TALES OF MAGIC and MYSTERY – Jan. 1928 sold recently on eBay for $84.00
“…the January 1928 (vol. 1, no. 2) issue of the rare pulp,
“Tales of Magic and Mystery”, which was a short-lived competitor to “Weird Tales”.
The magazine was edited by Walter Gibson, future author of “The Shadow,” and he wrote most of the non-fiction articles to appear in the magazine.
Authors include Frank Owen.
Condition is good to very good; front cover has overall wear, with many creases, edge tears and light stains.
The spine is complete but stained (note that, as printed, the spine is blank).
Back cover is similar to the front, with some writing in pencil.
Paper is yellow and supple.
A respectable copy of a rare pulp.”
Authors: “Tomorrow’s Paper” by Charlton Lawrence Edholm (reprinted from BRIEF STORIES – Dec. 1924);
“The Yellow Pool” by Frank Owen (reprinted from BRIEF STORIES – Nov. 1923)
(this pseudonym by him, of his two, wasn’t prolific, but it’s worthy of note (with no comment, LoL): Hung Long Tom);
“The Black Pagoda” (Part 2 of 3)(reprinted from BRIEF STORIES – Aug. 1924);
“The Comic Mask” (reprinted from BRIEF STORIES – March 1924);
“The Temple of Fire” and “Houdini in Europe” were both by Walter B. Gibson as Anonymous;
“Number Magic” by Astro (which is another article by Gibson);
he also ghost wrote “A Burmese Adventure” as by Howard Thurston. All four are articles.
All 5 issues were edited by Gibson.
Bookery say: Scarce $100.00 – $250.00 – $500.00
It also says 4 pseudonyms by Gibson (I’m not sure that I would call anonymous articles as pseudonyms).
TALES OF MAGIC and MYSTERY – March 1928 sold recently on eBay for $536.01
“The indicative prices are based on the Bookery Guide so,
Contains the first appearance of H. P. Lovecraft’s Cool Air.
Pages white. Better than very good.”
Authors: “Cool Air” by H. P. Lovecraft (6 short pages);
“The Nerve Specialist” by Newton A. Fuessle (6 pages)(reprinted from BRIEF STORIES – April 1924);
All the rest are articles of the 72 pages.
“Adventures of Astro I — The Unaccountable Disappearance of John Hudson” by Anon. (by Gelett Burgess)(short story “The Master of Mysteries” (Bobbs 1912) as “Missing John Hudson”;
“Further Famous Escapes of Harry Houdini” by Walter B. Gibson;
“Magic Pictorial” by Anon. (Gibson);
“Adventures in Mind-Reading” by Bernard Perry (Gibson);
“The Famous Japanese Decapitation Mystery” by Anon. (Gibson);
The Girl Who Was Buried Alive; Howard Thurston (ghost written by Walter B. Gibson)
I’m not sure I could have paid $500 plus for a minor 6 page Lovecraft story.
MIND MAGIC – June 1931 (First Issue) sold recently on eBay for $54.00
“Mind Magic” was a rare fantasy pulp, running for four issues in 1931.
It was published by the same publisher that put out the spicy pulp, “Paris Nights,” and many artists and authors worked for both.
This… is for the first issue, dated June 1931.
Authors include Manly Wade Wellman, better known for his work in “Weird Tales.”
Condition is fair; front cover has overall wear and creasing, as well as spine tape.
The back cover is a photocopy.
Paper is various degrees of tan (except for the middle 16 pages, which are printed on a higher quality paper and are off-white) but still supple, with a few tears.
While not in great shape, it’s tough to find in any condition.”
Authors: “Faithful Footsteps” by Manly Wade Wellman;
“The Black Art of Eric Hampt” by Frank Kenneth Young (only semi-prolific).
“In the Second Astral” (Part 1 of 4)(at 14 pages);
“From an Old Egyptian Tomb”;
“Don’t Take That Gun !” She Warned Them”;
“The Opened Door”;
“The Grey Mists Cleared and She Returned by the Power of Love” (2 pages)
Only 7 short stories from the 64 pages. The rest of the issue is taken up by 10 articles.
Bookery say: Scarce $80.00 – $200.00 – $400.00
(which is a bit more than some truly Rare and Very Rare Pulps, which also goes for TALES OF MAGIC and MYSTERY).
ENJOY PULPS – David Lee Smith