Spotted: Rare First Edition Laura Ingalls Wilder Books on Ebay

I'm always on the hunt for Laura Ingalls Wilder books and memorabilia - mostly books and photos of places she lived throughout her time. I also enjoy learning about the people Mrs. Wilder met throughout her life and travels. Sometimes I like to find older copies of Mrs. Wilder's books to give to friends, especially young people like my nieces.

I look for books that are in good condition, but that are old enough to have character so that the recipients will treasure them for years to come and pass them down to their favorite young people.

I was on Ebay yesterday seeing if there were any interesting bargains and I came across several First Edition copies of the "Little House" books. In fact, there were so many I did a search and went down a bit of a rabbit hole.

Mind you, most of the books are too rich for my poor blood, but I find this to be a discussion-worthy topic so I'm sharing some finds and commentary with you here.

You can see the complete results of my search for "Laura Ingalls Wilder First Editions" at that link. There are many more books than I have listed here as examples.

Rare First Editions of "Little House Books" on Ebay

First Edition of "Little Town on the Prairie" 1941

I used to giggle whenever I saw this book cover because I wondered why on Earth anyone would draw a cover of Laura Ingalls Wilder with such a big butt. (I was younger then, please don't judge.) Actually I still giggle as I remember it. But anyway, this copy of "Little Town on the Prairie has a "Buy it Now" price of $2,500.00! Do you think Mrs. Wilder had any idea in her wildest dreams that a first edition copy of her book would be put up for auction at this price? The seller is from a rare bookstore, but I'm keeping an eye on this one if only to see if it actually fetches that price.

First Edition of "On the Banks of Plum Creek" 1937

This copy is a little more affordable for Laura Ingalls Wilder collectors, but one has to wonder why a First Edition of "On the Banks of Plum Creek" has a "buy it now price" as cheap as a current printing. A further look shows the seller mentioning years of wear and tear as well as two pages missing. I would probably pass on this copy as I wouldn't want to gift (or read) a book with pages missing and I'm not sure how well it would appreciate over the years. But as far as covers go, I love this cover of Mary and Laura wading in the creek. I was a city girl and so envied the country lifestyle. "Plum Creek" made me want to be a country girl.

First Edition, First Print: "Little Town on the Prairie" 1941

"Little Town on the Prairie" is my favorite of the "Little House Books" partly because I am a fan of "Laura Ingalls Wilder" the teen years and partly because it's about the birth of a town. I mean, when you think about it, the Ingalls family were the first settlers to DeSmet. That's some serious history and legacy right there.  While I enjoyed every single book in the series, it's the books after Laura came to DeSmet and met Almanzo that I love the most. I'm just a romantic that way.

This particular copy has a "Buy it Now" price of $700, again from a rare bookseller. I suppose if anyone knows what these books are worth, it's someone who buys and sells rare books.

The whole shebang: A rare first edition set of the Little House Series - 8 Books

This isn't what true Laura Ingalls Wilder aficionados would consider a complete set because "The First Four Years" isn't included. When you consider the last book in the series wasn't published until long after this set of the Little House Series was published, it's definitely complete for that time. I have never seen a full set of LIW First Editions before so I just took some time to look at the photo and appreciate them as a set. Please don't judge. I'm just a geek that way.

What I find interesting is that entire this series is at a "Buy it Now" price of $1905.95, but the First Edition of "Little Town on the Prairie" mentioned at the top of this page is selling for  a lot more. All books in this series are listed as being in "fine" condition. They were obviously owned by someone who showed them much love.

First Edition of "The Long Winter" 1940

Now the cover on this First Edition of "The Long Winter" shows what it's all about: The Ingalls family huddled around the stove. They all look pretty happy here, and if I remember correctly Pa wasn't much into fiddling what with all the hay twisting and wheat grinding (and let's not forget those houseguests from hell - oh wait, they weren't in this book), but still, it's a nice happy cover of a book that showed us all what it could be like to endure a harsh winter as a pioneer in a newly established town (check out those red cheeks!). This copy can be yours for the "Buy it Now" price of $500!

I really need to check out some past auctions to see how well First Editions of the "Little House Books" have done in the past. I'm not planning on starting a new business, but I'm curious from a LIW fan point of view. And if anyone actually reads this blog and is a collector, do let us know if these are reasonable prices for First Editions.

First Edition: "The Long Winter" - Leatherbound - 1940

Though this is a pretty copy of "The Long Winter" I prefer illustrated covers so I can picture the family better. In any event, this copy of "The Long Winter" is selling at a "Buy it Now" price of $335.00 - A steal compared to some of the other books listed here. It might be because some of the page numbers are circled in ink, however, the book is said to be in good condition.

Do I sound like I know what I'm talking about? I don't.  I'm simply fascinated that there are so many First Editions up for grabs and that they might be selling for these prices. One would think they go up in value, right? I need to really research these more. My LIW research is into the woman herself - as well as her family and friends. Now I'm very curious about the books and the market for her first edition copies. Thanks for another obsession, Mrs. Wilder! My family thanks you too.

First Edition of "On the Banks of Plum Creek" 1937

This copy of "On the Banks of Plum Creek" is a little battered and shows in the price - $99.00 for a "Buy it Now." I've seen books that are in this condition for sale at the library for $1.00. I need to investigate those a little more. Clearly I need to stop thinking about this (but you know I won't). My family isn't very understanding when it comes to books taking over our little home. I don't know that I would invest in a copy that is this worn, but it's more affordable than many of the others shown here too.

First Edition "By the Shores of Silver Lake" 1939

Another of my favorites, By the Shores of Silver Lake" showed us a Laura who was conflicted between becoming a young lady and remaining a kid. She rode horses bareback with her cousin Lena, watched men work on the railroad, became the eyes of the world for her sister Mary, and witnessed the birth of a brand new town. When I give a writing workshop, I read Laura's description of the surveyor's house as an example of "showing and not telling."

The cover is worn on this edition of "By the Shores of Silver Lake" but it shows the Ingalls family waiting for the train. Think about it - trains were very new at this time. Can you imagine riding it after experiencing nothing but horses and wagons? How brave and how exciting! I've experience progress, but I don't know that I will ever feel as excited about MTV and the Internet as I did about Laura and family riding the train for the first time.

Anyway, this book is listed for a Buy it Now price of $700. I wouldn't buy it but just looking at the cover and reliving Laura's first time on a train and I'm seriously tempted.

First Edition: Little House in the Big Woods" 1932

Here it is: The Book That Started It All. I remember taking "Little House in the Big Woods" out of the library to read for the first time. It opened up  a whole new world for me. I don't think I understand at the time that Laura Ingalls Wilder was a real person, but reading about the day to day life of a person who was older than my Grandma? It was fascinating and an obsessions was born.

This copy of "Little House in the Big Woods" has definitely seen better days but it's not in bad condition when you consider its age and how often it might have been read over the years. The Buy it Now Price is $600, though I noticed this book and some others have payment plans available for the collector on a budget.

Again, here are the results of my search for Laura Ingalls Wilder First Editions. As you can see there are a lot more books listed there than I have listed here. Let me know if you found anything interesting, or if you have insight into what Laura Ingalls Wilder First Editions are going for.

Thanks for indulging me in a new fascination!

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