The First White Circle Reprints Part I

After publishing its first 50 White Circle paperbacks in 1942 with classic text only British covers, Wm Collins & Sons Co. Canada decided, in order to compete with the American books coming into Canada, that the covers needed to be more distinctive. Joining new releases were 10 reprints in spring 1943 of 1942 books. Here is the list with the 1942 printing's number. The first four books were not reprinted again.

101	The Stoat	D
102	Death Leaves No Card	K
103	U-Boat in the Hebrides	B1
104	The Bell of Death	E
105	Mr. Mortimer Gets the Jitters	P
106	Wanted for Murder	L
107	Death Before Honour	C
108	Doorway to Danger	R
109	Spades at Midnight	I
110	Belt of Suspicion	A2

White Circle 101 - 1943



White Circle 102 - 1943

White Circle 103 - 1943

White Circle 104 - 1943

146 and Counting

The British North American Act, enacted March 29, 1867 by the British Parliament, provided for Confederation of the three British North American colonies, Canada (Upper and Lower), Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Now much amended as the Constitution Act, 1867, it was proclaimed into law on July 1, 1867 and Canada was born. The first official birthday celebration was in 1868, July 1 being named Dominion Day in 1879 and Canada Day in 1982.

Here are some early efforts by Harlequin Books in Lower Canada. 

Patricia et le noveau medecin was Pat Witney, R.N. (Harlequin 347). Le destin d'une infirmiere was published as Harlequin 580 Nurse Nolan, originally Dear Tiberius (Mills & Boon) and Une infirmiere au Tyrol was Harlequin 556, Staff Nurse in the Tyrol.

Harlequin 347f - 1960

Harlequin 347f back

Harlequin 602f - 1961

Harlequin 602f back

Harlequin 604f - 1961

Harlequin 604f back

Superior Publishers - Part I

Toronto's Superior Publishers was a publisher of very cheaply produced digests from the mid to late 1940s. Just after the war they produced books for the English market. One is below.

Superior's address was 2382 Dundas Street West, now an used car lot.

The Outlaw of Eagle's Nest - no date [C. 1946]

The Outlaw of Eagle's Nest back

Wm Collins and the Second World War

One of the fascinating book collecting avenues is paperback editions that were published exclusively for the armed forces in the second world war.

British publishers including the Scottish-British publisher Wm Collins & Sons with their White Circle Pocket Library series brought out services editions. The Canadian subsidiary did not but did ask that books make their way to the forces. Here are some examples.

White Circle Services Edition -1945

White Circle Services Edition back

White Circle 58 - 1943

White Circle 58 back

The British Publishers Guild S227 - 1946

The British Publishers Guild S227 back

The Mystery League and Harlequin Part II

In part I I introduced The Mystery League, a publisher of 30 mysteries in the early 1930s, which shares three authors with the Canadian reprint publisher Harlequin Books. The second author is Sydney Horler (1888 - 1954) who had two books published by The Mystery League and five by Harlequin. Here is two plus one.

Harlequin 307 - July 1954

Harlequin 307 back

Harlequin 322 - September 1954

Harlequin 322 back