Pierre Probst

The Treasuries

These two are the American and British Treasuries released by Golden Books or its British affiliate. They measure about 14" x 10" and have about 150 pages. As far as I can tell they are collections of the shorts that were originally released in France in the mid 1950s. (For most pictures on this and other pages of this website, click for a larger version.)

The Golden Treasury of Caroline and her Friends, USA
    This is the one that we had as kids, and that I acquired in 2000. It is about 150 pages (unnumbered) and was released as a Big Golden Book in the early 1960s. Inside it says published in 1961 (English version), copyright 1953-1959.

    It contains six shorts: "Caroline's Party", "Caroline at Camp", "The Trip to India", "The Rescue", "Spring Cleaning" and "Off to the Mountains".

    This is the most cherished of Probst books on Ebay. I've seen 15 go by in the two plus years I've been watching, and they went from $300 to $1000. Advertising on Ebay can make a big difference. So can timing, as well as the shape the book is in. But I believe the number one factor is the health of the economy. The final price of the book has been falling since its peak in December of 2000. Sound familiar?

Caroline and Her Friends, a Golden Pleasure Book, UK
    I have only seen three of these go by on Ebay. It appears to be the British congruent of the above, though it has a completely different collection of stories. They include "A Camping Holiday", "Journey to the North Pole", "Trip Round Europe", "At the Ranch", "Winter Sports" and one more (maybe Seaside or Circus). The final auction prices of these three were approximately as much as the American versions.
Les Amis de Caroline, French
    This French treasury seems to be a recent edition. The only one that has been on Ebay in the last two years said copyright 1997. It contains 15 short stories, unlike the old English Treasuries. The has 156 pages and measures 10.5" x 7.75", though all 15 fit because they are condensed versions of the stories. Here are the stories that it contains: "Bobby and His Friend Grisette" (published in USA as Little Golden Book); "Mops the Sheep Dog"; "Puff and Inky Camping"; "Puff and Rusty, Boxers"; "Rusty and Caroline"; "Puff and Inky in Winter Sports"; "Rusty at School" (published in USA as Little Golden Book); "Puff and Inky, Bricklayers"; "Caroline Has a Party"; "Rusty at the Zoo"; "Bobby and Eglantine,the goat"; "Rusty at the Sea"; "Caroline and Friends on a Bike Trip"; "Caroline's Vacation(camping)"; and "Puff and Rusty's Christmas".

    It ended selling on Ebay for around $80. Since then I found one at a web page called Garneau Booksellers. I ordered it, and it cost $36 canadian.

  Les Tresors de Pierre Probst, French 1965
    Saw one of these go by on Ebay this year, went for about $40. Contains "Le merveilleux voyage de Pipo", "Pipo", "Bobi et Eglantine", "Pouf et Noiraud", "Pouf et Noiraud Campeurs", "Le noel de Pipo et Youpi", "Pouf et Noiraud Bricoleurs".