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

[Sarg]

On 4/14/2023 at 11:40 PM, OtherEric said:

Some days, you just need to risk a little on a lot of books with a single bad photo.  The books are in low-to-mixed enough grade that it's not a total jackpot of a purchase,  but at just a hair over $4 a book I still feel like I got my money's worth.  (There were also copies of a couple Merrits I already had in the lot, one of which was an update for me.)

Several of these are on the upgrade cheap list, and in the case of "About the Murder of a Startled Lady" it's on the not even necessarily cheap upgrade list.  But still a nice addition to my overall run:

These are Ann Cantor covers, no?

[OtherEric]

Found at Half Price Books today.  I’m guessing this is a reproduction set, does anyone recognize it?  At under $10 a volume it was worth the money in any case:

[OtherEric]

On 4/21/2023 at 3:16 PM, Sarg said:

These are Ann Cantor covers, no?

Not sure, the only credited artists are on Mickey Finn and Postman, Mickey Finn credits Howard Simon and Postman credits Wm. Frost.  In both cases that may just mean interior artists.

[FoggyNelson]

On 4/19/2023 at 8:07 PM, moonpool said:

Bouncing around the book room to Harlequin

They look fresh an glossy

[mstrange]

Picked these up recently not familiar with paperbacks..  Can anyone tell me anything about these.  Was told they are rare.

 

 

Edited April 22, 2023 by mstrange

[OtherEric]

On 4/22/2023 at 12:49 PM, mstrange said:

Picked these up recently no to familiar with  paperbacks..  Can anyone tell me anything about these was told they are rare.

 

 

Nice pickups!  I would call them more scarce than rare; they had a pretty solid print run.  Return of the King is more difficult than the other two.

Very roughly, Ace printed these without permission under the belief that copyright was never correctly established in the US.  They had a strong enough argument that the agreement reached with Tolkien was more or less "We will let these go out of print and not reprint them", rather than anything worse.  But they're the first paperback editions of the trilogy, and are therefore high demand among Tolkien fans and paperback fans.  The original print runs were relatively high, but just about every paperback collector eventually holds onto a set, as near as I can tell.

[mstrange]

On 4/22/2023 at 1:37 PM, OtherEric said:

Nice pickups!  I would call them more scarce than rare; they had a pretty solid print run.  Return of the King is more difficult than the other two.

Very roughly, Ace printed these without permission under the belief that copyright was never correctly established in the US.  They had a strong enough argument that the agreement reached with Tolkien was more or less "We will let these go out of print and not reprint them", rather than anything worse.  But they're the first paperback editions of the trilogy, and are therefore high demand among Tolkien fans and paperback fans.  The original print runs were relatively high, but just about every paperback collector eventually holds onto a set, as near as I can tell.

Thanks 

[Sarg]

On 4/22/2023 at 2:49 PM, mstrange said:

Picked these up recently not familiar with paperbacks..  Can anyone tell me anything about these.  Was told they are rare.

 

 

No mass market paperback is rare, but these are becoming uncommon in very fine condition. The original readers were not bibliophiles, so most existing copies found today are worn, wrinkled and damaged. 

[Surfing Alien]

On 4/22/2023 at 7:59 PM, Sarg said:

No mass market paperback is rare, but these are becoming uncommon in very fine condition. The original readers were not bibliophiles, so most existing copies found today are worn, wrinkled and damaged. 

Pretty spot on. And as OtherEric mentioned there's very high demand. Since I reassembled my set 2 years ago, i've been tracking and they're always available in mid grades, not too often in high grade but when they do prices have been strong to the upside.  That set looks VERY nice.

Edited April 23, 2023 by Surfing Alien

[Surfing Alien]

So my trip to Windy City was abbreviated in a pleasant way by some unexpected visitors in Chicago but was there for enough to feel the temperature and pick up up a few things.

A couple of Phantoms.

Edited April 23, 2023 by Surfing Alien

[Surfing Alien]

A few tough Croydons, including "Here Lies Blood" one of the unsigned NN's attributed to L.B.Cole that isn't often seen, a nice addition to the "Girl" collection with a classic Lou Marchetti cover, and a quite high grade copy of "Man Hungry Widow"

[moonpool]

We have your basic Kaywin and an actual British Harborough version

Edited April 25, 2023 by moonpool

[Surfing Alien]

Been running around a lot this week so just sorted out these recent pics of pickups...

I had a nice copy of this George Gross GGA digest in my original collection. It wasn't this nice tho... Maybe his best Quarter Book.

This beauty was painted by Ray Pease.

I keep promising myself not to collect the Carter Brown's because there's so many but couldn't resist this title/cover combo

A couple more of the "Girls"

"Barge Girl" cover art signed by Barye Phillips.

"Con Girl" not signed and not on Lynn Munroe's Rader checklist so it's uncredited but gorgeous and in the style.

[OtherEric]

Mail call today!  Let's start with the Avons:

 

[OtherEric]

And some Aces.  This puts me over 100 for the Ace D-S-G run.  101 down, 502 to go.  I've said before I don't really care if I get many of the Nurse novels that litter the 500's, and that's still true.  But happy to get a couple type samples, at least; and I'll keep grabbing all I can find when they're under $5 with shipping.  This also happens to include my first G that's part of the D-S-G run, even if I've got quite a few post-500 G's.

[Surfing Alien]

On 4/28/2023 at 4:44 PM, OtherEric said:

the Nurse novels that litter the 500's

@Randall Dowling will take those off your hands

[OtherEric]

A few more today.  I don't think I realized Zenith books were a thing, much less a Martin Goodman imprint after Lion folded.  I also hadn't realized Gnome ever did paperbacks... and it's clearly stated that Gnome is the publisher, in association with Ballantine, rather than Ballantine reprinting a Gnome title.  The Ace is, well, yet another Ace for the collection:

[OtherEric]

Today's book.  Shame I can't find a D-15 in this grade for $10 with shipping, my copy of that one is pretty beat.  I particularly like the Barton cover, but the Saunders isn't bad either.

 

[OtherEric]

So, @Surfing Alien had a copy of this in his recent sales thread, but I hesitated too long and somebody beat me to it.  This copy isn't nearly as nice... but it will do for now.

[OtherEric]

An odd question:  Is anybody aware of a good bookshelf for displaying paperbacks?  I'm starting to think I may be better off just getting some boards and building one myself than trying to find one, or I'm totally incompetent trying to figure out search terms.