sites.  Despite the racist undertones (Belindy is a Mammy Doll, displaying Black-Face makeup) and propagation of the African American caretaker of wealthier Caucasian children, Gruelle tells a sweet story about a Nanny caring for and teaching her young wards.

For some books you may not find someone willing to pay more than $5.  A good site to start with is AntiqBook, which displays results from professional booksellers around the world.  I start a lot of my research on this site, and always suggest it to people curious about their old books.  But do be warned- booksellers pay a fee to have their inventory appear on that site, and most do not include pictures, so you’re judging quality by their word alone.

I’d love to hear from other collectors about their Raggedy Ann and Andy knowledge!

(a lot of information here on Johnny Gruelle came from wikipedia and Patricia Hall’s essay on Raggedy Land.)