Phil & Phoebe Daring

The Daring Twins series was the only series of teen novels L. Frank Baum published under his own name. Two titles, The Daring Twins and Phoebe Daring were published, but plans for a third were dropped due, I suppose, to lack of sales. I think the books are enjoyable mysteries, something along the line of Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys. After this series ended, Baum would continue to write mysteries with the Mary Louise series, under his pen name of Edith Van Dyne.

The Daring Twins went through two cover designs. The book was published in 1911 with the blue cover shown, and then the second cover which was much more in line with Phoebe Daring, published in 1912. Phoebe Daring also had a secondary binding of plain lettered cloth.

The blue cover has an insignia in the lower right corner that I haven't been able to decipher. It doesn't appear to be the initials of Pauline M. Batchelder, who illustrated the book, and it isn't the double D of the Decorative Designers. I have to assume it's someone else's signature. The other two covers are unsigned.