Ricochet Books

November's Quill & Quire has an article on Montreal publisher's Ricochet Books. Fine article except, once again, the error that Brian Moore's first novel, Wreath for a Redhead was pseudonymous. Also below are the original editions of the three books illustrated in the article.

More on Ricochet Books at The Dusty Bookcase.

Harlequin 102 - March 1951

Harlequin 102 back

Harlequin 262 - December 1953

News Stand Library 116 - July 1950

Popular Library 612 - 1954

Harlequin Artists Part XXXI - Max Ralph (1)

Likely the best known early Harlequin (and certainly the most expensive) is Brian Moore's first book Wreath for a Redhead. But the fame doesn't keep the unsigned artist from being anonymous. 

However a few other Harlequins may help with identifying the artist. The art for the two books on either side of Wreath for a Redhead, to my eye, look like the work of the same artist. If that's the case then the artist on Wreath for a Redhead is Max Ralph. The Index of Canadian Illustrators lists him without any information. But I have seen an ad in a 1950 Maclean's with his signature matching the one on the Harlequin.

Harlequin 103

Harlequin 101 - March 1951

Harlequin 102 - March 1951

Harlequin 103 - March 1951

Check the attic: Paperbacks turn golden Part II

"But the magic name in Canadian paperback collecting is Harlequin." So says Alan Abrams in his 30 year old article in The Windsor Star. He then notes Brian Moore's two books for Harlequin - Wreath for a Redhead and The Executioners. Oddly he gives incorrect numbers for the books that aren't even close - 40 (instead of 102) for the first book and 45 (instead of 117) for the second. He says that they would cost, depending on condition, between $50 and $100. A look at ABE today shows 14 copies of both books ranging from $38 to $735.

Next is a comment that the 1942 White Circle edition of Leacock's Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town is worth more than the first edition (John Lane, 1912). That isn't the case today and I would be very surprised if it had been true in 1981.

Harlequin 102 - March 1951

Harlequin 117 - June 1951

White Circle 39 - 1942