damonwad

Thanks for the info. and first or not, I'm a big fan of that Thin Man too.

Cool. How old are those? I had to look up what a hashknife was the first time I read one of the stories.

The westerns you've all been waiting for. I just "discovered" 20's/30's pulp writer W.C. Tuttle in the last year and he's become one of my favorites. I especially like the western/mystery Hashknife Hartley stories.

Some more John D. MacDonald's. I haven't read Slam the Big Door yet but really enjoyed both the others. I guess MacDonald is most famous for his Travis McGee novels but I'm enjoying his earlier work so much that I haven't read any of those yet.

Some more Fredric Brown books. Jabberwock is the only one of these I've read but it was another Brown winner. A fun crime book with an odd fantasy type undertone. I think it first appeared in a 1944 issue of Thrilling Mystery (pulp).

Except for the Reginald Paperback Index, a better description would have been obsolete price guides. Here they are though.

You could be right. I found about 15 pics on the internet (all pink 4) and found no mention in my 5 or 6 reference books.

I agree it looks weird and I didn't notice the peeled lamination on that pic. No lamination on my early Avons either. The blue 4 is at least a pretty early copy because it still says "pocket-size". Maybe some kind of regional test printing? I would have guessed Canadian if not for the the "29c in Canada" copy they show.

Nice ones. Farewell My Lovely is one of my favorites. Until you mentioned the blue "4" on the Bookscans copy I would have said your Big Four is a first. Now . It would be interesting to see the back and insides of that copy.

Great stuff. I've seen the court case mentioned before and believe you're correct on the reason for no more "pocket" on the cover. I think #16 is the last Avon "pocket-size" book. One thing I noticed going through some copies on the internet is that there are some back covers with 20 titles listed (I saw examples of Avon #7 and #10 with a 20 title back). I would assume these backs were before they went to the generic text back you show in your second book above. I know it's impossible to tell with so few samples, but my guess is that if a variation of the back cover or interior "List of Titles" page occurs on one copy of #1-12, then there's a good chance it occurs on the others in the group. Same with #13-16 and #17-20. Poor sales on some titles may have kept them from being reprinted though. Let the nerdiness continue.

Take Don Winslow

I liked the Lancaster Gantry too, but I saw it so long ago that I just remember the basics of the plot. My dad loves it though.

All kinds of great books in the Ace D's.

That makes sense on the extra interiors. I wonder if any of the first 12 titles have 16 titles listed on the interior. Here are my recent Avon pick-ups. Elmer Gantry (Avon #1). Globe end papers with 12 titles listed in interior. The Big Four (Avon #3). Globe endpapers with 12 titles listed in interior. The Corpse in the Green Pyjamas (Avon #8). Globe endpapers with 12 titles listed in the interior. Mystery at Spanish Hacienda (Avon #13). Globe endpapers and 16 titles listed in interior. Wow. I just realized what an Avon nerd I am.

Nice. While picking up some more copies (I'll scan and post later), I've been able to add to the info from Surfing Alien and PopKulture on the Globe endpapers. First printings of Avon #1-12 should have 12 titles listed on the back and the Globe endpapers. First printings of Avon #13-16 should have 16 titles on the back plus the Globe endpapers. 2nd printings of Avon #1-12 were also printed with 16 titles on the back and Globe endpapers. Here's a back cover from an ebay listing of #12 (Mosquitoes) with Globe endpapers and 16 titles on back. They just moved the first 12 titles down and added the 4 new books to the top.

Gaylord DuBois

Great books and well packed. Looking forward to Michael's next sales thread.

Very cool. I love these early books by the big publishers and wouldn't be complaining about the #1 either.

Thanks for the info. and I like the CI analogy. Here's the back to my copy of Murder at Midnight (#16) with 16 titles randomly listed.

Thanks and good eye. I'm not Joe Art Expert, but after looking at this and some of his other covers, I could definitely see Popp as the Short Night artist. Also, I really like that Dressed to Kill.

I think I get slowed down by reading the whole description and looking at the back cover before taking it.

I'll take it.

Some Merritt's.

I'll take it.

I'll take it.