The Wizard: L Frank Baum
Lyman Frank Baum (more commonly known as L Frank Baum) is the author of the incredibly successful work The Wizard of Oz, but it may surprise the reader to hear that The Wizard of Oz was only the tip of the literary iceberg that was Baum's output.
L. Frank Baum led the sort of life that makes him either ideal or precarious for the collector! It is ideal in the sense that his life was exciting, controversial, and wild; filled with financial difficulties, bizarre decisions, and fairly strange assertions. Precarious however, because it places his work and character as somewhere between the 'fanciful' and the tragic.
L. Frank Baum had two major interests in his life - the theatre and fairy tales. His major breakthrough success was with The Wizard of Oz series (1900) which, not many people are aware, is actually a cycle of thirteen books, and not just one or the two depicted in the Disney movies! Baum had an interest in, he claimed, re-imagining the Grimm and the Mother Goose sorts of fairy tales for the modern world, and as such he may well have succeeded! With the success of this, his life's work, he was allowed to follow his other passion - theatre and the stage.
Baum had plans to produce The Wizard of Oz himself, creating his own theatre company to do so. He also made claims about attempting to build an Ozland theme park on an Island off of the coast of California (although sceptics abounded). Many of his schemes and ambitions drew the writer to the brink of bankruptcy however, and he was forced to return to the Oz saga to sell the later publication rights to the world. His personal life and opinions remained controversial and sometimes bizarre (he may have supported complete occupation of all Native American Indian land) although there are many interpretations of what Baum may have privately intended by his odd claims.
For the collector, this all makes for the ripe sort of soup of a good collection. His principle work, The Wizard of Oz (1900) for a first edition by Geo M Hill can cost as much as ten to forty thousand US dollars (as the first edition is unique in the amount of mistakes in its original impression). However, his vastly underrated electric fairy tale The Master Key which some claim predicted laptop computers can be found for a first edition price of only five hundred US dollars, from American publishers Bowen-Merrill (1901).
Baum, L. Frank. Mother Goose in Prose. Way and Williams (1897). Twelve Plates (Including Frontispiece) By Maxfield Parrish; First Edition, First Issue (Composed Of Sixteen-Page Gatherings, Except For The Last Two Gatherings Of Eight And Four Pages Respectively).
Baum, L. Frank. Father Goose. Geo. M. Hill Co. (1899). 1St Edition,1St Issue Published Just Before Baum and Denslow Produced The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz
Baum, L. Frank. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Geo. M. Hill Co. Chicago (1899). W. W. Denslow (Artist).
Baum, L. Frank. Navy Alphabet. George M. Hill Company, Chicago (1900). Full Color Illustrations By Harry Kennedy - All With A Navy Theme
Baum, L. Frank. Songs Of Father Goose. George M. Hill (1900). For The Kindergarten The Nursery And The Home; Illustrated By Denslow .
Baum, L. Frank. The Army Alphabet. Geo. M. Hill Company, Chicago (1900). Illustrated By Harry Kennedy
Baum, L. Frank. The Navy Alphabet. George M. Hill Company, Chicago (1900). Illustr By Harry Kennedy, Lettered By Charles Costello
Baum, L. Frank. The Songs of Father Goose. George M. Hill (1900). For The Kindergarten, The Nursery And The Home; Music By Alberta N. Hall; Pictures By Wm W. Denslow.
Baum, L. Frank. Wonderful Wizard of Oz. George M. Hill Co. (1900). This Is The First Edition Of: The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz By: L.Frank Baum. Illustrations By: W.W. Denslow. Designed And Handcrafted By Scott Kellar; Illustrated By W.W. Denslow With 24 Bright And Bold Color Plates Plus Color Illustrations In And Around The Text.
Holton, M. Adelaid. Holton Primer. RAND MCNALLY PUBL (1901). Green Illustrated Endpapers By Ralph Fletcher Seymour Have Pencilling and Crayon Mark, Who Provided Some Of The Lettering For Father Goose.; Includes Childs Short Poem Where Do The Chickens Go At Night By L. Frank Baum, Lights To Literature Series, Other Poems By Laux, Emilie Poulsson, Ellen A. Holmes Etc Include Chestnut Time, Birds Farewell, Mousies Thanksgiving, Snowball.
Baum, L. Frank. The Master Key. Bowen-Merrill Co, Indianapolis (1901). An Electrical Fairy Tale Founded Upon The Mysteries Of Electricity And The Optimism Of Its Devotees; It Was Written For Boys, But Others May Read It; First Edition, First State WithThe Bowen-Merrill Company On Copyright Measuring 1 21/32 Inches In Length And Gatherings Sewn In Eights; Illustrated With 12 Color Plates And Other Black And White Sketches In The Text By F. Y. Cory.
Baum, L. Frank. The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus. Bowen Merrill, Indianapolis (1902). Color Title Plus 19 Color Illus By Mary Cowles Clark; The First Issue Lacks The black and white Marginal Decorations Throughout; It Has No Frontispiece (The Drawing Later Used For This Appears In Subdued Coloring Opposite Page 10, Without Caption); And It Uses The Section HeadingsBook First, Book Second, AndBook Third Instead Of The Later IssuesYouth,Manhood, AndOld Age.
Baum, L. Frank. The Enchanted Island of Yew. Bobbs-Merrill, Indianapolis (1903). Illustrated By Fanny Cory With 8 Color Plates Plus black and whites In Text
Baum, L. Frank. The Magical Monarch Of Mo. Bobbs Merrill; Indianapolis (1903). The Surprising Adventures Of The Magical Monarch Of Mo And His People; Illustrated By Pictures By Frank Verbeck.
Baum, L. Frank. The New Wizard of Oz. Bobbs Merrill, Indianapolis (1903). The WordNew Was Dropped From The Title Early On Making This One Of The Most Dificult Of The Oz Books To Find. First State With P 167, Line 9, Yellow Daisies Became Bright Daisies And P 168, Line 2 And 11, Yellow Has Become Scarlet; Pictures By W.W. Denslow.
Baum, L. Frank. The Wizard of Oz. Bobbs-Merrill Company, Indianapolis (1903). With 8 Color Plates And Full Page Black And Whites By W.W. Denslow
Baum, L. Frank. Dot and Tot of Merryland. Bobbs Merrill, Indianapolis (1904). Lllustrated By W. W. Denslow In Color
Baum, Frank L. The Marvelous Land of Oz. Reilly and Britton (1904). Being An Account Of The Further Adventures Of The Scarecrow And Tin Woodman, And Also The Strange Experiences Of The Highly Magnified Woggle-Bug, Jack Pumpkin-Head, The Animated Saw-Horse And The Gump; The Story Being A Sequel To The Wizard Of Oz; Numerous Colorplate and Black-And-White Illustrations By John R. Neill;1St State Had A Different Color Binding That States Marvelous Land Of Oz, This Was Shortened To Land Of Oz.
Baum, Frank L. Christmas Stocking Series. Reilly and Britton (1905). The Story Of Little Black Sambo / The Night Before Christmas / Fairy Tales From Andersen / Fairy Tales From Grimm / A Childs Visit To The Zoo
Baum, L. Frank. Mother Goose in Prose. Bobbs-Merrill, Indianapolis (1905). 12 Grayscale Plates By Maxfield Parrish
Baum, L. Frank. Queen Zixi of Ix. Century Co. (1905). The Story Of The Magic Cloak; Illus. By Frederick Richardson With 16 Color Plates.
Baum, L. Frank. The Woggle-Bug Book. The Reilly and Britton Co (1905). The Unique Adventures Of The Woggle-Bug; Illustrations By Ike Morgan.
Bancroft, Laura. Bandit Jim Crow. Reilly and Britton Co. (1906). By Bancroft, Laura Aka ( L. Frank Baum), Who Wrote Wizard Of Oz Books, Series #2, 1906, 1St Edition Thus; Chapters Include Jim Crow Becomes A Pet, Runs Away, Etc; Illustrated By Maginel; 6 Volumes.
Baum, L. Frank. John Dough and the Cherub. Reilly and Britton Company, Chicago (1906). Illustrated By John R. Neill.
Baum, L. Frank. Mr. Woodchuck. The Reilly and Britton Company, Chicago (1906). The Twinkle Tales By Bancroft, Laura Aka L. Frank Baum, Who Wrote Wizard Of Oz Books, Mister Series #1, 1906, 1St Edition; Chapters Include The Trap, Mr. Woodchuck Captures A Girl, Twinkle Is Condemned Etc; Illustrated By Maginel Wright Enright.
Baum, L. Frank. Prairie-Dog Town. REILLY and LEE CO Chicago (1906). By Bancroft, Laura Aka ( L. Frank Baum), Who Wrote Wizard Of Oz Books, Series #3, 1906, 1St Edition Thus; Chapters Include The Picnic, Tweenty and Weenty, Etc; Illustrated By Maginel Wright Enright.
Baum, L. Frank. Sugar-Loaf Mountain. Reilly and Britton Co. (1906). Color Dustjacket Of Little Boy and Girl Facing City Entrance At Its Gates, Series #5 This Is One Of TheTwinkle Tales Written By L. Frank Baum Under The Laura Bancroft Pseudonym; Contains 16 Full-Page Color Illustrations (Including Title Page) By Maginel Wright Enright,
Baum, L. Frank. Father Gooses Year Book. Reilly and Britton (1907). Quaint Quacks And Feathered Shafts For Mature Children; Illustrated Throughout In Red And Black By Walter J. Enright.
Baum, L. Frank. POLICEMAN BLUEJAY. Reilly and Britton (1907). 3 Color Including Frontispiece and Numerous B/W Illustrations By Maginel Wright Enright , Frank Lloyd Wrights Sister, By Laura Bancroft, Aka L. Frank Baum, Who Wrote Wizard Of Oz Boooks, Continuation Of Twinkle Tales Fairy Tale That Is Fantastical.
Baum, L. Frank. Baums American Fairy Tales. Bobbs-Merrill, Indianapolis (1908). Stories Of Astonishing Adventures Of American Boys And Girls With The Fairies Of Their Native Land; 1St Issued In 1901, Edition Has 3 Additional Stories And An Authors Note Written For This Edition; Newly Illustrated With 16 Color Plates By George Kerr.
Baum, L. Frank. Boy Fortune Hunters in Panama. Reilly and Britton Co. (1908). By Akers, Floyd Aka L. Frank Baum, Series #2; 1St Printing Of The Second Boy Fortune Hunters Title (Open Book On Title, Chicago Printed Twice On Title, No Ads At End, Bienvenue P. 283 Variant With Last Line On P.310Is Powerless To Control Not The End); Illustrated With 4 Color Plates By Howard Heath.
Baum. L. Frank. Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz. Reilly and Lee Co (1908). 1St State Binding WithThe Reilly and Britton Co. On Spine; 16 Color Plates By John R. Neill.
Baum, L. Frank. The Boy Fortune Hunters in Panama. The Reilly and Britton Co. (1908).
Van Dyne, Edith. Aunt Janes Nieces at Work. Reilly and BRITTON (1909). Van Dyne, Edith Aka Baum, L. Frank, Series #4
Baum, L. Frank. The Boy Fortune Hunters in China. Reilly and Britton (1909). By Floyd Akers, Author Aka L. Frank Baum, Childrens Series #4, Illustrated By Illustrated By E.A. Nelson.
Baum, L. Frank. The Road to Oz. Reilly and Britton (1909). Illustrated By John R. Neill; First Edition, First State With All Hanff Points Including Appropriate Colors Of Paper In Various Gatherings, Perfect Text OnToto On On Page 34 And Number On Plate On Page 121, Ads For 7 Laura Bancroft Books And 4 Baum Books At Rear.
Baum, L. Frank. AUNT JANES NIECES. Reilly and BRITTON (1910). In Society By Van Dyne, Edith Aka Baum, L. Frank, Series #5; B/W Frontispiece Of 3 Nieces In Garden Surrounded By Many Flowers With Oriental Flare
Baum, L. Frank. Bandit Jim Crow. Reilly and Lee (1910). Series #2, Color Illustrated By Maginel Wright Enright, Frank Lloyd Wrights Sister
Baum, L. Frank. Emerald City of Oz. Reilly and Lee (1910). Illustrated By J.R. Neill With Cover Plate, 2-Color Pictorial Endpapers, 16 Color Plates Plus Many Black And Whites In-Text.
Baum, L. Frank. L. Frank Baums Juvenile Speaker. Reilly and Britton (1910). Readings And Recitations In Prose And Verse Humorous And Otherwise; Black And White Illustrations By Neil And Enright.
Baum, L. Frank. The Emerald City of OZ. Reilly and Britton (1910). First State With Advertisement On Verso Of Ownership Leaf Listing Titles ThroughJohn Dough And The Cherub; Illustrated With 16 Color Plates By John R. Neill.
Baum, L. Frank. CHRISTMAS STOCKING SERIES. Reilly and Britton (1911). 6 Volumes; Includes Sambo, Peter Rabbit And The Night Before Christmas; Illustrated In Color By John R. Neill And E.S. Hardy; Each Volume Features An Introduction By Baum.
Baum, L. Frank. Daring Twins. Reilly and Britton (1911). 1St State Binding With Title People Standing In Front Of The Wall; Illus. With 4 Plates By Pauline Batchelder.
Baum, L. Frank. Sea Fairies. Reilly and Britton (1911). 1St Issue In First State Binding (With Last 2 Lines Transposed On P.95 and And Lines 14 and 15 Transposed On P. 105); Illustrated With 12 Color Plates By John R. Neill.
Baum, L. Frank. The Daring Twins. Reilly and Britton Co. (1911). A Story For Young Folk; First State Binding With The Title People Standing In Front Of The Wall; Illustrated With Four Plates By Pauline Batchelder.
Van Dyne, Edith. The Flying Girl. Reilly and Britton Company, Chicago (1911). First Printing, With The Spine Lettering Stamped In White And Four Full Page Plates By Joseph Pierre Nuyttens Printed In Duotone.
Baum, L. Frank. The Patchwork Girl. Reilly and Britton Co. (1911).
Baum, L. Frank. The Sea Fairies. Reilly and Britton (1911). Illustrated By John R. Neill (Including 12 Full-Page Duotone Plates Printed In Iridescent Ink; First Edition, First Printing (With Two Lines Of Text Transposed On Pages 95 And 105), In First Issue Binding (With Three Heads On Gilt Pictorial Cover Label).
Baum, L. Frank. Twinkle and Chubbins. Reilly and Britton Co. (1911). Their Astonishing Adventures In Nature-Fairyland; Illustrated By Maginel Wright Enright.
Metcalf, Susanne. Annabel. Reilly and Britton (1912). A Novel For Young Folk By Suzanne Metcalf, Aka L. Frank Baum; Illustrated By Joseph Pierre Nuyttens, B/W Frontispiece Of Annabel and Will.
Baum, L. Frank. Sky Island. Reilly and Britton Co. (1912). Being The Further Exciting Adventures Of Trot And Capn Bill After Their Visit To The Sea Fairies; First State Of The 1St Editionwith Six Titles Listed On Reverse Of Half-Title; 12 Color Plates And Black and White Illustrations By John R. Neill.
Baum, L. Frank. THE FLYING GIRL AND HER CHUM. Reilly and Britton Co. (1912). 1St Edition, 1St Printing With White Title On Front Cover; 4 Sepia Plates Illustrated By Nuyttens
Baum, L. Frank. The Patchwork Girl of OZ. Reilly and Britton (1913). 1St Issue Illustrated By J.R. Neill.
Baum, L. Frank. Little Wizard Stories of Oz. Reilly and Britton (1914). 1St State, John R. Neill, Illustrator.
L. Frank Baum. Tik-Tok of Oz. Reilly and Britton (1914). 1St State With The Ads To Patchwork Girl Of Oz
Baum, L. Frank. Aunt Janes Nieces in the Red Cross. Reilly and Britton Co. (1915). By Van Dyne, Edith Pseudonymn Baum, L. Frank
Baum, L. Frank. The Scarecrow of Oz. Reilly and Britton (1915). Illustrated With 12 Color Plates And Text Illustrations In Black And White By John R. Neill
Baum, L. Frank. Rinkitink in Oz. Reilly and Britton (1916). First Printing Of The First Edition With Spine Imprint ReadingReilly and Britton; Illustrated By John R. Neill
Baum, Frank L. The Magic Cloak ad Other Stories. Reilly and Britton (1916). The Snuggle Tales; Illustrations By John R. Neill, Including A Color Frontispiece; First Edition. First Issue, With Only 4 Titles In The Ad On Verso Of The Ownership Page.
Baum, L. Frank. The Lost Princess of OZ. Reilly and Lee (1917). Illustrated By John R. Neill
Baum, L. Frank. Mary Louise and the Liberty Girls. Reilly and Britton Co. (1918). Series #4 By Edith Van Dyne Aka L. Frank Baum and Emma Speed Sampson; B/W Frontispiece By Alice Carsey
Baum, L. Frank. The Tin Woodman of Oz. Reilly and Britton (1918). A Faithful Story Of The Astonishing Adventure Undertaken By The Tin Woodman Assisted By Woot The Wanderer The Scarecrow Of Oz And Polychrome The Rainbows Daughter; 1St Issue With The Ads Ending With The Tin Woodman; With All 12 Color Plates As Called For By Greene and Hanff. Illus By John R Neill.
Baum, L. Frank. The Magic of Oz. Reilly and Lee (1919). 12 Color And Many Black/ White Illustrations By John R. Neill Throughout.
Baum, L. Frank. DOROTHY AND THE WIZARD IN OZ. Reilly and Lee (1920). John R Neill (Illustrator)
Van Dyne, Edith. Mary Louise Stands the Test. Reilly and Lee (1921). By Edith Van Dyne, Aka L. Frank Baum, and Emma Speed Sampson, The Bluebird Books, Childrens Series Book; B/W Glossy Frontispiece Of Josie and Mary Louise By Harry W. Armstro.
Baum, L. Frank. The Royal Road of OZ. Reilly and Lee (1921). Enlarged And Edited By Ruth Plumly Thompson; Illustrated By John R. Neill; With First Issue Of Caption On Plate At P. 255 With Misprint:Scarecorws.
Baum, L. Frank. Kabumpo in Oz. Reilly and Lee (1922). By Ruth Plumly Thompson Founded On And Continuing The Famous Oz Stories By L. Frank Baum Royal Historian Of Oz; Illustrated By John R. Neill; First Issue,Kabumpo In Oz Half-Title,Princess Dorothy On P.299.
Dyne, Edith Van. Mary Louise and Josie OGorman. Reilly and Lee (1922). By Van Dyne, Edith, Aka L. Frank Baum and Emma Speed Sampson, 1St Edition and Only Printing Of The Book; B/W Frontispiece By H. ( Harry ) W. Armstrong
Van Dyne, Edith. Josie O'Gorman. Reilly and Lee (1923). Frontispiece By H. ( Harry ) W. Armstrong
Baum, L. Frank. THE COWARDLY LION OF OZ. Reilly and Lee Co. (1923). Illustrated By John R. Neill; First Printing First State With The Non Standard Ampersand On The Spine And 12 Plates Coated Glossy On The Printed Side Only
Baum, L. Frank. Grampa in Oz. Reilly and Lee (1924). First Printing With All Page Edges Yellow, Black And White Frontispiece With Color Plates; Illustrated By John R. Neill.
Van Dyne, Edith. Josie OGorman and the Meddlesome Major. Reilly and Lee (1924). Frontispiece By Isabel
Baum, L. Frank. The Lost King of Oz. Reilly and Lee Co (1925). 1St Printing With Plates Coated One Side (P. 193 Line 4K Is Imperfect). Illus. With 12 Color Plates By J.R. Neill
Thompson, Ruth Plumly. The Hungry Tiger of Oz. Reilly and Lee (1926). Illustrated By John R. Neill; First Printing With The Hyphen On The Last Line Of Page 21 And The Word Two In Perfect Type On The Last Line Of Page 252. 261Pp.
Baum, L. Frank. Jack Pumpkinhead of Oz. Copp, Clark, Toronto (1929). Illustrated By John R. Neill
Baum, L. Frank. The Yellow Knight of Oz. Reilly and Lee (1930). John R. Neill (Illustrator)
Baum, Frank J. PIRATES IN OZ. Reilly and Lee (1931). Illustrated By John R. Neill With 12 Color Plates
Baum, L. Frank. The Purple Prince of Oz. Reilly and Lee Co (1932). Illustrated In Color And Black And White By John R. Neill
Baum, L. Frank. Speedy in Oz. Reilly and Lee (1934). Illustrated By John R.Neill With 12 Color Plates
Baum, Frank J. The Laughing Dragon of OZ. Whitman Publishing Co, Racine (1934).
Baum, L. Frank. The Wizard of Oz Waddle Book. Blue Ribbon Books Inc. (1934). Illustrated With 8 Color Plates By Denslow
Thompson, Ruth Plumly. Wishing Horse of Oz. Reilly and Lee Company, Chicago (1935). A First Edition, First State Of The Twenty-Ninth Book In The Oz Series, Identifiable As Such By The Presence Of Color Illustrations; Illustrated By John R. Neill.
Baum, L. Frank. Handy Mandy in Oz. Reilly and Lee (1937). Illustrated By John R. Neill
Thompson, Ruth Plumly. Silver Princess of Oz. Reilly and Lee Co. (1938). 1St State With Pictorial Endpapers And 16P. Gathers; Illus. By J.R. Neill.
Baum, L. Frank. New Wizard of Oz. Bobbs Merrill (1939). 8 Color Plates And Black And Whites By W.W. Denslow
Baum, L. Frank. Ozoplanning with the Wizard of OZ. Reilly and Lee Company, Chicago (1939). 1St Printing With 16 Page Gatherings; Illus. By John R. Neill.
Baum, L. Frank. The Wizard of Oz. Hutchinson and Company . (1939). First Issue Of M.G.M. Film Edition; Original Line Illustrations By W.W. Denslow Including 7 Full Page Plus 8 Colour Plates From The M.G.M. Film Of 1939 With Judy Garland; Of The Colour Plates, 4 Are Stills From The Motion Picture, The Other 4 Are Publicity Pictures With The Characters In Costume.
Baum, L. Frank. WONDER CITY OF OZ. Reilly and Lee (1940). Illus. By J.R. Neill; 1St Ed. 1St Issue Of The 34Th Oz Title And The First Written By Neill.
Baum, L. Frank. The Scalawagons of Oz. Reilly and Lee (1941). 1St State Dw (16 Page Gatherings, Hyphenated Spine, $1.50, Mis-Spelling Scallywagons On Rear Flap Of Dw); Written By Neill And Illustrated By Him In Black And White.
Baum, L. Frank. Lucky Bucky in Oz. Reilly and Lee (1942). An Oz Book Both Written And Illustrated By Neill.
Baum, L. Frank. WIZARD OF OZ. Bobbs Merrill (1944). Animated Edition Featuring 6 Fine Moveable Plates By Julian Wehr
Baum, L. Frank. The Shaggy Man of Oz. Reilly and Lee, Co (1949). Snow, Jack; Illustrated By Frank Kramer.
Baum, L. Frank. The Hidden Valley of Oz. Reilly and Lee (1951).
Baum, L. Frank. Merry Go Round in Oz. Reilly and Lee Publ (1963). Illustrated By Dick Martin; By Eloise Jarvis Mcgraw and Lauren Mcgraw Wagner.
Baum, L. Frank. LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF SANTA CLAUS. 1967 (1967). 10 Full-Color And And 2 2-Color Plates By Mary Cowles Clark,
Baum, L. Frank. The Wizard of Oz. Holt Rinehart and Winston (1982). 500 Numbered Copies; Color Illustrations By Michael Hague.
Baum, L. Frank. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Pennyroyal Press, West Hatfield (1985). 350 Copies; Printed By Harold Mcgrath; Calligraphy By Yvette Rutledge; With 62 Wood Engravings By Moser.
Baum, Frank. Wizard of OZ Collection. Easton Press (1989). Illustrations By W. W. Denslow And John R. Neill; Dorothy And The Wizard In Oz, The Marvelous Land Of Oz, The Emerald City Of Oz, The Road To Oz And Ozma Of Oz; 6 Volumes.
Baum, L. Frank. The Runaway in Oz. Books of Wonder (1995). 45 Deluxe Numbered Copies With A Signed, Hand-Watercolored Illustration By Eisner Award Winning Artist Eric Shanower; 350 Copies.
Baum, Frank L. The Wizard of Oz. North-South Books (1996). 500 Copies; Lisbeth Zwerger (Illustrator)
Baum, L. Frank. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. HarperCollins (2000). 200 Copies Signed By Acclaimed Pop-Up Engineer Robert Sabuda; Illustrated By Denslow.