Comics, Pulps, and Paperbacks: Why such a discrepancy in values? 25 25

[Randall Dowling]

On 3/26/2024 at 8:06 PM, Darwination said:

1952 (pulpcovers has this ID'd as George Gross, is that right? I see it but don't see it)

More bio at Booktryst (blog of Stephen Gertz who wrote Dope Menace which I'm guessing is an important book in the pb scene):

http://www.booktryst.com/2009/11/will-real-nr-de-mexico-please-stand-up.html

Anyways - back to listing

I agree, it doesn't look like George Gross to me.  I have quite a bit of his covers and, while there are elements that are reminiscent of his work (as you alluded), the brush work and shading looks wrong to me.  Then again, I could be wrong.  Even with my original art for Wanton by Night, which is attributed to Gross (but not signed), I'm not 100% convinced is his work. (Posted before but I don't mind an excuse to post it again).

[Surfing Alien]

On 3/26/2024 at 9:06 PM, Darwination said:

1952 (pulpcovers has this ID'd as George Gross, is that right? I see it but don't see it)

I don't see it. It looks like Walter Popp to me or the unidentified artist who did the Steve Harragan digest covers

[Black Cactus]

On 3/26/2024 at 4:00 PM, Darwination said:

Good sir:

Close-ups requested - Different and Professional Favors

 

[Darwination]

Woo!

[OtherEric]

A nice lot in today, mostly courtesy of @Surfing Alien.  The Tales From the Crypt finishes my set of the 5 Ballantine EC collections.  The Woolrich speaks for itself.  I've wanted a nice type sample of an early Harlequin for a while.  Lovecraft published by Scholastic was too amusing a concept to resist.  And the last two are generous bonuses, I'm not sure I've ever seen one of the Hardcover Permabooks before.

[OtherEric]

And some Aces, the double is an upgrade.  The Ellison is the one not from Surfing Alien; it's heating up rapidly and I figure I should grab it before the ship completely sailed.  As is, it's not as nice a copy as I could have gotten for less money just a few months ago.

[Surfing Alien]

On 3/28/2024 at 12:28 AM, OtherEric said:

I'm not sure I've ever seen one of the Hardcover Permabooks before.

First, paperbacks with dust-jackets, now paperbacks that are hardcovers! What will they think of next

Seriously, those little Perma hardcovers are pretty cool. Most of the first 101 of the Perma "P" series are hardcovers and mostly non-fiction, but those went away and Doubleday eventually sold the line to Pocket, who changed it to the more successful "M" series which had some very collectible pb's, including the 3 James Bond titles and the Ed McBain (Evan Hunter) books.

[Darwination]

So, this may be a dicey question.  How much do I have to be on the lookout for abridged versions of novels when it comes to the vintage paperbacks?

[alecholland]

On 3/27/2024 at 11:28 PM, OtherEric said:

 

 

I didn't know about this one either. It's now added to my want list.

[Surfing Alien]

On 3/28/2024 at 3:54 PM, Darwination said:

So, this may be a dicey question.  How much do I have to be on the lookout for abridged versions of novels when it comes to the vintage paperbacks?

Depends on if you're going to read them or not. Abridgement is all over the place on pbs, it's usually notated somewhere on the cover or inside whether it's abridged or "NOT ONE WORD CUT!"

 

[Darwination]

Ha, I'm *mostly* interested in reading (which is why I ask), though I do occasionally get some finer specimens that'll go unread. 

[OtherEric]

On 3/28/2024 at 2:11 PM, Surfing Alien said:

Depends on if you're going to read them or not. Abridgement is all over the place on pbs, it's usually notated somewhere on the cover or inside whether it's abridged or "NOT ONE WORD CUT!"

 

And there are always cases where it claims unabridged but it really is.

Or books like this, which are hard to find unabridged:

[Book Guy]

On 3/28/2024 at 5:43 AM, Surfing Alien said:

First, paperbacks with dust-jackets, now paperbacks that are hardcovers! What will they think of next

Seriously, those little Perma hardcovers are pretty cool. Most of the first 101 of the Perma "P" series are hardcovers and mostly non-fiction, but those went away and Doubleday eventually sold the line to Pocket, who changed it to the more successful "M" series which had some very collectible pb's, including the 3 James Bond titles and the Ed McBain (Evan Hunter) books.

There was a company that made little machines and sold them to Libraries that would take a paperback and 'Perma Bind' it in heavy clear plastic using the book and the original cover to make a small more durable hard cover. The company may have been called Perma Bind, I don't recall. I'm sure you have all seen ex-Library copies of paperbacks bound thusly. At least I think that's what mostly happened as I believe they also bound paperbacks into little hardcovers and sold them themselves presumably to Libraries. I know this as I once bought some Books from a Book Rep-a salesman who represented various publishers-and he had two books bound this way without Library markings, card pockets etc. One was a mid 1960's Harlan Ellison Book which I kept but can't put my hands on it. When I do I will post it. A Pyramid (NO MOUTH/SCREAM?). Anyway the Books I bought from the rep were his Salesman's copies-examples he showed Bookstore buyers to give them a feel for what the Book was. He represented more than one publisher but I don't remember which ones-mostly smaller ones, I think. Anyway, it seems likely he repped for the Perma Bind company and these Books were some sort of legit, albeit rare issues of the Books. I was also told at some dim time in the past that you could buy a binding machine and do it yourself as I said earlier, but these copies seemed to indicate a more regular Bookstore aimed path for copies like this.

The Groff Conklin Book is not what I'm talking about. I've seen this before as well as other titles done this way though I have no idea what they were. Shoulda bought 'em as they were unusual!

I got Ellison to sign my copy of the clear plastic bound Perma Bind and he was baffled by it. "Never seen this! Probably didn't get paid for it..."

Edited March 28 by Book Guy

[Book Guy]

Some Ed Wood Jr. and related items just for fun.

[Darwination]

On 3/28/2024 at 6:09 PM, Book Guy said:

I got Ellison to sign my copy of the clear plastic bound Perma Bind and he was baffled by it. "Never seen this! Probably didn't get paid for it..."

Lol, Ellison, was there ever a man in bigger fear of getting ripped off?

[OtherEric]

Only one book in today, but I can tell it will prove helpful already.

 

[Darwination]

I got my copy, too.

THICK

[Pat Calhoun]

Dar's tour of Mexico was fun: ended up spending some dinero: but looks like I've ordered the very copy he posted...

[Darwination]

That's a fantastic cover.  The design and title lettering are pure awesome.

[Surfing Alien]

On 3/29/2024 at 12:34 AM, OtherEric said:

Only one book in today, but I can tell it will prove helpful already.

 

That's the Bible right there