Book Values By Decade

Most Valuable First Edition Picturebooks

With regard to the ‘most valuable by decade’ lists that have been posted, we’ve been asked to provide some reference information from the price guide.  The following is a table showing number of books in the price guide from each decade, and the average estimated market price.

Not surprisingly, in general, a first edition book’s value increases with age.  The anomoly in the 1950s is due to the influence of the Dr. Seuss books on the sample set.

Even though we consider Wanda Gag’s 1928 publication of Millions of Cats as the beginning of the contemporary children’s picturebook industry, the price guide does include works published prior to 1928 from notable picturebook illustrators.  These books were not picturebooks per se, however included illustrations from notables such as Johnny Gruelle, Maud & Miska Petersham, and Dorothy Lathrop.