The Wishing Well (Penny Parker Mystery Story #8)

Cupples & Leon Company, New York, 1942. Later Printing. Hardcover. Very Good- Condition/Fair. Book The Cupples & Leon printings are cheaper than those of Grosset & Dunlap from the same era and suffer from amateurish drawings and plots and characters that are more set in the WWII era than other series. In spite of that, as Axe notes, "The Penny Parker Books are eagerly collected today, especially because they are the work of Mildred A. Wit, and are more valuable as collectors' items than other series books that are better mysteries." In addition, he writes, they "are rather difficult to locate today with dust jackets, or even without dust jackets for that matter . . ." (p. 122). The list of Penny Parker books on the front flap lists to #15, "Whispering Walls," indicating a 1946 printing, which matches the poor paper quality. Size: 7.5"-8" - Small Octavo (Sm. 8vo). 206 pages. Item Type: Book. The text block is tight, though the front end papers are starting to split. The paper is the acidic World War II paper, which has significantly toned. There is a plain paper frontis opposite the title page. Hardcover bound in blue textured paper with title and author on front cover and spine. The corners are sharp, though worn through at the tips. There is wear at the corners of the head and foot of the spine, as well. The end papers are in a weave pattern incorporating a "This is my book" bookplate on the free end paper, which has not been filled in. The unclipped dust jacket has the pallette design over a rose-colored background, with a picture of two girls in blue accent colors watching a man at the well. There is a cut of a well on the spine, under the number 8, indicating the book's place in its sequence. The jacket has wear alnong the edges, with a chip at the top of the front flap's fold, a chip and 1" tear at the front fold of the spine, a chip at the head of the spine touching the "T" of "The," a larger chip and 1 1/4" tear at the rear fold of the spine and a diagonal fold starting about 1/3 of the way across the top of the rear panel going to a 1" tear not quite to the fold for the rear flap. Two prices in a red pencil have been marked at the top of the rear flap. The jacket is now in a clear archival Brodart sleeve to protect it from any further damage. The page edges are clean, but heavily toned. Quantity Available: 1. Category: Fiction; United States; 1940s; Main Picture: Mildred A. Wirt, The Wishing Well (New York: 1942) - Front panel and spine of the dust jacket showing the condition (Note: the jacket is now in a protective sleeve). Picture 2: Mildred A. Wirt, The Wishing Well (New York: 1942) - Rear panel of the dust jacket showing the condition and the page edges (Note: the jacket is now in a protective sleeve). Picture 3: Mildred A. Wirt, The Wishing Well (New York: 1942) - Front cover and spine. Picture 4: Mildred A. Wirt, The Wishing Well (New York: 1942) - Rear cover and page edges. Picture 5: Mildred A. Wirt, The Wishing Well (New York: 1942) - Flaps of the dust jacket with the list of Penny Parker books going to #15, indicating a 1946 printing. Picture 6: Mildred A. Wirt, The Wishing Well (New York: 1942) - Front end papers in the wave design (Axe Format II). Picture 7: Mildred A. Wirt, The Wishing Well (New York: 1942) - Plain paper frontis and title page on poor quality paper (Axe Format II). Picture 8: Mildred A. Wirt, The Wishing Well (New York: 1942) - List of books in the series on the copyright page and facing Table of Contents. Pictures of this item not already displayed here available upon request. Inventory No: 1192. .