Pulps Between Boards: Arkham House and Other Specialty Publishers 4 4

[OtherEric]

Today’s pick up:

 

[Darwination]

Gorgeous!

Not getting that malevolent vibe at all, though

[OtherEric]

Today's addition.  Jacket is price clipped but that's just something I just need to live with sometimes on Arkham House and its imprints.

[OtherEric]

In today. 

[OtherEric]

With vintage books in general going up so much in price these days, I actually hadn't even looked at the price on this one before.  While I can't claim $500 with tax & shipping is actually cheap, it was actually quite a bit less than I expected a decent copy of Howard's first US book to start at.

[jimjum12]

On 6/8/2024 at 1:32 PM, OtherEric said:

With vintage books in general going up so much in price these days, I actually hadn't even looked at the price on this one before.  While I can't claim $500 with tax & shipping is actually cheap, it was actually quite a bit less than I expected a decent copy of Howard's first US book to start at.

That one is way up on my list, the cover hooks it for me. I saw a very sharp one @1750 that I might seriously consider if I was still working and getting OT. GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[OtherEric]

A quick question for the experts here:  It's easy enough to find lists of the Arkham House publications in order, and similarly easy to find one for the Mycroft & Moran books.  But is anybody aware of a list that includes both mixed together?  All else being equal, I'm inclined to shelve them mixed together in publication order.

[jimjum12]

On 6/10/2024 at 12:03 AM, OtherEric said:

A quick question for the experts here:  It's easy enough to find lists of the Arkham House publications in order, and similarly easy to find one for the Mycroft & Moran books.  But is anybody aware of a list that includes both mixed together?  All else being equal, I'm inclined to shelve them mixed together in publication order.

A challenge that I wish I had  GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

 

[OtherEric]

On 6/10/2024 at 11:40 AM, jimjum12 said:

A challenge that I wish I had  GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

 

I wouldn’t describe myself as having a spectacular collection, I think it’s currently 31 Arkham House and 12 Mycroft and Moran.  So I guess not too bad either.

[Surfing Alien]

On 6/8/2024 at 1:32 PM, OtherEric said:

With vintage books in general going up so much in price these days, I actually hadn't even looked at the price on this one before.  While I can't claim $500 with tax & shipping is actually cheap, it was actually quite a bit less than I expected a decent copy of Howard's first US book to start at.

You're on fire lately with the Arkham's Eric 

[OtherEric]

On 6/10/2024 at 12:53 PM, Surfing Alien said:

You're on fire lately with the Arkham's Eric 

Only a couple, but I think it's fair to say House on the Borderland  and Skull-Face  are both A-list books even by Arkham House standards.

[ArkhamCastle]

On 6/8/2024 at 1:32 PM, OtherEric said:

With vintage books in general going up so much in price these days, I actually hadn't even looked at the price on this one before.  While I can't claim $500 with tax & shipping is actually cheap, it was actually quite a bit less than I expected a decent copy of Howard's first US book to start at.

I got a decent coverless copy for under a hundred bucs a few years ago and and found a facsimile cover for it.  Just happy to have a copy.

[OtherEric]

On 6/13/2024 at 7:10 AM, ArkhamCastle said:

I got a decent coverless copy for under a hundred bucs a few years ago and and found a facsimile cover for it.  Just happy to have a copy.

I assume by coverless you mean no dust jacket, not that you paid $100 for just the text block.  If so, that was a great deal!

[ArkhamCastle]

On 6/13/2024 at 12:20 PM, OtherEric said:

I assume by coverless you mean no dust jacket, not that you paid $100 for just the text block.  If so, that was a great deal!

Yes. sorry my comic collecting lingo snuck in.  Did not have a dust Jacket.

[OtherEric]

A couple M&M's today.  Now I want candy...

 

[OtherEric]

I've got another question for any Arkham House experts here, hopefully a somewhat simpler one:  Was the collection Evermore published in 2006 the last actual Arkham House book?  There are a few later items that were co-released with others under the imprint, but I think that's the last actual book from the imprint proper?

[jimjum12]

On 6/17/2024 at 2:27 PM, OtherEric said:

I've got another question for any Arkham House experts here, hopefully a somewhat simpler one:  Was the collection Evermore published in 2006 the last actual Arkham House book?  There are a few later items that were co-released with others under the imprint, but I think that's the last actual book from the imprint proper?

Wikipedia seems to echo your take on it, without actually spelling it out. It seems that 2010's small output was something of a death rattle for the company. QUITE a reputation for a small press outfit. GOD BLESS ....

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

 

[RedFury]

On 6/17/2024 at 2:27 PM, OtherEric said:

I've got another question for any Arkham House experts here, hopefully a somewhat simpler one:  Was the collection Evermore published in 2006 the last actual Arkham House book?  There are a few later items that were co-released with others under the imprint, but I think that's the last actual book from the imprint proper?

Yes, technically that's the last.  The ones that came after were published by George Vanderburgh and Bob Weinberg using the Arkham House and Mycroft and Moran imprints by permission of April Derleth.

2008 - The Shunned House (2nd edition)
2009 - The Macabre Quatro (4 volumes of Derleth weird fiction)
2010 - The Arkham Sampler (2 volumes reprinting all 8 issues from 1948-49)
2010 - Baker Street Irregular (should really be a Mycroft & Moran title...the M&M logo is all over this book)

But before these were the M&M revival of the late 90s, also due to George.  M&M hadn't published a book since 1982.
1998 - In Lovecraft's Shadow
1998 - The FInal Adventures of Solar Pons
2000 - The Original Text Solar Pons Omnibus Edition Vols 1-2

Edited June 18 by RedFury

[OtherEric]

On 6/18/2024 at 1:56 PM, RedFury said:

Yes, technically that's the last.  The ones that came after were published by George Vanderburgh and Bob Weinberg using the Arkham House and Mycroft and Moran imprints by permission of April Derleth.

2008 - The Shunned House (2nd edition)
2009 - The Macabre Quatro (4 volumes of Derleth weird fiction)
2010 - The Arkham Sampler (2 volumes reprinting all 8 issues from 1948-49)
2010 - Baker Street Irregular (should really be a Mycroft & Moran title...the M&M logo is all over this book)

But before these were the M&M revival of the late 90s, also due to George.  M&M hadn't published a book since 1982.
1998 - In Lovecraft's Shadow
1998 - The FInal Adventures of Solar Pons
2000 - The Original Text Solar Pons Omnibus Edition Vols 1-2

Thank you.  I'm trying to decide right now just how completest I want to go on Mycroft & Moran... I have Wisconsin Murders on order, I still need Number Seven Queer Street for certain, and I would like a copy of Three Problems for Solar Pons but probably don't want to pay what that goes for, given that the stories are all reprinted in Return.  I don't see much point in bothering with the Solar Pons Omnibus in either edition, though... and can claim that the 1st version was actually AH and the second was actually Battered Silicon Dispatch Box. 

I keep hoping somebody will be able to revive the publisher, but if it is gone for good it had one heck of a run and turned out a lot of excellent books

I wonder if AH and its imprints ever made it to over 1 million total books printed?  Given that they did about 240 books total, and most print runs were 4000 or lower (frequently MUCH lower) with only a few books getting reprints, it's probably somewhere in that range.

[RedFury]

On 6/18/2024 at 5:28 PM, OtherEric said:

Thank you.  I'm trying to decide right now just how completest I want to go on Mycroft & Moran... I have Wisconsin Murders on order, I still need Number Seven Queer Street for certain, and I would like a copy of Three Problems for Solar Pons but probably don't want to pay what that goes for, given that the stories are all reprinted in Return.  I don't see much point in bothering with the Solar Pons Omnibus in either edition, though... and can claim that the 1st version was actually AH and the second was actually Battered Silicon Dispatch Box. 

I keep hoping somebody will be able to revive the publisher, but if it is gone for good it had one heck of a run and turned out a lot of excellent books

I wonder if AH and its imprints ever made it to over 1 million total books printed?  Given that they did about 240 books total, and most print runs were 4000 or lower (frequently MUCH lower) with only a few books getting reprints, it's probably somewhere in that range.

The omnibus editions are illustrated.  Utpatel did dozens of new illustrations for the 1982 omnibus.  I think they were also included in the later omnibus.  I know the Solar Pons comic strip was included in the 2nd omnibus.  That hadn't been seen since Praed Street Papers (1965).

As for total books printed, I don't think they hit 1 million.  I just totaled my spreadsheet (not completely accurate...I have some books duplicated and some without the print run info) but my rough estimate is about 800,000 AH and M&M.