The Mystery League and Harlequin Part I

The Mystery League, Inc. was an early 1930s publisher of mysteries/thrillers. Only 30 were published. The series was distinctive for two reasons - the books were sold in a drug store and a cigar store chain for 50 cents, less than the going hardcover price and the dust jackets, which is the main reason they are collectible.

The Mystery League series shares three authors with Harlequin Books. Here's the first - Frances Shelley Wees with one Mystery League and two Harlequins.

Harlequin 2 - May 1949

Harlequin 2 back

Harlequin 8 - August 1949

Harlequin 8 back

1931

Wm. Collins's Indian Editions Part II

The Scottish-British publisher Wm. Collins Sons & Co. published paperbacks in the 1940s and 1950s in a number of countries, including India. The Indian editions were unnumbered and came in different series. Here are two examples. Never a Dull Moment is digest sized (12.5cm x 18.3cm) and has a dustjacket glued at the spine over blank white covers. The Body in the Library is mass market sized. Both are published by W.A.R. Collins, the first in Calcutta (1946), the second in Bombay (undated).

Harlequin Artists Part XXXIII - Max Ralph (3)

Another couple of covers by mid-century Canadian artist Max Ralph for Harlequin Books. Ralph signed nine covers.

Harlequin 39

Harlequin 39 - April 1950

Harlequin 78 - October 1950

Harlequin Artists Part XXXII - Max Ralph (2)

I recently found an ad in a 1950 issue of Maclean's that solved a Harlequin artist mystery. Earlier this year I discussed an artist who signed his two Harlequin covers as "NMR". And here I discussed an artist who signed his work as "Ralph". I speculated that this was Max Ralph. Now I know the two artists are N. Max Ralph. The Maclean's ad notes that the art is the work of "N Max Ralph" and the signature is clearly the same. There is also a third signature - "R". Why three different ways of signing his work?

Here are examples of each plus the ad.

Maclean's - October 15, 1950 - p. 65

Harlequin 44 - April 1950

Harlequin 44

Harlequin 42

Harlequin 42 - April 1950

Harlequin 103

Harlequin 103 - March 1951

Collins White Circle in the Swinging 60s

Wm. Collins Sons & Co. Canada Ltd published 459 books in their White Circle numbered series between 1942 and 1952. But there were also a handful of paperbacks designated White Circle in the 1940s through the 1970s that were not part of this series. Here are two from the 60s. While published five years apart they are consecutively numbered. I don't know if there is a A1002.

White Circle A1000 - 1964

White Circle A1000 back

White Circle A1001 - 1969

White Circle A1001 back