damonwad

12 hours ago, Pat Calhoun said:

Cool. How old are those?

I had to look up what a hashknife was the first time I read one of the stories. (see 6 posts up)

The wooden handle ones on the right look older and more multi-purpose (hashknives were a wagon-train favorite used for chopping and flipping etc at the chuck wagon: a classic hash is chopped potatoes and chopped meat) maybe late 19C, the metal handle ones more like early 20C cabbage cutters.
Plus a recent pickup: not high grade or a first print but I'm a Hammett fan and a fan of Hoffman's imagistic covers, so bingo.

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

1 hour ago, Pat Calhoun said:

Tuttle sounds interesting: here's my (via my wife) hashknife collection

Cool. How old are those?

I had to look up what a hashknife was the first time I read one of the 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.

2 hours ago, frozentundraguy said:

Five or Six reference books.  Do you mind mentioning those titles?

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

Here they are though.

7 minutes ago, OtherEric said:

My guess, with no evidence, is it's a prototype.  The first few books all came out more or less at once; I'm thinking that they were testing laminate or no laminate and decided the 4 didn't show up well.  I can't find any other reference to it, but I admittedly didn't look too hard yet.  Here's the cover we're talking about, if anybody else is interested:

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.

7 minutes ago, OtherEric said:

The one on Bookscans looks weird, in any case... I didn't think the early Avons were laminated, if they are mine have all completely peeled without leaving much damage.

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.

1 hour ago, OtherEric said:

Today's pickups at the local store.  The Avon NN (3) lists 12 titles both inside and on the back cover and has the globe endpapers.   So should be a true first; unless somebody knows something about a variant with a dark blue "4" instead of pink?  Bookscans has an image with the dark blue 4, but no info on when it came out relative to this.

The Pocket 212 is a stated first pocket printing.

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.

7 hours ago, Surfing Alien said:

 

So here's some more Avon nerdiness for you.

I pulled out the 2 copies of Elmer Gantry I currently have. Neither is a 1st print with Globe endpapers.
I believe they might be (what i'll call) 3rd and 4th "printings", unless we locate copies with intervening characteristics.

The first one has the 16 titles listed on the rear cover, but 26 listed inside on the last book page.
It has no globe endpapers - the inside back cover is blank where the Globe Endpapers would have been affixed on
(what i'll call) a "16 title, Globe endpaper" cover state.  

 

This one is likely a second printing of the text section, with the additional 14 titles, with a second state cover with the 16 titles on the rear but no globe endpapers affixed.

I'm calling it a 3rd "printing" for ease, even though it is likely only the 2nd printing of the interior pages
I guess in technical bookman's terms it would be 2nd printing with its 1st state cover.



The second one has no titles listed on the back cover and the inside cover shows a house ad with pictures of 14
of the titles. The last text page has the same 26 titles as the example posted above.

I posit that this is the same second printing of the text section, but they had used up the remaining 16 title
rear covers so they printed up new covers with the generic Avon back cover and the house ad on the inside. Variations of the generic Avon back cover became the norm for Avons going forward.

I'm calling it a 4th "printing" for ease although in technical bookman's terms, it would be 2nd printing with its
2nd state cover.

It is possible that the scenario is flipped, and they already had the generic back cover ready to go for the second printing of the interior text and only used the 16 title covers because they ran out of covers. But knowing the frugalities of publishers, i'd think the scenario I outlined is more likely.

In sum, i think the printing order for Avon #1 might be:

1st Print - Globe Endpapers - 12 titles inside and on the back cover
2nd Print - Globe endpapers - 12 titles inside and 16 on the back cover
3rd print - Blank inside cover - 26 titles inside and 16 on the back cover
4th Print - House ad inside cover - 26 titles inside and generic Avon back cover.

One last point is that the 1st 3 Prints I described here have "Avon Pocket-Sized Books" on the front cover.
The 4th just says "An Avon Book". This might be a result of the Appeals Court injunction against them using "Pocket" on the cover (that was was subsequently overturned) and might provide a clue for dating this printing.

I'm happy to update and change this list if "intervening" printings are produced.

I know it's pure nerdiness and only of interest to a few people in the world but it's a mystery and we like mysteries here so we may as well try to solve it!

 

 

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

47 minutes ago, Surfing Alien said:

Sweet pickups and research. Elmer Gantry was a big deal back in the day but sadly seems to not have as much interest now. Probably because it's about religion, even though about hypocrisy, and not a mystery, sci-fi or drug book like Popular, Pocket and Ace #1's. I like the movie with Burt Lancaster and thought that might carry it on but it doesn't seem so. 

That said, your copy is beautiful  and there's plenty of mysteries and other goodness in the early Avons to nerd out on. The series was and is my first love in vintage paperbacks and happy to see you share these beautiful books  They're not easy to find so nice with those stiff cardboardy covers.

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.

45 minutes ago, OtherEric said:

Nothing wrong with that.  For me it's Ace D-Series books that I just can't resist.  Avons, I figure I've got a nice little collection that at least shows good examples of the run.

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

31 minutes ago, OtherEric said:

That back cover matches perfectly the book I picked up today; although the interior only goes up to 12, which is in fact the number of the book.  It does have the Globe endpapers as well:

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.

20 hours ago, Electricmastro said:

Well if we’re going to be talking about writing, then I suppose it would help to get to know the names of writers more. Names are often used when talking about 40s art, so named examples might as well be mentioned:

Ben Farish

Bernard Baily

Bill Finger

Bill Woggon

Bob Davis

Bob Jenney

Bob Kanigher

Bob Oksner

Boody Rogers

Burt Frohman

Carl Barks

Carl Hubbell

Charles Biro

Chase Craig

Clyde Yeadon

David Gantz

DickWood

Ed Cronin

Ed Nofziger

Elliot Bruce

Frank Frollo

Frank Long

Gardner Fox

George Evans

Harry Sahle

Harry Shorten

Harvey Kurtzman

Hubie Karp

Jack Cole

Jack Kirby

Jack Schiff

Jerry Siegel

Jim Davis

Joe Edwards

Joe Greene

Joe Kubert

Joe Simon

Julie Schwartz

Ken Fitch

Klaus Nordling

Len Hollreiser

Lynn Karp

Martin Bursten

Mort Weisinger

Otto Binder

Paul Norris

Peter Wells

Ralph Wolfe

Ray Gill

Red Udall

Richard Hughes

Ruth Roche

Sheldon Mayer

Sol Brodsky

Stan Lee

Sy Reit

Tom Baron

Walter Gibson

Will Eisner

Woody Gelman

Gaylord DuBois

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

7 hours ago, Surfing Alien said:

It's funny, when I sold my collection way back, I kept my #1 and #3, probably for that reason. So now I have all 3 no numbers  #1 could use an upgrade but i'm not complaining. #3 is the 1st "Popular Library"

Very cool.

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

On 9/24/2020 at 8:15 PM, Randall Dowling said:

I've been thinking about this one.  I think it looks like Walter Popp's work.  He had many different styles and this looks very much like his mark-making for the grittier stuff.  Here's another one of his covers (a little more refined).

 

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.

10 minutes ago, Dr. Love said:

Damonwad lose those extra words, they just slow you down man. Rumor is buttock does finger drills every morning for his day job.

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

Just now, JollyComics said:

War Adventures #12 FN- 5.5 to FN 6.0 $185

It keeps hot and hotter whenever it is available.

Front Cover

Back Cover

  Reveal hidden contents

 

I'll take it.

Just now, JollyComics said:

War Comics #41 FN 6.0 $60

Front Cover

Back Cover

  Reveal hidden contents

 

I'll take it.

Just now, JollyComics said:

War Comics #30 VF- 7.5 Russ Heath Cover $85

Front Cover

Back Cover

  Reveal hidden contents

 

I'll take it.