About the historic AAVSO Variable Star Atlas last published decades ago: I recently visited a public observatory, and found a copy of it serving as part of the background decoration of the visitor center:
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Nice to see one “in the wild,” complete in its box. 
I still have mine on my shelf in my home office. I got it in kind of an odd way. I wasn’t even into variable stars and wouldn’t be for about a decade. I was between astronomy clubs, so I joined the Astronomical League as a member-at-large and when you did that, you got to choose one item from their bookstore for free.
As a longtime observer, I had all of their observing guides, so I picked the AAVSO Atlas (which, for some reason they sold) almost at random.
When I got it, I found the hand-drawn charts curiously evocative and a reflection of a different time.
I’m very glad I picked it as it contributed to planting the seed for my interest in visual variable star observing that would kick off in 2012.
–Michael in Houston (RMW)
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I still have my 1st edition. Observed comet positions and tail orientations on some charts. 
I’m pretty sure I got rid of the box. It got used a lot until Carte du Ciel appeared on computers!
Was a great aide when going for those “inner sanctum” variables.
Jim (DEY)
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My copy still has the box. Unfortunately the box isn’t in perfect condition but is doubtless reparable.
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Amazing!! I still have my original edition as well. The box cover has long since been destroyed by over-use, and the bottom is held together with packing tape.
It now sits retired, on the same shelf as the three volumes of Burnham’s Celestial Handbook. AAhh, the days before computers!
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When I was cleaning out my office at HQ in April, I came across two copies of AAVSO’s Variable Star Atlas on the shelf. One of them was a standard issue and the other was a well-used desk copy that I believe belonged to Pickering at some point. In case anyone is interested, we’ll be offering up both copies as part of a fundraising event later this year.
Brian
I still have my well used version of the boxed set with my pencil notations. I used to reduce them with the copier at work to shrink the to 8.5" x 11.0". I was never interested in the second edition which was 8.5 x 11.0 in a binder because it was printed on both sides of the page. I preferred shining a red light through the paper to see the chart and preserve my night vision. When it was issued printed on both sides of the page, that made it impossible to make sense of the chart by shining a red light through them since you were seeing two different chart plots at the same time.
…Tim (HTY)
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Hmmm… Pickering? HCO Pickering? Really!
I believe my 1st edition AAVSO Variable Star Atlas was published in 1980.
Are you sure it wasn’t some of the charts from the original Carte du Ciel which would be from Pickering’s time? 
Jim (DEY)
Hi Jim,
Unfortunately, I didn’t take any picture of the atlas; however, it was one of our earliest publications.
Brian
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