There is sometimes a lot of confusion in the book collecting world, which is why it takes a trained eye to recognize a 'true' first edition collectible item from another. A fine example of this is the collectible First Edition of the Cat In The Hat, by Doctor Seuss. It may surprise you to learn that Dr Suessis one of the rarest children's book authors around!
Hang on a minute, I hear you say. Haven't I got an old Doctor Seuss book in the attic? Is it worth any money? Hasn't everyone got a Doctor Seuss somewhere?
As with most collectible items, the points of issue ofthe 1957 first edition Cat In The Hat are small details, and are complicated by the fact that they are hard to spot. You might even argue that the 'true' first editions of this book are all the more valuable because they are so easily confused with their later edition reprints!
How do you spot a true first edition of The Cat in the Hat? The true first edition has, printed in the upper right hand corner, a series of numbers reading 200/200. This was actually a printer's approximation of the price, set at the time at $2 in America.
The middle of the lower-area of the book has the legend 'FOR BEGINNING READERS' within a circular 'stamp' with the lettering slanted about 45 degrees off the horizontal. Later editions have a miniature stylized Cat-in-a-Hat in the form of a logo.
What makes this true first edition so hard to spot and exciting is that, on the face of it, the many other reprints look very similar. They are all blue of cover, hardback, with the exact same iconic picture of Cat-in-the-Hat in the same cover position. However, later reprints do not include the misprinted price, or include a slightly different price (195/195 for the post 1958 edition) or indeed include no price at all. This is because, after the enormous success of the first edition, first printing, the 200/200 was removed from the cover to facilitate bulk printing in different countries and currencies. The differences in value can hardly be more pronounced, as a 195/195 can fetch from $800, but a 200/200 can start at $2000 and up!
So, is your old copy of that childhood favorite a collectible item?
Dr Seuss. Foiled by Essolube. (1930). A Jigsaw Melodrama; illustrated; 150 piece puzzle
Dr Seuss. Boners. The VIking Press, New York (1931). Illustrated by Dr. Seuss/LeiSeig
Dr Seuss. More Boners. The Viking Press, New York (1931). Compiled from the Classrooms and Examination Papers by Alexander Abington; Illustrated with 12 full page drawings by Dr. Seuss/LeSeig
Dr Seuss. Secrets of the Deep. The Makers and Marketers of Essomarine Oils and Greases (1934). or the Perfect Yachtsman; by Old Captain Taylor; illustrated in colour by Seuss/LeSeig
Dr Seuss. Secrets of the Deep Vol. II. Essomarine/Penola, Inc. (1936). by Old Captain Taylor; Illustrated in colour by Seuss/LeSeig
Dr Seuss. And to Think I Saw it on Mulberry Street. Vanguard Press, new York (1937).
Dr Seuss. 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins. Vanguard Press, New York (1938). Illustrated by Author
Dr Seuss. The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins. E.M. Hale and Company, Eau Claire, WI (1938). Special edition
Dr Seuss. King's Stilts. Random House, New York (1939).
Dr Seuss. Seven Lady Godivas. Random House, New York (1939). Colour illustrations throughout by Seuss
Dr Seuss. Horton Hatches the Egg. Random House, New York (1940).
Dr Seuss. Horton Hatches The Egg. Hamish Hamilton, London (1942).
Dr Seuss. This Is Ann. Government Printing Office, Washington D.C. (1943). 'She's Dying to Meet You; illustrations by Seuss; text by Munroe Leaf
Dr Seuss. McElligot's Pool. Random House, New York (1947). Later issue printing points: 4-line copyright notice, cover fish has closed mouth; first issue fish with open mouth
Dr Seuss. Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose. Random House, New York (1948). First edition 8-line copyright notice that includes lithographer's name and because the boards are red instead of blue
Dr Seuss. Bartholomew and the Oobleck. Random House, New York (1949).
Dr Seuss. If I Ran the Zoo. Random House, New York (1950). first issue printing point 200/200 price on flap
Dr Seuss. Gerald Mcboing Boing. Simon and Schuster, New York (1952). First edition indicated by A100100 on bottom corner of front cover
Dr Seuss. Scrambled Eggs Super!. Random House, New York (1953). Illustrated by author
Dr Seuss. Horton Hears A Who. Random House, New York (1954). Illustrated by the author
Dr Seuss. On Beyond Zebra. Random House, New York (1955).
Dr Seuss. If I Ran the Circus. Random House, New York (1956). Colour illustrations
Dr Seuss. How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Random House, New York (1957). Illustrated by author
Dr Seuss. The Cat in the Hat. Random House, New York (1957).
Dr Seuss. The Cat in t he Hat Comes Back. Random House, New York (1958).
Dr Seuss. Yertle The Turtle. Random House, New York (1958). Contains 3 stories: Yertle the Turtle, Gertrude McFuzz, The Big Bang
Dr Seuss. Happy Birthday to You. Random House, New York (1959). Illustrated in full colour
Dr Seuss. Green Eggs and Ham. Random House, New York (1960).
Dr Seuss. One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish. Random House, New York (1960). Illustrated by author
Dr Seuss. The Sneetches and Other Stories. Random House, New York (1961). Illustrated by author; also including:- The Zax, Too Many Dave's and What Was I Scared Of.
Dr Seuss. Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book. Random House, New York (1962). Illustrated by Author
Dr Seuss. Dr. Seuss's ABC. Random House, New York (1963). Full colour illustrations
Dr Seuss. Hope on Pop. Random House, New York (1963). Illustrated by author; The Simplest Seuss for the Youngest Use
Dr Seuss. Hop on Pop. Collins and Harvill, London (1964). UK edition
Dr Seuss. The Cat in the Hat Beginner Book Dictionary. Random House, New York (1964). and P.D. Eastman; illustrated by Seuss
Dr Seuss. Bartholomew and the Ooobleck. Random House, Inc., New York (1965).
Dr Seuss. Cat in the Hat Beginner Dictionary in French. Random House, Inc., New York (1965).
Dr Seuss. Fox in socks. Random House, Inc., New York (1965). A Tongue Twister for Super Children (The Cat in the Hat Beginner Books Series); illustrated by author
Dr Seuss. I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew. Random House, New York (1965). Colour illustrations by author
Dr Seuss. I Wish That I Had Duck Feet. Random House, New York (1965). Illustrated by Barney Tobey
Dr Seuss. Come Over to My House. Random House, New York (1966). Colour illustrations by Richard Erpoes
Dr Seuss. The Cat in the Hat Song Book. New York, Random House, 1967 (1967). Piano Score and Guitar chords by Eugene Poddany; 19 Seuss-Songs for Beginning Singers; Illustrated by Seuss
Dr Seuss. The Eye Book. Random House, New York (1968).
Dr Seuss. The Foot Book. Random House, New York (1968).
Dr Seuss. I Can Lick 30 Tigers Today and Other Stories. Random House, New York (1969). Contains: I Can Lick 30 Tigers Today, King Looie Katz, The Glunk; Illustrated in colour by author
Dr Seuss. My Book About Me. Random House, New York (1969).
Dr Seuss. Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can you?. Random House, New York (1970).
Dr Seuss. I Can Write!. Random House, New York (1971). A Book by Me, Myself, with a Little Help from Theo. LeSeig and Roy McKie
Dr Seuss. The Lorax. Random House, New York (1971).
Dr Seuss. Marvin K Mooney Will You Please Go Now!. Random House, New York (1972). Illustrated in colour
Dr Seuss. Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?. Random House, New York (1973).
Dr Seuss. The Many Mice of Mr. Brice. Random House, New York (1973). Pop-up Book
Dr Seuss. The Shape of Me and Other Stuff. Random House Inc., New York (1973).
Dr Seuss. Dr. Seuss Storytime. Random House, New York (1974). Illustrated by author; 4 volumes
Dr Seuss. Great Day for Up. Random House, New York (1974). Illustrated by Quentin Blake
Dr Seuss. There's a Wocket In My Pocket!. Random House, New York (1974). Full-page colour illustrations by author
Dr Seuss. Would You Rather Be a Bullfrog?. Random House, New York (1975).
Dr Seuss. Hooper Humperdink . ? Not Him!. Random House, New York (1976).
Dr Seuss. The Cat's Quizzer. Random House, New York (1976). Are You Smarter than the Cat in the Hat?; Riddles and puzzles in rhyme starting with Cat in the Hat
Dr Seuss. Please Try to Remember the First of Octember!. Random House, Inc., New York (1977).
Dr Seuss. I Can Read With My Eyes Shut !. Random House, New York (1978).
Dr Seuss. The Butter Battle Book. Random House, New York (1984). Illustrated by author; limited edition of 500 numbered copies signed by Seuss
Dr Seuss. You're Only Old Once. Random House, New York (1986). A Book for Obsolete Children; Illustrated by author; limited edition of 500 numbered copies signed by author
Dr Seuss. I am Not Going to Get Up Today. Random House, New York (1987). Illustrated in colour by James Stevenson
Dr Seuss. Seven Lady Godivas. Random House, New York (1987). The True Facts Concerning History's Barest Family; Colour illustrations by author; limited edition of 300 numbered and specially bound editions signed by author
Dr Seuss. Horton Hears A Who Pop-up!. Random House, New York (2008). Limited edition of 125 numbered copies, signed by designer David A. Carter; pop-up book