Before Harlequin

A break from the last few months worth of posts which have been Harlequin heavy with two early Canadian mass market paperbacks published during the war.

Come Wind, Come Weather is a collection of essays and short stories by Daphne du Maurier in support of the British war effort. The Canadian edition was published in February 1941 (London and Toronto: William Heinemann) with a three page "Word to Canada" by du Maurier.

All Clear, Canada! (Toronto: Copp Clark, 1944) is a novel also published in hard cover in 1944.

Harlequin Artists Part XXIII - Friede (2)

In my first Friede post I introduced an early Harlequin artist and discussed one of the best known Harlequin covers. It turns out Friede did another well known cover for Harlequin - The Black Flame by Stanley Weinbaum. It's not a coincidence that both well known covers are among the seven Harlequin science fiction titles. As a group they are the most collectible early Harlequins.

Harlequin 205

Harlequin 205 - January 1953

Harlequin 181 - July 1952

Harleuqin 210 - July 1953

Harlequin Artists Part XXII - Friede (1)

Regretfully artists of some of the most famous early Harlequin covers remain anonymous. Until recently I included the artist for A.E. van Vogt's The House that Stood Still. However another look at the two copies I have revealed the signature of an artist named Friede. Like a few other one-name-only Harlequin artists I know nothing about him. He is not listed in the Index of Canadian Illustrators and Toronto City Directories.

So far I have found his signature on ten Harlequins published over a nine month period. He signed vertically along the bottom left hand of the covers in a light pen so sometimes difficult to pick out. But all, excepting The House that Stood Still, are legible. Part of the signature on that book has been cut off, to different degrees, on the copies I have. Also the backgound colour is dark with a slightly lighter signature that hasn't reproduced well. But a comparison of the very faint letters (EDE are just visible) with his signature on other books plus the style of art leaves no doubt that the art is by Friede.

Harlequin 177

Harlequin 193

Harlequin 177 - June 1952

Harlequin 193 - October 1952

Harlequin 189 - September 1952

Harlequin Artists Part XXI - Derrett (1)

It's odd that the artist with the third most early Harlequin covers is only known by his last name. Derrett signed 22 covers over a two year period but I can find nothing about him. He also did three covers for Wm. Collins Sons & Co. Canada in their White Circle line. In the earlier post I said that he is not listed in any of the mid-century Toronto City Directories. He is also not in the Index of Canadian Illustrators.

Here are three - the first, the last and one in the middle.

Harlequin 118

Harlequin 118 - June 1951

Harlequin 174 - June 1952

Harlequin 241 - August 1953

Are Any of Harlequin Books 51 - 60 Worth Reading?

The search for Harlequin Worthies® continues with issues 51 through 60.

51 anon.                                The Pocket Purity Cook Book
52 Lacroix, Rose (translator)     Livre de cuisine Purity petit format
53 White, William C.                The Pale Blonde Of Sands Street
54 Sanxay Holding, Elizabeth    Speak Of The Devil
55 Healy, Eugene                    Mr. Sandeman Loses His Life
56 Cooke, Ronald J.                The Mayor Of Côte St. Paul
57 Bogart, William                   Murder Man [Hell on Friday]
58 Halleran, E. E.                     Outposts Of Vengeance
59 Sale, Richard                      Cardinal Rock
60 Sanxay Holding, Elizabeth    Lady Killer

Harlequin's only cookbooks are in this group. Other books include one western, one romance and five mystery/thrillers. Plus The Mayor of Cote St. Paul, an original from Canadian Ronald J. Cooke. Thanks to The Dusty Bookcase I will not be awarding a Worthy®.

I have read two of the books - Cardinal Rock and Murder Man. The first was competently written but it is not good enough to make the cut. However Murder Man was enjoyable with a fun connection to the world of pulp publishing. One Worthy® here.

The three other mystery/thrillers include two by Elizabeth Sanxay Holding. Both were published by Duell, Sloane and Pearce, Speak of the Devil in 1941 and Lady Killer in 1942. I've read and enjoyed two other novels by the well-respected Holding and these appear to be well worth reading.

Three Worthies® in this group with a running total of eight.

Harlequin 54 - June 1950

Harlequin 57 - June 1950

Harlequin 60 - July 1950