The WEIRD TALES Thread: Collecting The Unique Magazine 5 5

[Rick Hall]

"People don't buy these for the cover art, do they? "
> The VAST majority of pulp collectors do not buy pulps for the cover art. They buy pulps so they can read the stories.

[OtherEric]

On 2/17/2024 at 8:46 PM, Rick Hall said:

"People don't buy these for the cover art, do they? "
> The VAST majority of pulp collectors do not buy pulps for the cover art. They buy pulps so they can read the stories.

I don't know how true that is any more.  A lot of the new people entering the world of Pulp Collecting seem to prefer covers over stories.  I agree that, as recently as a few years ago, most of the demand was for the contents rather than the art, in most cases.  But there have always been some exceptions, and the market is changing.

With that said, there's just nothing like reading a classic story in its original publication. 

[Rick Hall]

 

"Is it accurate to say that a lot of the early issues are pretty scarce? And at what point do issues stop being scarce?"
> It depends on who is looking for that issue.
For you guys who would use the standard places on the internet, the early 30s.
For a civilian, the two reprints published in the mid-70s would be next to impossible to find.
For me, I have been attending pulp conventions for 30 years. I know whom to talk to: the major pulp dealers who set up at conventions, heavy-duty SF collectors, and they have connections I don't have: mid-to-late 20s.

Not that I'd pay less for them; but I'd get the word.

It pays for others to know what you collect. I am one of the small-time dealers in pulp hobby.
Half a dozen times over the years I have stumbled across something ulra-rare and I knew a collector who might be interested.
My dealer stock is never known for its rarity. But, when I call somebody, they are ready to be surprised.

Do not worry about rarity, buy what you like. Nobody bought stock because they had pretty stock certificates.

[Ameri]

Picked this one up recently

Edited February 25 by Ameri

[Ameri]

Got this one today. I added a zerox over the missing piece which made me feel better   

[Primetime]

On 2/26/2024 at 9:20 PM, Ameri said:

Got this one today. I added a zerox over the missing piece which made me feel better   

😉

[AnkurJ]

I’ve been enjoying adding a few of these to my hoard. They are plentiful and most are affordable which is a plus. 

Anyone know of a coverless Oct 1933 that may be available?

 

Edited March 7 by AnkurJ

[lpsunburst]

Judging by recent HA results, Weird Tales is certainly hot. Here is a nice Maggie cover.

[Paul © ® ⚽️💙™]

Just got some Foxes thru' the door. Love the stuff he did for WT.  

 

[Paul © ® ⚽️💙™]

Some wonderful Foxy pulps arrived. I think this first one is probably my all-time favourite MF cover....maybe.

 

[Sarg]

On 4/12/2024 at 6:43 AM, Paul © ® ⚽️💙™ said:

Some wonderful Foxy pulps arrived. I think this first one is probably my all-time favourite MF cover....maybe.

 

 

 

 

Strangely, Matt Fox cited Alex Raymond as his biggest inspiration. I can't think of an artist more unlike Raymond than Fox. 

[jimjum12]

This is my favorite Fox WT cover. GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[Surfing Alien]

On 4/13/2024 at 5:18 PM, jimjum12 said:

This is my favorite Fox WT cover. GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

Nice. I'm really glad I grabbed a few back in the days of sanity. 

Moving to another artist, "The Dark Man" cover may be my favorite I have of Senf's covers. 

A gem of a tale is what led me to the cover 👍

[Sarg]

On 4/13/2024 at 7:41 PM, Surfing Alien said:

Nice. I'm really glad I grabbed a few back in the days of sanity. 

Moving to another artist, "The Dark Man" cover may be my favorite I have of Senf's covers. 

A gem of a tale is what led me to the cover 👍

Personally, I think most of Senf's covers are ill-conceived rubbish, but I agree that this is one of his more effective ones. 

Under Satrap Pharnabazous's editorship, the best story in the issue was almost always passed over for the cover illustration, so good to see Two-Gun Bob prevail here.

Always amusing, also, to see a world famous name from literature (Alexandre Dumas) added to the author roll on the cover -- as if to give the impression that Dumas actually wrote for "the unique magazine"!

[Sarg]

On 2/22/2024 at 7:20 PM, Ameri said:

Picked this one up recently

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wonder if any readers at the time noticed that Houdini writes just like Lovecraft? 

 

 

[OtherEric]

On 4/14/2024 at 7:22 AM, Sarg said:

 

I wonder if any readers at the time noticed that Houdini writes just like Lovecraft? 

 

 

Lovecraft wasn't the ghost writer on that story, only on "Imprisoned with the Pharaohs".  But I can't remember who was the ghost on that one off the top of my head.

[Sarg]

According to this article:

"I don't think there can be any doubt that 'The Spirit Fakers of Hermannstadt' was ghostwritten. The question is, who was the ghostwriter? I would like to nominate Otis Adelbert Kline for that title. Whoever wrote the story was well versed (or mostly well versed) in the history, language, and geography of fantasy, adventure, historical, and weird fiction. Kline fit the bill in that way. Kline was also a manuscript reader, workhorse writer, sometime editor, and partway agent for Weird Tales. He seems to have been a real go-to guy for Henneberger and Baird. In early 1924, the two men at the head of Weird Tales would have needed ghostwriters for Houdini's coming stories. Kline would have been an obvious choice for the first. Lovecraft of course came last."

[Robot Man]

On 4/12/2024 at 4:43 AM, Paul © ® ⚽️💙™ said:

Some wonderful Foxy pulps arrived. I think this first one is probably my all-time favourite MF cover....maybe.

 

Being a PCH guy like I am, I can see why you are attracted to the Matt Fox covers. I have been collecting and upgrading them for years. Problem is, others have discovered them and prices are escalating quickly. They have been somewhat common and available for years but are now pretty sucked up around here. 

[Paul © ® ⚽️💙™]

On 4/15/2024 at 3:02 PM, Robot Man said:

Being a PCH guy like I am, I can see why you are attracted to the Matt Fox covers. I have been collecting and upgrading them for years. Problem is, others have discovered them and prices are escalating quickly. They have been somewhat common and available for years but are now pretty sucked up around here. 

He's just an awesome artist. Totally unique style. I could look at his stuff all day.

I pretty much revere him the same as Wolverton.

Edited April 15 by Paul © ® ⚽️💙™

[ThothAmon]

On 4/15/2024 at 10:05 AM, Paul © ® ⚽️💙™ said:

He's just an awesome artist. Totally unique style. I could look at his stuff all day.

I pretty much revere him the same as Wolverton.

Interesting comparison. Let’s take it all the way back to Seurat’s pointillism.