White Circle 492
White Circle 116
Harlequin 391
Sunday, 27 June 2010
Graffiti Part II
Graffiti I focused on bookstore "this is mine" stamps. Here we'll look at graffiti of a more personal nature on two Wm. Collins Sons & Co. Canada Ltd and one Harlequin Books publications. The last one is of personal interest as the writing is my father's. The car he wanted "to get more from" was a 1949 Studebaker. The "CPR" is the Canadian Pacific Railroad's station in Sudbury, Ontario.
Saturday, 26 June 2010
Wolfe's Bookstore - Sudbury, Ontario
In a previous post I showed the stamp for Wolfe's Bookstore on an old Harlequin Books paperback.
Wolfe's was a bookstore in Sudbury Ontario from the 1940s to sometime in the 1970s. A few small bookstores struggled on but by the 1990s Sudbury, a city of 150,000 people, did not have a bookstore. Today Chapters and the internet have changed the situation for the better in Sudbury. Here is the Wolfe's stamped Harlequin from 1951 and an article by Wolfe Moses published in the May 1950 Quill & Quire. (double click for readable version)
Wolfe's was a bookstore in Sudbury Ontario from the 1940s to sometime in the 1970s. A few small bookstores struggled on but by the 1990s Sudbury, a city of 150,000 people, did not have a bookstore. Today Chapters and the internet have changed the situation for the better in Sudbury. Here is the Wolfe's stamped Harlequin from 1951 and an article by Wolfe Moses published in the May 1950 Quill & Quire. (double click for readable version)
Thursday, 24 June 2010
Harlequin Canadian Paperback Originals Part I
There is a group of five books published by Harlequin Books in 1952 and 1953 that state "An original title - not a reprint" on the cover. With the exception of a couple of later books Harlequin did not advertise its few paperback originals. These appear to be exceptions to the rule - or are they?
The books were published by New York's Hanro Corporation in late 1951 and early 1952 under the Phantom Books imprint:
Love Me and Die! Phantom 504 (1951)
Crime On My Hands Phantom 506 (1951)
Hunt the Killer Phantom 507 (1951)
Naked Fury Phantom 509 (1952)
Wake up to Murder Phantom 513 (1952)
The Harlequins are all copyright Harlequin and don't mention Hanro but, given the dates on the Hanro editions, the Harlequin editions are clearly not originals. Perhaps Hanro and Harlequin acquired the rights to publish in the US and Canada respectively at the same time but Harlequin just took longer. Harlequin then wasn't technically acquiring "reprint" rights.
Day Keene is a pseudonym for Gunard Hjerstedt (1903 - 1969). Keene became an actor in repertory theater in the early 1920’s. When his actor friends decided to try film, he instead turned to writing, and during the 1930’s was a principal writer for the “Little Orphan Annie” radio show, as well as contributing to the pulps. After he moved to the west coast of Florida, he began writing paperback originals in the late 1940’s, mostly fast-paced crime stories. By the 1960’s, he had abandoned mysteries for mainstream novels.
Carl Hodges (1902 - 1966) was a contemporary of Keene.
The books were published by New York's Hanro Corporation in late 1951 and early 1952 under the Phantom Books imprint:
Love Me and Die! Phantom 504 (1951)
Crime On My Hands Phantom 506 (1951)
Hunt the Killer Phantom 507 (1951)
Naked Fury Phantom 509 (1952)
Wake up to Murder Phantom 513 (1952)
The Harlequins are all copyright Harlequin and don't mention Hanro but, given the dates on the Hanro editions, the Harlequin editions are clearly not originals. Perhaps Hanro and Harlequin acquired the rights to publish in the US and Canada respectively at the same time but Harlequin just took longer. Harlequin then wasn't technically acquiring "reprint" rights.
Day Keene is a pseudonym for Gunard Hjerstedt (1903 - 1969). Keene became an actor in repertory theater in the early 1920’s. When his actor friends decided to try film, he instead turned to writing, and during the 1930’s was a principal writer for the “Little Orphan Annie” radio show, as well as contributing to the pulps. After he moved to the west coast of Florida, he began writing paperback originals in the late 1940’s, mostly fast-paced crime stories. By the 1960’s, he had abandoned mysteries for mainstream novels.
Carl Hodges (1902 - 1966) was a contemporary of Keene.
Harlequin 167 - May 1952
Harlequin 167 back
Harlequin 168 - May 1952
Harlequin 168 back
Harlequin 182 - August 1952
Harlequin 182 back
Harlequin 185 - August 1952
Harlequin 185 back
Wednesday, 23 June 2010
Graffiti Part I
Anyone who collects or reads old paperbacks sees the graffiti left behind by former owners. The least invasive is signatures, addresses and such of individuals. Booksellers leave the most invasive. Here are some examples of the latter. The oldest is likely the first one. Wolfe's was in my old hometown of Sudbury and closed sometime in the 70s.
The closest match for the Book Market at 201A Pitt Street is Cornwall, Ontario.
The closest match for the Book Market at 201A Pitt Street is Cornwall, Ontario.
Tuesday, 22 June 2010
Harlequin Authors Part V
Nearly three quarters (186 of 258) of the authors Harlequin Books published between 1949 and 1959 were single title authors. Here are three, two crime/thriller and one historical.
Maelstrom by Howard Hunt (1918 - 2007) was first published in 1948 (New York: Farrar, Straus). Better known as the convicted Watergate conspirator Maelstrom is Hunt's fourth of nearly 80 novels. It was retitled as Cruel Is the Night (New York: Berkley, 1959).
Robert H. Leitfred's Murder Is My Racket was first published as Death Cancels the Evidence (New York: Green Circle, 1938). Leitfred wrote for the pulps in the 1920s and 1930s.
Alexander Key (1904 - 1979) is best known as the author of children's books (e.g.: Escape from Witch Mountain) and as an illustrator of books. His one book for Harlequin is Island of Escape (Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1950 as Light Island).
Maelstrom by Howard Hunt (1918 - 2007) was first published in 1948 (New York: Farrar, Straus). Better known as the convicted Watergate conspirator Maelstrom is Hunt's fourth of nearly 80 novels. It was retitled as Cruel Is the Night (New York: Berkley, 1959).
Harlequin 3 - June 1949
Harlequin 3 back
Harlequin 174 - June 1952
Harlequin 174 back
Harlequin 237 - July 1953
Harlequin 237 back
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