Harlequin Reprints Part XX

In earlier posts in this series I discussed 10, of 19, titles that Harlequin Books reprinted from 1949 to 1959 with a different number in the series. Here is the eleventh. Paprika has two interesting covers. The cover on the first and second printings is, to my mind, the oddest of the 486 covers that are seen on the Harlequins during this decade as the only photograph cover, of seven, on a fiction title.

The third printing's cover is a copy of the first American paperback published in 1952 by Universal Publishing and Distributing of New York. Note the changes - Paprika's smaller décolletage and the background dancer's pants. This cover has the correct spelling of the author's name. The back covers on the Harlequin printings are the same.

Harlequin 150 - January 1952 & March 1952

Harlequin 150 back

Harlequin 214 - February 1953

Universal Giant G-2 - 1952

Harlequin Reprints Part XIX

In the last post I discussed three of the 19 titles that Harlequin reprinted with new numbers in the series. Here's another one.

Unlike the earlier three examples there were changes to the newly numbered The Faro Kid. The same cover art is used but there is a redesign of the front cover, spine and back cover. In fact this is technically a new edition and not a new printing as the page breaks are different resulting in two fewer pages (126 vs 124). The earlier number had two identical printings in December 1950 and May 1952.

The three "printings" also bulk differently - 8mm for the first, 10mm for the second and 7mm for the third. The 1957 edition doesn't mention the 1950 and 1952 printings.

Harlequin 89 - December 1950 & May 1952

Harlequin 89 back

Harlequin 386 - April 1957

Harlequin 386 back

Harlequin Reprints Part XVIII

Between 1949 and 1959 Harlequin Books reprinted 19 of their titles with a new number in the series. Four of them were in a two month period - March and April 1954. Three of the four used the original covers and, in fact, the books are identical to the first printings with only the number changing on the front cover and spine. The issue number found in the bottom left hand corner of each of the first pages of the signatures (pages 1, 33, 65 etc.) and the back cover weren't changed. The ads in Crime on My Hands are the same. In two of the books even the date of the second printing is missing on the copyright page. Only Lost House has the date for both printings. The only other differences are that Girls in White bulks differently - 15mm for the first printing and 10mm for the second - and the addition of the price for Lost House.

The titles could just as easily been reprinted under the old numbers as were many other titles. It's a mystery why Harlequin used new numbers for these titles.

Harlequin 182 - March 1954

Harlequin 182 back

Harlequin 279 - [March 1954]

Harlequin 2 - May 1949

Harlequin 2 back

Harlequin 295 - April 1954

Harlequin 219 - March 1953

Harlequin 219 back

Harlequin 294 - [April 1954]

Harlequin Artists Part XXVI - LPH

One of the eight artists who signed their Harlequin covers with initials is LPH. There is no one in the Index of Canadian Illustrators that matches these initials. I've seen them on only one book but there are two other covers that are likely this artist's. My copies of these books are in rough shape so it's possible the initials are under a damaged area. He didn't like drawing men's faces.

LPH will remain anonymous for the time being.

Harlequin 72

Harlequin 72 - September 1950

Harlequin 57 - June 1950

Harlequin 62 - July 1950

Export Publishing Enterprises artists Part IV - Sid Dyke (4)

Here are Sid Dyke's covers eight through eleven for Export Publishing Enterprises.

News Stand Library 115

News Stand Library 110 - April 1950

News Stand Library 111 - June 1950

News Stand Library 114 - June 1950

News Stand Library 115 - June 1950

Export Publishing Enterprises Artists Part III - Sid Dyke (3)

The fourth Sid Dyke cover for New Toronto paperback publisher Export Publishing Enterprises was nearly 1 1/2 years after the third. It was followed immediately by the fifth through seventh.

One more piece of information on Dyke - the Canadian Heritage Information Network's Artists in Canada has a brief listing which says that he was in Vancouver in 1985.

News Stand Library 104

News Stand Library 104 - April 1950

News Stand Library 105 - April 1950

News Stand Library 106 - May 1950

News Stand Library 107 - May 1950

Bell Features and Publishing Part I

Anyone with an interest in 1940s Canadian low-cult will recognize the name Bell Features and Publishing. Bell was one of the major publishers of Canadian comics. Much less well known are Bell's 17 books. All are unnumbered 96 page digests printed in 1946 and sold in the UK through Pembertons of Manchester Ltd.

Armstrong, Buck              Laila--Queen of the Range
Crowell, Will                    The Terror of Mocking Valley
Denison, Clift                  The Spy in the Room
Douglas, Dayle                Haunted Harbor
Earl, Cliff                        The Cowboy Kid from Bear Paw
Edgar, Dorothy                Heart in Chains
Edgar, Keith                    The Canyon of Death
Edgar, Keith                    The Kunwak Treasure
Ernenwein, Leslie             The Renegade Westerner
Gould, Stephen                Homicide Johnny
Leinster, Murray               Cowgirl Fury
Leinster, Murray               The Blonde and the Outlaw
Porter, Raymond W.          Living by the Trigger
Porter, Raymond W.         Under the Sign of the Six-Shooter
Shappiro, Herbert             Love Throws a Loop
Yates, Peter                    Curtain Call for Murder
Yates, Peter                    The Dress Circle Murders

Here are two of the ten westerns. The Canyon of Death is an original. I don't know the publishing history of Under the Sign of the Six-Shooter.

Harlequin Artists Part XXV - Sid Dyke (1)

I've already done three posts on the work of early Canadian paperback cover artist Sid Dyke. Two were about his work for Export Publishing Enterprises where he signed 17 covers. He also signed 10 covers for Harlequin Books, three of which were westerns.

Harlequin 350

Harlequin 246 - September 1953



Harlequin 281 - March 1954

Harlequin 350 - January 1956

Export Publishing Enterprises Artists Part II - Sid Dyke (2)

In the first post I introduced early Canadian paperback artist Sid Dyke and his two Export Publishing Enterprise's western covers. He is also listed as Sydney Dyke in Export's December 1950 three issue Junior Weekly series as art director.

Here are his first three covers for Export. They are the only covers he signed "Sid Dyke".

News Stand Library R15

News Stand Library R15 - November 1948

News Stand Library 16 - December 1948

News Stand Library 17 - December 1948

Export Publishing Enterprises Artists Part I - Sid Dyke (1)

Sid Dyke signed more covers for the early Canadian paperback publisher Export Publishing Enterprises than any other artist, 17. There is very little that I have found about Dyke. He is not listed in the Index of Canadian Illustrators but is in the Toronto City Directory for two years - 1948 and 1949. The listing reads "Sydney L. Dyke, commercial artist Bomac Engravers, residence Port Credit." A listing for a work of art (1967) says he was born in Calgary in 1916.

Here are the two westerns he did for Export.

News Stand Library 121



News Stand Library 120 - July 1950

News Stand Library 121 - July 1950

Sid Dyke

One of my favourite artists on early Canadian paperbacks is Sid Dyke. He did covers for Harlequin Books and Export Publishing Enterprises and I'll showcase his work in two series of posts. Here is a couple of my favourite Dyke covers as a teaser.

News Stand Library 20A - February 1950

Harlequin 232 - June 1953

Harlequin Reprints Part XVII

In my last Harlequin reprint post I discussed a title reprinted as a later number in the series using a cover from a third title. Here is another example, also a western. Savage Justice was published in 1952, then reprinted in 1956. The 1956 printing recycles a cover from 1951's Boot Hill.

Harlequin 171 - May 1952

Harlequin 171 back

Harlequin 355 - March 1956

Harlequin 355 back

Harlequin 136 - October 1951