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I'll pound you to a "Pulp" if you don't show off yours!
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9,117 posts in this topic

I read in pulps a lot and it's great, but fragile books aren't the best format for casual reading- perhaps especially if a lowering of grade meant a significant dollar decrease. Many pulps are fragile, but there are many midgrade solid copies of fun and cool stuff as well.

 

The fragility of the books pages is one of my top concerns. I recently acquired a small batch of pulps published in the 50's. The PQ on these is better than I thought. The pages are not white, but they are not brittle either.

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Question: do you guys read these, or just collect them? I bought a Shadow pulp on a whim, but I'm concerned the spine isn't going to hold up to me opening it very wide. Suggestions?

 

I rarely read them. Some of the Spider ones I've read and are pretty good reads. I collect them for the covers so interior paper quality isn't a huge issue. I do prefer supple pages and generally steer that way. I hate seeing little paper flakes in the bottom of a mylar though.

 

spicypulps2_zpsca84691b.jpg

 

spicypulps1_zpsbdba75b8.jpg

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Very early (mid-1920's) Weird Tales apparently had very low print runs (50,000?). It's no wonder that they're hard to find.

 

What is your earliest Weird Tales issue, and does anyone have a reliable source to obtain any very early issues?

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I have a complete set minus 7 issues (1-3, 5, 7-9; all from 1923) of Weird Tales/Oriental Stories/Magic Carpet. Condition across the set is roughly fine. Later issues are VF/NM and many are from the Bethlehem pedigree. Earlier issues from the early to mid 20's range in condition from good to fine. The stuff from the late 20's and thirties is in about fine/fine- on average with many in VF.

 

Condition is much higher then that set Adventure House was trying to sell earlier this year where the first 50 issues were all low grade, trimmed and bound before he broke it up.

 

It's my personal collection. I've bought at sold about 2000 issues of Weird Tales both as single copies and collections to get to this point.

 

I might sell it; but you are looking at low 6 figures.

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I have a complete set minus 7 issues (1-3, 5, 7-9; all from 1923) of Weird Tales/Oriental Stories/Magic Carpet. Condition across the set is roughly fine. Later issues are VF/NM and many are from the Bethlehem pedigree. Earlier issues from the early to mid 20's range in condition from good to fine. The stuff from the late 20's and thirties is in about fine/fine- on average with many in VF.

 

Condition is much higher then that set Adventure House was trying to sell earlier this year where the first 50 issues were all low grade, trimmed and bound before he broke it up.

 

It's my personal collection. I've bought at sold about 2000 issues of Weird Tales both as single copies and collections to get to this point.

 

I might sell it; but you are looking at low 6 figures.

:applause: That is very impressive! I always have found Weird Tales to be an interesting run, especially the Brundage covers and H.P. Lovecraft stories :cloud9:

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Alternate Worlds: The Illustrated History of Science Fiction by James Gunn includes a lot of these iconic pulp covers. Recommended for anyone interested in learning more about the classic pulp writers of the 1930's to 1970's.

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Alternate Worlds: The Illustrated History of Science Fiction by James Gunn includes a lot of these iconic pulp covers. Recommended for anyone interested in learning more about the classic pulp writers of the 1930's to 1970's.

and of course, an introduction by Isaac Asimov

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Some recent pick-ups :)

 

Nice Astounding with the first Foundation story by Asimov!

Thank you! It is really hard to find, especially in grade

 

No kidding. My copy is one of the very few pulps where I broke down and went for a semi-brittle copy; I'm still looking for an upgrade. According to the dealer, it was one of Van Vogt's file copies. It lacked any provenance, however, so they didn't jump the price... which, oddly, makes me think it's more likely that it really was. If you're going to lie about something like that it's to try and make more money; if it's just thrown out as an interesting fact there's a better chance it's true, I think.

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FYI - I just snagged this book from Taschen:

 

True Crime Detective Magazines

 

http://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/popculture/all/42813/facts.true_crime_detective_magazines.htm

 

They are having a sale and I just got this for $20. It arrived yesterday, and while they are really magazines and not pulps the covers (and some interior shots) go back to the 1920's. Some really cool stuff in here! They also have the DC and Marvel books on sale too. Just thought I'd share.

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Some recent pick-ups :)

 

Nice Astounding with the first Foundation story by Asimov!

Thank you! It is really hard to find, especially in grade

 

No kidding. My copy is one of the very few pulps where I broke down and went for a semi-brittle copy; I'm still looking for an upgrade. According to the dealer, it was one of Van Vogt's file copies. It lacked any provenance, however, so they didn't jump the price... which, oddly, makes me think it's more likely that it really was. If you're going to lie about something like that it's to try and make more money; if it's just thrown out as an interesting fact there's a better chance it's true, I think.

It was by far the most I have paid for a pulp, but I was exstatic to pick it up. I would feel the same way about the file copy. Funny enough, I picked up a really terrible condition copy of a 1953 pulp that was signed by Isaac Asimov on page 149, it was an exciting find! :cloud9:

156247.jpg.2edec0498c0d20f15bb02115f945e4bb.jpg

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always great to find signed books and pulps, I've found signed books by Ray Bradbury and Orson Scott Card at Goodwill.

That must have been a thrill! I am luckier at finding good knives in a stack of crappy ones than books sadly :(

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