Library Addition: Four Robert E. Howard Limited Editions

October 18th, 2022

I’ve already picked up the most important of Howard’s early work, including the five Gnome Press Conan books he wrote solo (the “posthumous collaboration” volumes are way down the list to pick up) and the three Arkham House books. (I do not have the Herbert Jenkins A Gent From Bear Creek; if you have one you’re willing to part with, let me know…) But I’ve mostly held off on picking up the “deluxe” editions of things, apart from the occasional Subterranean Press sale. But these came up for auction at PBA Galleries at fairly affordable prices.

  • Howard, Robert E. (Tim Underwood, editor). “…and their memory was a bitter tree…”. BlackBart, 2008. First edition hardback, #45 of 500 copies signed by illustrator Brom, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase. A volume lavishly illustrated in color by Brom and Frank Frazetta, with a preface by Arnie Fenner and an afterword by H. P. Lovecraft. Bought for $125. This appears to be the only book BlackBart ever did.

  • Howard, Robert E. Bran Mak Morn: The Last King. Wandering Star, 2005. First edition hardback, #634 of 850 numbered copies signed by illustrator Gary Gianni, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine- slipcase with a trace of wear at points, with a CD containing a reading of “Worms of the Earth” laid in. This and the other Wandering Star books here have gilt top edges. Bought for $125.

  • Howard, Robert E. Robert E. Howard’s Complete Conan of Cimmeria Volume Two (1934). Wandering Star, 2005. First edition hardback, #1462 of 1950 numbered copies signed by illustrator Gary Gianni, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase, with flyer for volume 3 with limitation number laid in. Bought for $187.50.

  • Howard, Robert E. Robert E. Howard’s Complete Conan of Cimmeria Volume Three (1935). Wandering Star, 2005. First edition hardback, 401 of 1000 numbered copies signed by illustrator Gregory Manchess. Bought for $175.

    All four are quite attractive volumes, and all four already had Mylar dust jacket protectors. Now I just need to track down The Ultimate Triumph, The Savage Tales Of Solomon Kane, and Conan of Cimmeria Volume One. Alas, those three seem even pricier…

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    Library Addition: Leah Bodine Drake’s A Hornbook for Witches

    October 17th, 2022

    I’ve been winning a fair number of Arkham House auctions recently, though this is one I bought off a fellow Biblio dealer. The last time I looked, nice copies of this were going for well over a grand and out of my price range, but prices seem to have drifted down a bit.

    Drake, Leah Bodine. A Hornbook for Witches. Arkham House, 1950. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with foxing to gutters and under flaps, slight bumping at heel (and unlike most Arkham (and U.S.) books, the printing on the book is 180° off what you would expect, running up the spine rather than down, so from bottom to top it reads “Drake • A HORNBOOK FOR WITCHES • Arkham House”), and a very slight bit of wear to Arkham’s usual Black Novelex boards, in a Near Fine- dust jacket with shallow 1/16″ chipping at head, heel and points, and age darkening to spine; a fairly nice copy. One of the rarest Arkham House books, with only 553 copies printed, and Jaffrey states that Drake took “about 300 copies” for her own distribution. Derleth, Thirty Years of Arkham House, 43. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House, 43. Jaffery, Horrors and Unpleasantries, 40 (“There are few copies around, and copies are really hard to come by”). Nielsen, Arkham House Books, 44 (and #5 on his list of “The Thirty-Five Most Valuable Arkham House Books”). Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy Three, page 29. Kemp, The Anthem Series, pages 334 (“Scarcest Arkham House title of all.”), which also notes an audiobook edition of the title narrated by Vincent Price (though evidently only including four of the poems here). Bought from a fellow Biblio dealer for $832.

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    Halloween Horrors: Wasparama

    October 16th, 2022

    Keeping the creepy crawly theme from yesterday going, here’s a video of a wasp and hornet expert removing a yellow-jacket nest from a wall in a woman’s basement.

    A really, really, really big nest.

    If that doesn’t freak you out enough, this guy has dozens more nest removal videos on his channel…

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    Halloween Horrors: House of Scorpions

    October 15th, 2022

    We haven’t done any creepy crawly horror yet this holiday season, so “enjoy” this abandoned house absolutely filled with scorpions.

    Sweet dreams…

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    Halloween Horrors: Welcome To AI Hell

    October 14th, 2022

    Man tells an AI to generate visions of Hell. Here are the results:

    Of course, AI Hell is different from Robot Hell. For one thing, there’s less singing:

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    Library Addition: Urish’s Hoard: The Guide to Elric Collectables

    October 13th, 2022

    I read about this on a Michael Moorcock group on Facebook, and went “Why yes, this is relevant to my interests!”

    (Moorcock, Michael) Kirkland, James. Urish’s Hoard. Dreaming City Books, 2021. First edition? (no printing indicated, and it may well be a print-on-demand book) trade paperback original, a Fine copy. There was a Kickstarter for this back in early 2021, but after it was funded this was almost immediately available on Amazon, which is where I bought this.

    Though the first edition information can be had in more comprehensive forms elsewhere, there is a wealth of information on Elric comic book adaptations, art portfolios, music, games and RPG supplements, and even miniatures! There’s also a discussion of the foul-up behind the Melniboné Mythos section in the AD&D Deities and Demigods. I’d always thought TSR had done it without permission, but Mike had given his permission, not realizing that his agent had already sold RPG rights to Chaosium. Oops…

    There’s a ton of information gathered here (illustrated with color scans) you’re not going to find in other reference sources, so if it interests you, you might want to click the Amazon hyperlink on the title. Also, you’ve got to love the retro DAW Books inspired design of the cover.

    It does remind me that someone needs to do a comprehensive Moorcock bibliography, as Tanelorn Archive is over 40 years old, and Moorcock is very prolific…

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    Halloween Horrors: National Museum of Funeral History in Houston

    October 12th, 2022

    This should be a Halloween non-horror, as this actually looks like a pretty cool place to visit:

    The museum is open seven days a week at 415 Barren Springs Dr, Houston, TX 77090.

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    Library Addition: Lyle H. Wright’s American Fiction 1774 – 1850

    October 11th, 2022

    I have a lot of science fiction reference works and bibliographies, but fewer general bibliographies. The following was something I’d seen Lloyd Currey reference for many older books, and I thought I should pick up a copy, especially since I got it at a bargain price.

    Wright, Lyle H. American Fiction 1774 – 1850: A Contribution Toward a Bibliography. The Huntington library, 1969. Second Revised Edition, a Fine- copy with slight bend at head and heel in a Near Fine dust jacket with two 1/4″ closed tears to front, a slight age darkening to spine, and a trace of dust soiling to rear. Wright compiled two more volumes that go up through 1900, which I intend to pick up as targets of opportunity. Bought online for $5; a good deal for the price, but I was miffed that the eBay seller mailed it without any padding whatsoever, just in wrapping paper. This is not acceptable.

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    Library Additions: Six Signed Ray Bradbury Firsts

    October 10th, 2022

    Someone had a lot of eleven Ray Bradbury firsts listed on eBay for $420, and accepted a $300 offer. These are the ones going into my library (two replacing unsigned copies), the rest will be offered for sale in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.

  • Bradbury, Ray. Farewell Summer. Morrow, 2006. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket with “National Book Award Distinguished Contribution to American Letters” sticker (presumably as issued; he was awarded it in 2000), signed by Bradbury. Sequel to Dandelion Wine.
  • Bradbury, Ray. The Last Circus & The Electrocution. Lord John Press, 1980. First edition hardback, #105 of 300 copies signed by Bradbury and introduction author William F. Nolan, a Fine copy in a Fine slipcase, sans dust jacket, as issued. Two stories, an introduction by Nolan and an afterword by Bradbury. Supplements a signed trade copy.

  • Bradbury, Ray. The Machineries of Joy. Simon & Schuster, 1964. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with previous owner’s name, city, and date to FFE, corners slightly bumped, slight bend at head and heel, and slight wear along bottom board edges, in a Very Good+ dust jacket with 3/16″ triangular chip at head join, slight edgewear at head and heel, bit of wrinkling to top edge, a few small, closed tears, a tiny bit of loss at points, and a few slight spots of dust soiling, signed and dated (“12/12/86”) by Bradbury. Short story collection. Nolan, The Ray Bradbury Companion, pages 148-150. Weist, Bradbury: An Illustrated Life, page 72. Currey, page 56.

  • Bradbury, Ray. One For The Road. Morrow, 2002. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Bradbury. Short story collection, including a smattering of older stories.
  • Bradbury, Ray. The Tonybee Convector. Knopf, 1988. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, inscribed by Bradbury: “Joe Anne &/Lee/Ray Bradbury/Dec. 10/1988.” Replaces an unsigned copy.
  • Bradbury, Ray. When Elephants Last In The Dooryard Bloomed. Knopf, 1973. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bend at head and heel, in a Near Fine, price-clipped dust jacket, signed and dated (“12/12/86”). Supplements a later printing.

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    Library Addition: First Edition of Robert A. Heinlein’s Rocket Ship Galileo

    October 6th, 2022

    I am slowly gathering a complete collection of Robert A. Heinlein first editions. Rocket Ship Galileo, his very first, was one that got too expensive for me to pick up for a long time, and all that were listed online where either well over a grand, or fairly crummy copies they still wanted close to a grand for. So I waited, and was finally able to snag a pretty nice copy in my price range.

    Heinlein, Robert A. Rocket Ship Galileo. Scribner’s, 1947. First edition hardback (Scribner’s seal and “A” printing code, as per Currey), a Near Fine copy with non-authorial inscription on FFE and mild blocks of foxing to inner covers and endpapers, in a Near Fine first state (unclipped $2.00 price) dust jacket with a pinhead-sized hole near heel and spine fading, and a tiny bit of wrinkling to bottom rear flap, otherwise a bright, vibrant example of the dust jacket. It’s a really attractive copy, and because the area of the hole and the board color are both dark, it doesn’t jump out at you. Currey, page 234. Locke, Spectrum of Fantasy, page 109 (he calls for “light yellow” endpapers, but these are really more of a light tan). Barron, Anatomy of Wonder 4, *5-62. Franklin, Robert A. Heinlein: America as Science Fiction, pages 75-76. Not in 333. Not in Magill’s Survey of Science Fiction Literature. Bought off a fellow Biblio dealer for $360.

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