newsletter BU CE RVC hisd Sa SCE Ss BFK etter] Karl Edward Wagner saiaabcuby f*™ evar Berl ae on ae ; pNP aca NTE Cg Sead aCe CAPM sto rt. cd Sucharitkul ICN Cad Dra ashi Robert Rorurars rT sty Timothy Robert EireCOLLECTING FANTAS': GNOME PRESS by Robert Weinberg "To a fantasy cotkector, Gnome Press offered a wéde Aange of interesting material. Mone Zhan any other sma£2 press pubLisher, Gnome featured top fantasies that remained cornerstones of the Seed. leading the way, of course, were the Conan hardeovers.” Uve "of ali the, mall. pre harieovera in the 1940'a and 1950'a, then we also have to conclude that Gnone Presa published the most is: portan:. As the moat ambitious of all the science fantasy publishers fo arise after the en of World Var II, Gnome Press released over 80 dodks in a te year nisvory. This number was the aoat published eve bya onalt presa other than Arkin House, During the peak period, Gnome Mae tho. numbor ono publisher of ‘Selence fantasy material, copecially at a time when sany of the other ‘mall presses vere dying due to waning sales. The Onone Press List Fepresente an interesting and very dosirable addition to any collec~ tor's Aibrary. And, in these days of higher and higher’ prices, there are still cany bargaina to bo found by the beginning collector aneng the Gnoae Frese, publications. "the end of World War TI and the euccoes of Arkham House corved ad a catalyst to aazy would-be-publishors in the sofence fantasy ftold. the end of war tine paper restrictions ‘and the resulting publishing boon ‘added fuel to an already growing goience fiction ard fantesy market. Fano banded cogether” to” publish booka by their favorites ané a Targely uztapped science fantasy marketplace suddenly found itself Svanpea witn new publisners with Youndiess abitiors. One such press Wao The Nex Collectors Group, the joist, otgort of Stankey Mallon Paul jonate OrCenner, and Martin Croon- borg. their first tvo hardcovers Wore the Yox Voman and Blue Pagoda and The Black Wheel, both by A. Worritt ard jiannes fol, Bok was a Lifelong fan of Morrité’s work and the two atorica vere short novels Dogan by Merritt but nover fini she Bok finished the novels axd provided the illustrations for the veoks as well. jlowever, the coapary broke up in 1948 when the other partners. gree aieftiuatened with OComor's busi ness practices, Greenberg joined with onother fan, Davia Kyle, and formed Come Preas, The firat book puotished by the nev company vas the Carnelian Gute by Fletcher Pratt @ L. Sprague de Camp. This was @ new fantasy novel, originally contracted for by ‘Tho Wow Collectors Group and ob- tained by Greenberg. Letters solic: ting onlers on the book were sent to all of the customere from 1c. ‘Gnome's second book was The 10 FANTASY NEWSLETTER, October, 1982 F WE JUDGE Pantaey Press to havo publiched the moot attr Porcelain Magician by Frank Oven, @ collection of erteatal fentaote: The Oven book was done prinarily oo £2 coule be centracted quickly Brough Fred Pobly who. was asting 68 Oven's agent at the tine. With the press renagrabiy well gatabitoned, reenberg turned te books nore if the nainetrean of modern selence fletion and fantasy. Greenborg wotked with two different printers during the entire history of Gnome Prego te Welf and Colonial Press ~ thus accounting for tvo sizes of Bost of she Gnone hardeovers. Jac~ kets vore usually done by well knowa artiste from the portoa ~ Bad Certior, Manges Bok, and Kelly Preas fo TE enah! and) Waily Hood a9 al 20 0 frat publishers to age work, by, Leo and. Diane Dilion ane’ furvay ‘Thakele fan. Most of the artwork was done in Dink and waite or in wash, with the color added by the printer. Many of the Inter Gnome Presa yackote vere dono using plastic overlays for each Color, shia eliminating the eel for eolor separations. REBNBERC concentrated his early ublicationa en authora who Se rote primerily for Astounding @ Fiction, the leading nage= zine of the day. Gnome recognized that most collectors were regular readers of the sagazine. It was one of the few magazines running a regu- Jar book review section and featured ‘good pereontage of the advertising for ail of the snall preso pub ifsnera, ‘Library sales wore also quite importany to Gnome Pri Accounting fora good part of their ‘and Groonberg catered tothe Ibaty market whenever posible. Surly Gnone Wools included Pat tern for Conqueat. by George 0. Saith, Sixth Coluan ty Robert Hein~ n, the Thirty-Firet of February Ty Bobo! by Taxee Aeiaov, ané typewriter 40 the Sky 8 Fear (vo novels in one boot) by le Rou hubbards Ait of tae booke Wore taken {ron the pages of Astounding and Uakuownr the booko were wel printed and featured exellent juc- Eetare ‘Dave tye gradually érifted out of the Gnome Pron operation aa he Became involved in wore vith radio, Tonving Marty Greenberg 4 charge of ‘the whole operation. In « conpett~ tive aerket with a nuaber of mall poblishere ell Locking for ‘he be eke to publish, Greenberg proved to°be the ost intovative and Weeel= native of sil oditor-publicnera. In 1950, ne began publianing @ serice fron’ the SF magazines. the Bajor tifterense between areenborg'e Anthologies and che many earlier Gone books ‘was that tho Crono. Pro Soake”each revolved. around a. thea Thus Mon heainat the Stare vas Story of san's conquest of apace; Jourey to Infinity wee a collection of stories about nan'a evolution from. prehiatory to near god-like Status. ‘Pravelers of ‘Space was a Golleciion of manvoncountere-alione Stories with «difference. Te fo tured a hort vioit to an inter- planetery coo, illustrated 1m Tali Bolor by £48’ Cartier. Tho Gnome antiologies were inigrative and eiting book that sold oll, 9). Sally to Iibrarios. Troonborg also recognized tho growing juvenile narkot, apresally fhe"one chet extated: through’ Library sales. A number of compenies were catering exclusively to this aarket, and Greenberg knew that there ¥ good Gonoy in the field. Hise Gn Proas juveniles were privarily sey novels written to capture the Lucre= Hive ‘ifbrary' juveniles and young adult markets drecnberg even Waa 6d Booh do a large slivetration for Gauen riko a"slaviar piece done by Alex Scher Sure and waed by the Hinaton Sur nile series) bat the coat of using endpapere was go high that Gnome Groped the dea. Andre Zorton served as advisor for. the Gno Breas juvenile series and’ contr: buted to Yooks to it under the pen ane Anarew tortn ~ Sargasso of Space snd Plaguo Ship. Osher books ihvtne verive included Nel Oliver ‘and Space Zover on Mare by Wi11i Horgivony the three Jie len books by Fred Poh) and Jack Wilitamaon (ndorooa. Quogt, Underson City, Un dorcon Fleot);” and Tho Forgotten Planat ny Kurray Loinater The Inet book Siustrated how Saportant 1iteary gales were to Ghone Press. Oringinally, the jacket for the beineter beck “showed. the hero of the novel, Buri, battling a giant beetle in ‘the shadov of a Elane suenroon. ‘However, isbrartane objected to the garish, pulp-like Gover. Hot wanting to uke chanceay Greenberg abandoned the originalJacket and oubstituted another - a low jacket with a map on the oh sore to the taste of ogy Bravelera of Space which orig: nally featured a Cartier jacket turing the weird aliens from tne Interplanetary Zoo. Library pressure hhad Gro ray that jacket nd ou plainer, blue gover, dono ty Ric’ Binkley. The original jackets, vhile fairly rare, do show up from tine to tino and Ghone Prese conpletiote should have then in thet collection. NOME continued to publish a steady line of science fiction jana fantasy throughout, the 1950's. Books ranged from old favo- rites to collections of recent se Hes stories, to aodern SF novels just sorfalized in magazine form, to a fow originals. Near the end of Gnone’s history, Greenberg started nis Fantasy Classics Litrary, Te~ pristing falbot Mundy's Troe of Banothrace ani Tho Purple Pirate. ‘The books did very well, and Green- Berg intended to concentrate on 1ike materiel in the future. However, a lack of capitalization and a long drawa out Lavauit finally forced Gnone Press to close its doors in Yate "1960. 79a fantasy collector, Gnome Press offered a wide range of' inter- eating material. Marty Greenberg always recognized the interest in fantasy literature as well a9 straight science fiction and pub= Lfsted a nuaber of important collec ‘lone More than any other omall press publisher, Gaome featured top Fantaniea that have ronained comner= ‘stones of the field. Leading the way, of course, were the Conan hard~ ‘The firat Conan took was Conan the Conqueror, the only Conan novel, published in @ very attractive edi” Thon in 1950. Sales were strong enough so that in the next few ‘all of the Robert E. Howard onan ‘stories vere collected in four sore books — The Sword of Cor King Conan, The Coming of Conan, and Conan the Barbarian. Gack book wae attractively done with a full color jeries vas for, that, reason ia hardest to find. The ‘all printed on jan wae a had begun coat saving spoiuded cheaper paper 00 $0.0 ait- fioult book to find without browning ng of Conan vas ¢: Mole in that ib fe “the Hyborian Age’ ard along with the Evo. pal ‘King Kull stories (aad one poen). It also featured Howard's aap Of the Hyborian world on the jacket 1nd endpapers of the book along with Kelly Freas Conan vho was quite effective. Astonishingly, 4 Tho Coming of Conan vas offered fn on ad that rai obtained ny copy ef the book!: the Conan books have to rank moat collectible (though by no neun the sost rare) of ail the Gnome Pre e algo published of Conan by Howard & L. 1o°de Camp. Those wore novel originally done as adventure ‘Stories by Howard without Conan and revised ty de Camp to fit into the Conan eagis Gnome aiso published The Rotura of Conan ty Bjorn Nyterg & de Camp. ‘This veo an entirely now novel written by Swedish fan Nyberg and fled out by de Canp for publica tion. As with Conan tho Barbarian Both of these tooks featured the cheaper paper used on the later Gnome Proas books. Bindings wore PACE), EMSH, DAVID KYLE (NEXT PAGE). ‘120 cheaper and jackets vere net tn Gelor Both books are quite collec {ble put finding very nice copies fe"aterteutt. Conan was rot fentacy character to rdcover publication from Gnene Press. Fritz Peiber's nerese due, Fainra and the Gray Houser vere irst. publiahed. ia book fora in @wo Sought Adventure published in 1957 by dnone (fea- Rieiag an early Jacket by the Dit Tens). Northwest of Barth and the aqualiy foraianble Jirel of Jesty Shared two collections of Ci. Moore's fantacy adventure Weire Tales published ty Prege, Shambieau end Horth Berth All three of the lections have become oxirenely col- iseesbie in the past few years and gi, fo" prices equal to thowe of the nan, volume only herote sefence Fiction and Fantaoy Tank high on the Gnone Breas iat. Robert Heinlein had geveral Sooke Publiened ty Grone Prose including Sixth Column, Methu- selah's Children (originally sche- duled for Shasta Books but left undone when that compeny folded), Te Monaco from Earth (a short story gollection), and The Unpleasant Pro~ feaaton of stories). All three of the Heinlein quite collectibl of books published by Gnome Press. All three of the ‘oFiginel Foundation books were pub- LLohed a6 first oditions by Gnone, ai I, Bobot, bis first coll Elon of ‘Posttrénic Robot sori Yooks were a11 later done in day editions, but the Gnome Press haracovera ave’ the collectible ones. They already ere going for high prices, and in the future nay ‘the moat expensive and col~ Leotibie of all Guame Proae booko, considering their importance in the SP fold atd tho constantly growing Fepitation of Dr. Asimov outside the general SP field. There are plonty of bargains, however, in the Gnome Press list, for those not Looking to spond a Large anount of money on their took coifections. one of tne Gnome Press anthologios mentioned eariter go for Vory high prices, ané they ure ox- cellent coltecitonsy uouaily, done on ood paper with aitrastive bindings and jackets. Bopectally rice in the sorive are the earliest booke ~ Non Against the Stars, Journey to Infi- nity, Five SF Hovele, and Travelers of Space. Rv excellent deoke by Murray Leinster ‘firet appesred ao Gnon Press hardcovors and otill go for very reasonable prices. One fa the yariier mentioned The Forgotten Planet, the otner, Colonial survey. In the first book, a spaceship of humans crash land én a planet where evolution hae run wild, and insect Life hes assumed gigantic propor tions, Naturally, as in sich novels, humanity einke Sack into Sarbarion, and the story itself concerns & @roup of people, headad by the cou- Fagous Burl, who fight their vay back from savagery to sastery of the planet. Colonial Survey Los group Of four stories featuring an intor- y troubleshooter on Tour each wish en incredil problea, ‘They I Solving” stor Ex ASIMOV ala0 had a aumbor published vith ner illustra Rone by Eid Cartier), Pattern for by George 0. Smith (a very arly attractively done Gnome book ‘that hee incredibly n paperbeck ~ a tale of galactic var with a distinct twist), and the All in all, collecting Gone a books. offers a antiafying quest for toth the beginner and long Hine collector. Tt ie an important historical sot in the Matory of geience fiction publishing, and at the same tine, contains cone of the dest science fiction and fantasy ‘ever done in hardeove Noxt tine, a look at one of the pulps nost ignored by collectors and jot one of the most interesting for tay Fano, Strange Stories. SEE GNOME PRESS CHECKLIST NEX? PACE. FANTASY NEWSLETTER, October, 1982 11AGnone Press Checklist (Books are Listed) inapprosinate order of release) ‘The Carnelian Cube by I. Sprague de Conp 4 Plotener Pratt’ ~ original fantasy nove ‘Mo Porcolnin Magiotan by Prank Owen wa collection of oriental fantasy gore Pattern for Conquest by George 0. Saith= fron Astounding, 1946, 4 galactic conquest novel wth «twist Sixth Coluan dy Rovert Heinlein ~ froa Astounding, 194% The thirty-Ferot of Yebruary by Nelson Boad ~ short stories The Caatle of Tron by de Canp 2 Pratt = the second Harold ‘Sue book (ihe third fovel inthe series, Setualiy, longthened and reviced for book appearance Typewriter in tho Sky & Pear by Te Ron Hubbard ~ tyo excellent short fovels fron Unknown Ty'Rotot ty Tease Aaimoy ~ his early Rover stories Kinione of the Moon by Willion G. Beyer = entertaining torial from Argouy. Hodorn man avakons 6,000 Yeate in the bartarie future Sonan tho congaoror by Robert & Houaré *'Woird Telea sorta) Coonie Bogincore by Clifford Sinak Astounding S¥ 1935. opace opera Kon Ageinot the Stere 6x hone ‘anthology Renainanaca by Raysond F. Jones 1944 Aatounding sofial- antertaining novel of parallel worlds. Fast ent oving and Complex Seeteo Ship by Vill Stowart (Jack Willgamaon) - the Cr stories fron Astounding, 1942-43, novelized Foundation by Leaae Asimov ~ firat volume of the classic Astounding Serie tho Pairy Chosanen & Tomorroy and Eedorren ty towis Feagert Chacenor # Heore) = two excsilent. short novel From Amtounding 1946-47. the frat atory na nogiectod clavate Trayslors ef Space. another Trcolfont thone anthology with volor intos by Bad Certior Sourney ‘to Infinity - thene anthology on man's ovelutton Foundation and Empire by Aesnov ~ witha great jacket Tho staren by loign Brackett ~ fron Startling, geod space opera Stageeat Wight ty Sie hore ~ thick doifection © with sitle novel and Several novelettoa. Bxosptional Froao jacket Rovote dave Wo Tatia by Toyia Piaget (Kuttner &"Noores = the Galleway Gallesher stories fron Kstounding. vacky 38 husor Tho Svord of Conan by Howard ~ Conan Roveleston Gity by Cliftoré Staak - « classic coltostson The Hixol Mon by At. van Vogt - the Srttes fron Astounding 1943-45 Sando of Rare by Arthur C. Clarke Five sf Yovene ~ five short novel ty knight, eee, Willianon, iether, ala vas Vogt 2h fron Astounding oF inom, Yoows2d by inl Clonont = from Astounding 1051 with a great cover ty ite binkaey Children of the Atom by Wilner Stites =" the excollent novel based on etories origivally ix Astounding 12 FANTASY NEWSLETTER, October, 1982 1949-50 Second Foundation by Asimov Space Lawyer by liat Schachner - from Ketoundi Shanbient & Othere by C.L.Noore - Weird elon novetetton Mutant ty Padgett (kuttner & Moore) the Baldy stories from Astounding ‘The Coming of Conan by Howard ~ with Kine kull stories aa well King Gonan'ty Howard The, Complete Book of Outer, Space Jeftey Logan = perhape. sie hard to find Gnoee Freas hardcover Againat the Pall of Might by Arthur cP tiatie = fron Startling 1948 with & stunning Froae Jecket Tne Hobot and the Nan - another Shoellen’ thene anthology Mol Oliver and Space Rover on Mars by Willian Norrioon ~ original juvenile he Porgetten Planet by Murray Leinster - three stories, tvo from Argoay 1919, the third from SP Plus 1955 Horthyest of Barth by Cl. Moore ~ nore Weird Tales stories Conan the Earbarian by Howard - nore Conan storios Prolude to Space by Arthur C. Clarke Undersea Quest vy Willianson & Pohl = original juvenile ost ‘Continenta by Le Sprague do Camp ~ non-fiction Addrooss Contauri by P. TL Wallace ‘expmoton of Galaxy short novel, SP ferror Teles edited by Groff Gonklin Sargaaso of Space by Andrew North (Andre Norton) = juvenile Gales of Conan by Howard ¢ do Camp action ‘ALL About the Future - thene antno- logy Repricve from Paradioe by i. Chandler Elliott - overwritten, overiong SP novel with many Interesting ideas buried. An ‘original novel, snd Gnoae Press's Worst solling book ‘Thie Fortroas World by Janes Guan ~ originel SP adventure novel Plegue Ship by North (Norton) ~ Dane ‘Thorson juvenile Underosa Foot by Poul & Willianson "him Eden Juventie Highways in Hiding by George 0. ? BIEN? dtpoaant akvek Fro tion 1555 intGrpanstary Euntor by Arthur f. Ba ey Ga pte steele fro ‘the ontire Pantany edited ty Judith Merrill The Seedling Stare by Jencs Blish - stories intiuging the classic SSartece Tension" Colonial Survey by Letaster ~ four Stories, including @ Hugo winner, a1 From Astounding tn the 1950"0 ‘he Toturn of Conan by Hyterg & de ssp Coming Attractions - thene anthology wleneati articles on SF topics Hecitalng: he" elasole“Aanguage’ for The Shrouded Planet by Robert Randell (Randal Garrett 2 Robert Stiverterg) firat volume of the Aidor series Earthaad's Burdon ty Poul Anderson & Gordon Dickson - the Hokea, with Stiuserations by Cartier They'd Eather Be Right by Mare Eifion 4 Prank Riley ="Hugo winning sheial"sien atoning vo Sought Aventure Gy Prite lotber Minecariy Fothrd @ Gray Mouser orion, nontly. tro Unknow Sr: 51'-"the ‘Yeare Greateat SF & Pantany edited by Merri The Survivors by Toa Goavin - excellent neglected. apace opera othugelah'a Children by Robert Heiniein = Astounding serial fron Starnan's Quest by Robert Silverberg = original juventie Undersea City by Poul & Williamson - Third Jin Eden juvenile S?: 58 - The Yours Greatost SP & Vantaay edited by Moret) ‘Tho Dawning Light by Robert Randal Garrett & Silverberg) tho second Nidor book, originally in Astounding Path of Unreason by George 0. Saith = Startling novel $?: 59 - ‘the Yoars Greatest SP & Fantaay Gaited by Morris) Agent of Vega ty Janes Schaits - sour storsea. ‘ros of Samothraco by Telbot Mundy ~ claeeic eeriva from Adventure Tho Purple Pirate by Talbot Mundy - gequel to the above, ales fron iiventure The Unpleanant Profession of Jonathan Hoag by Robert Heinlein title short novel and five other short stories The Bird of Timo by Wallace West ~ patch-up novel, acatiy from Tarilling Wonder in the 1950 The Konace from Barth ty Robert Heinlein ~ collection Invadore from the Infinite by John W'Canpbell ~ tho third Arcot, Morey Wade story. Originally publiohed in hardcover in by Fantasy Proo: The Vortex Blastor by B.E. Smith - stontahing. gain, orginally a very limited edition intagy Press Walk by Fré IL edition ‘very Pohl ~ Preas edition with Gnome Press loge