Zoo Guides.

18-02-2008

@kiang: 165 zoo guides!! Wow, very impressive. I probably have that many leaflets, but nowhere near as many guides.

18-02-2008

just found another 18 m8!

20-02-2008

Who knows, maybe the British Library would be interested in it ... they seem to hold a very wide range of items.

24-02-2008

I've just bought a 1991 Chester Zoo guide book off eBay and there are many more for sale...

- A few London ones with a bush baby on the cover
- A 1936 Whipsnade guide
- 1985 Whipsnade one
- 1991 London Zoo guide
- Chessington guide (polar bear on the cover)
- Paignton guide from the early 60's

and some others...

24-02-2008

I tried to get one for Christmas, but someone out bid me..

24-02-2008

ive got 235 guide books so far and an going to collectors fair in anwerp tis year so hope to double collection!

24-02-2008

I`ve got over 700 guides and know a few people who have got well over 1000.

24-02-2008

Ok when you ppeople sadley pass on, can i be in your will for your international collection of zoo guides I would say i only have 20 or so lol!

24-02-2008

I used to have an old London one with a kinkajou on the front. Does anyone know what year that'd be? I'm not quite sure where it is at the moment, but it wouldn't get chucked so I'm assuming it is somewhere at home.

24-02-2008

this is quite sad isnt it? lol
id estimate id have about 15 zoo guides, mainly Australian ones dating back as far as the 1970s. ive also got about 50 zoo specific non-fiction books and 15 folders stuffed full of zoo stuff, articles etc and hundreds upon hundreds of newspaper clippings. how sad am i.

24-02-2008

lol not sad glyn, i have every WPZ guide book, even the original from when it first open 30 yrs ago (thnx mark). and u think 15 folders is sad- try 2 filing cabinet draws full, plus a whole bottom draw of my tallboy, as well as my desk draws, and book cases. lol now i am sad and thats final (but hay when i live 3 hours from each zoo, i need to remain passionate!)

25-02-2008

I myself have about 200 guidebooks including over 1000 maps of zoos/aquariums and over 300 books filling up 5 (4-shelved) bookcases. A fair bit of my literature was saved from be recycled. I have lots of extra maps/leaflets if anyone would be willing to trade - they are mainly American zoos.

16-03-2008

Time for an update on my guidebooks...

- London Zoo 2006 (Squirrel Monkeys on cover)
- London Zoo 2000 (Galago cover)
- London Zoo 1997
- London Zoo 1994
- London Zoo 1980 (Giant Panda Cover)
- London Zoo 1983 (1st edition Orang Utan cover)
- London Zoo 1965

- Whipsnade Zoo 2006
- Whipsnade Zoo 1999

- Chester Zoo 1991
- Chester Zoo 1992
- Chester Zoo 1997
- Chester Zoo 1998
- Chester Zoo 1999
- Chester Zoo 2001
- Chester Zoo 2002
- Chester Zoo 2003
- Chester Zoo 2004

- Twycross Zoo 1998
- Twycross Zoo 2003

- Jersey Zoo 2004
- Jersey Zoo 1995

- West Midland Safari Park (versions from 1998-2005)

- Knowsely Safari Park 2004

- Marineland, Mallorca 1999

- Seaworld, Florida 2000

- The various leaflet maps from Chester, Monkey Forest, Terra Natura et al

Unfortunately, I have been banned from bidding on any guide books from a particular seller on ebay, for me leaving a negative feedback. So I will not get many more vintage ones...

16-03-2008

The interesting thing about North American zoos is that the vast majority of them do not have any type of guide book. There are pamphlets/leaflets/maps, but no thick book like the ones that are regularly produced all over Europe and Australia.

16-03-2008

Most North American zoos had at least one guide book at one time or the other (mostly 1970s or 80s). Only a few still publish guide books and not regularly:

Philadelphia, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, San Diego, Toronto and many aquariums.

However a lot of the older zoos are now publishing History Books.