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Post by dem bones on Nov 10, 2007 9:17:19 GMT
Rog's post on The Third Ghost Book, above, got me thinking about the mysterious artist of those first two painted covers. I believe this is our man. S R Boldero was the name, and he did a lot of work for Pan in the fifties and sixties. Could be wrong but I'm reasonably confident that "Fangy Cat" and "Eyeballs!" are his work. I think you've most likely cracked it, Steve, but let's throw 'Sax' into the mix. Herbert Van Thal (ed.) - A Book Of Strange Stories (Pan, 1954)
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Post by Steve on Nov 10, 2007 9:47:12 GMT
Hmm, so we've got another Pan artist with a bit of previous involving cats, interesting... Sax may be a possible suspect for #1, but I think we've got Boldero bang to rights for #2. Have a look at the signature in the bottom left hand corner of this and see what you reckon...
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Post by dem bones on Nov 10, 2007 10:04:57 GMT
Yep, I'm with you on that. I think Boldero is most likely the cat man for #1, too, but if so, it's not him at his best, is it? I hated the Bride and Groom on the Wedding Cake for volume 11 - and still do - even though I've a story in that one. But I have never much cared for photographic covers. Give me a painting or a drawing - even a bad one - any time over them. David The cake decorations would get pride of place in my museum of beautiful horror trinkets! The merits of painted covers versus photo's would make for another impossible thread. Personally, I like both (as long as they're really accomplished or absolutely abysmal) and I think in the case of this series the photo covers - most of them - add charm.
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Post by Craig Herbertson on Nov 10, 2007 13:18:44 GMT
Actually, I tried to vote for the spectre number four but I think it might have come out as clutching hand. I confess I once spent two days painting that spectre for fun I liked it so much.
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Post by Steve on Nov 10, 2007 14:13:26 GMT
"Boozy bat" isn't pictured over at Trash Fiction or in this thread and I feel it might be hampering his chances a bit... so here he is; Some might not find him particularly horrific - but wait until you've woken up one morning, looked in the mirror, and seen this staring back at you... terrifying...
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Post by Calenture on Nov 10, 2007 18:48:04 GMT
In the interests of futher muddling things, you might like to compare the strangely elongated skeletal shapes shown in this - I think previously unidentified - 4 Square 1963 cover for Derleth's The Sleeping and the Dead, with the Boldero covers here - particularly this one: Funny thing about the Sax cover (clearly signed) for Thal's A Book of Strange Stories: until I noticed the signature, I thought it was by Ionicus.
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Post by killercrab on Nov 10, 2007 19:29:51 GMT
Some might not find him particularly horrific - but wait until you've woken up one morning, looked in the mirror, and seen this staring back at you... terrifying... .>
Always good to put a name to a face .. heh
Not decided yet which my fave PAN cover is - number 4 is GOOD - but feels old skool to the photo gallery stuff - which *I* anyway equate with PAN HORROR! I think LAWNMOWER HEAD is getting a rum deal though - I accept the un-british position it holds in regard to PAN HORROR - but as a visual it's a cracker - symbolism of sorts - it shows a tad more inventiveness than quite a few others - which lovely as they are - are generailsed horror imagery for the most part - maybe that's the point.
Dem's WEDDING CAKE choice is a good call - it's highly original and a bit creepy - maybe not as creepy as No.29 - which is horrid!
Go one I'll vote - SKULL SNOWMAN for me - brrrrrrr
KC
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Post by redbrain on Nov 22, 2007 14:54:18 GMT
My favourites are definitely the W. Francis Phillipps covers for 3 and 4. I voted for 3, but on another day would have gone the other way. In founding my collection of frights, I bought vols 1-3 (the only ones then published) in a single purchase with a birthday gift book token. I retain an especial affection for them, which may be a reason for me voting for number 3. Volume 4 was the first one I bought as soon as it appeared.
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Post by franklinmarsh on May 23, 2008 14:05:13 GMT
As I'm picking up a few more of these, I'm becoming fascinated by some of the later covers. 13 & 14 are tops, and, as mentioned elsewhere, 19 is just wonderful. Jerrylad kindly sent me a copy of 7 with the blotto bat, but I must admit I kinda prefer the skeleton. Johnny - have you any idea why 1, 2,4 and 7 got makeovers, and 3 , 5 and 6 didn't?
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Post by erebus on Feb 1, 2009 19:59:14 GMT
Bloody hell its like asking old Mother Hubbard what her favourite child is. Well I have 3 but I debated a few hours.......and chose 14th. Sir Gore Carruthers. Only because he used to ( I think still do's ) scares me. The other choices are Scary Spider skull on the 18th and melting oozy chocolate face on the 28th. Man these guys give me the creeps ( Am I a softy ? ) A lot of love to fly chops and worm gob on the 26th and 24th too.
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Post by dem bones on Feb 1, 2009 20:25:26 GMT
It's a fiendish ask, ain't it? Even the ones i'm not overly fond of still have that "this is a proper horror paperback" feel to them that no longer seems to exist. The Sir Gore Carruthers one is lovely.
Welcome erebus - hope you have fun here.
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Post by erebus on Feb 1, 2009 21:19:15 GMT
Thank You. I'm loving it here. Been looking for a site like this for donkeys. Its the mutts nuts !
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marcrhodestaylor
Crab On The Rampage
just received fengriffen and other gothic tales this afternoon looking forward to another great read
Posts: 14
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Post by marcrhodestaylor on Mar 3, 2021 19:23:48 GMT
This is really difficult, I like several of the covers including 13, 14 and 15 as well as 27 and some of the others. I'm going to go with 30 as that face stretch looks hideous. The artist is Melvyn Grant, who has created a lot of really good book covers for the likes of Robert McCammon amongst others as well as covers for the Darren Shan books. 13, 14 and 15 are ones which I remember from a very early age.
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