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Rare and Antiquarian Books

Vintage and Pulp Paperbacks

Known for their sexy and outlandish cover art, pulp magazines and paperback books have quite the storied reputation and history. Originally named for the type of paper used in printing, pulp fiction has a large cult following that grew exponentially in the 1940's and 1950's. Pulp and other vintage fiction centered largely on sexualized, over the top exploits and crazy plot twists. There were a few highly popular genres featured in pulp literature, including horror, hard broiled detective mysteries, tales of deranged and misogynistic sadists, and even science fiction and fantasy. Pulp magazines featured ongoing, serialized stories, and pulp paperbacks were often serialized as well. Because of the cheap quality of the paper, pulp magazines and books were very inexpensive to purchase, often priced at 10 or 15 cents. With the rise of men's magazines in the 1950's, pulp literature began to wane, but with its zany and often offensive content, pulp certainly had a deep and interesting effect on American culture.

PRIVATE DETECTIVE Stories
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PRIVATE DETECTIVE Stories

by Various

  • Used
  • fair
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Fair
Edition
Magazine
Binding
Paperback
Seller
SCENE OF THE CRIME ®
Sherman Oaks, California
Item Price
$100.00

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Description:
NY: Trojan Publishing, 1945. FAIR condition in illustrated wraps. MAGAZINE, Vol 17 No. 2, July 1945. Nicks, tears and chipping to edges. Open tears spine head and foot. Front cover almost torn away from spine. Some tape repair. Open tear front foot. Pages browning. Fragile. Stored in Mylite sleeve with acid-free board. Cover painting --Get away from me you big ugly gun toting galoot! Back Cover ad --Gold Crown Products. Includes, Stranglers Walk Softly by Geoffrey North.. Magazine. Illustrated Wraps. Fair/Original Wraps. Pulp Fiction.
Item Price
$100.00
NEW DETECTIVE Magazine
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NEW DETECTIVE Magazine

by Various

  • Used
  • very good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Very Good
Edition
Magazine
Binding
Paperback
Seller
SCENE OF THE CRIME ®
Sherman Oaks, California
Item Price
$120.00

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Description:
Il: Fictioneers, 1944. VERY GOOD condition in illustrated wraps. MAGAZINE, Vol 5 No. 4, September 1944. Some nicks, tears and chipping to edges. Pages browning, some chipping. Rubber stamp first page. Fragile. Stored in Mylite sleeve with acid-free board. Cover painting --Cigars, cigarettes, tiparillos, automatics. Back Cover ad --The War Bond Buyer by Calvert Distillers. Includes, Make Mine Murder by Day Keene.. Magazine. Illustrated Wraps. Very Good/Original Wraps. Pulp Fiction.
Item Price
$120.00
STRANGE DETECTIVE Stories
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STRANGE DETECTIVE Stories

by Various

  • Used
  • very good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Very Good
Edition
Magazine
Binding
Paperback
Seller
SCENE OF THE CRIME ®
Sherman Oaks, California
Item Price
$175.00

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Description:
Il: Popular Publications, 1942. VERY GOOD condition in illustrated wraps. MAGAZINE, Vol 7 No. 3, May 1942. Some nicks, tears and chipping to edges. Pages browning, some chipping. Fragile. Stored in Mylite sleeve with acid-free board. Cover painting --Strawberry blonde being chased by smirking ape into waiting arms of knife wielding peg-leg creep. Back Cover ad --United Insurance Co. Includes, The Things You Never See by William Campbell Gault, Who Stole The Corpse? by J.J. Des Ormeaux, The Maker of Fiery Death by Arthur Leo Zagat.. Magazine. Illustrated Wraps. Very Good/Original Wraps. Pulp Fiction.
Item Price
$175.00
American Pulp Fiction - A Collection of Vintage Detective Magazines
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American Pulp Fiction - A Collection of Vintage Detective Magazines

  • Used
Condition
Used
Seller
Heldfond Book Gallery, ABAA-ILAB
San Anselmo, California
Item Price
$850.00

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Description:
Various places and Publishers. 1936-1941. Bound in pictorial staplebound wrappers. Collection presented in 3 large stylized soft portfolios with period black silk stocking tied closures. 11" x 14 Collection is comprised of : Official Detective Stories - 5/36, 6/36, 9/36. Tru-Life Detective Cases - 10/41, 11/41, 1/42. Secret Detective Cases - 2/42. Sensational Detective Tru-Crime Cases - 6/41, 7/41, 11/41, 12/41, 2/42. Crime Confessions - 11/39, 7/40, 1/41, 4/41, 5/41, 6/41, 7/41, 8/41, 9/41, 10/41, 11/41, 12/41, 1/42. Illustrated with Pulp Cover Art , monochrome photographs, period advertisements, etc. The term, Pulp Fiction , originated from the magazines of the first half of the 20th century which were printed on cheap "pulp" paper and published fantastic, escapist fiction for the general entertainment of the mass audiences. The pulp fiction era provided a breeding ground for creative talent which would influence all forms of… Read More
Item Price
$850.00
Black Wings Has My Angel

Black Wings Has My Angel

by Chaze

  • Used
  • fair
  • Paperback
  • first
Condition
Used - Fair
Edition
First Edition
Binding
Paperback
Seller
Hang Fire Books
Brooklyn, New York
Item Price
$175.00

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Description:
1953. First Edition. Paperback. Fair/No Dust jacket. Text unmarked . Binding is tight, covers and spine fully intact. Slight shelf-wear and bumping to corners. (Gold Medal 296) First Edition, First printing. Extremely hard-to-find paperback original of one of the most praised titles from the Gold Medal line. Stated First Printing. Story copy reads: "Smart guy, that's me, who dreamed the heist for a year--the armored car, the dead guard, the cool green bills...the getaway. Then Virginia, who came for one paid hour--and stayed for all eternity." / Numerous small chips and scratches. 1/2" material loss to foot of spine. Water spot to back cover. Binding repaired with bookbinder's adhesive. Pages lightly edge-tanned but supple. Quantity Available: 1. Shipped Weight: Under 8 ounces. Category: Vintage Paperbacks::Mystery; Inventory No: 021556. BZDB373 Vintage Paperbacks::Mystery; Elliot Chaze Black Wings Has My Angel
Item Price
$175.00
Faithfully Yours

Faithfully Yours

by BREWSTER, Eliot

  • Used
  • good
Condition
Used - Good
Seller
Between the Covers- Rare Books, Inc. ABAA
Gloucester City, New Jersey
Item Price
$200.00

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Description:
New York: Palace Promotions by Arrangement with Phoenix Press, 1943. Softcover. Good. First edition by this publisher, "condensed slight from the original." Digest size paperback. 128pp. Dampstain in the right-hand margin of the pages throughout, just touching a small percentage of the text, small chips and tears on the wrappers, thus good only in illustrated wrappers, but presentable and attractive with excellent cover art of a rather come-hither maid by L.B. Cole, noted for his Golden Age comic book covers. No. 2 in the publisher's Love Romance Series, *OCLC* locates a single copy of this racy pulp romance (at Bowling Green), although other books published for the Phoenix Press by Brewster are held, no copy of the original of this title is, and perhaps it was re-titled when condensed and issued by this publisher.
Item Price
$200.00
The Fire of Asshurbanipal in Weird Tales December 1936
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The Fire of Asshurbanipal in Weird Tales December 1936

by Howard, Robert E.

  • Used
  • first
Condition
Used
Edition
First Edition
Seller
Parigi Books, Vintage and Rare
Schenectady, New York
Item Price
$450.00

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Description:
Indianapolis: Popular Fiction Publishing Company, 1936. First Edition. Pictorial wrappers. Pages are toned, a few tiny tears to the edges, light wear. A nice, very good copy. Collects stories by H. P. Lovecraft, Otis Adelbert Kline, Robert Bloch, E. Hoffmann Price, John Russell Fearn, August W. Derleth. Cover art by J. Allen St. John.; Octavo.
Item Price
$450.00
Winged Death in Weird Tales March 1934
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Winged Death in Weird Tales March 1934

by Lovecraft, H. P.; Heald, Hazel

  • Used
  • first
Condition
Used
Edition
First Edition
Seller
Parigi Books, Vintage and Rare
Schenectady, New York
Item Price
$900.00

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Description:
Indianapolis: Popular Fiction Publishing Company, 1934. First Edition. Pictorial wrappers. Pages are toned, small abrasion to fore edge, light wear to edges. A bright, near fine copy. Collects stories by Hugh B. Cave, Edmond Hamilton, Clark Ashton Smith, Paul Ernst, and others. Cover art by Margaret Brundage. ; Quarto.
Item Price
$900.00
A Mad Look at Old Movies

A Mad Look at Old Movies: Lights! Camera! Nausea!

by DeBartolo, Dick

  • Used
  • Paperback
  • first
Condition
Used
Edition
First Edition; First Printing stated
Binding
Paperback
Seller
BookRanger
Maysville, Georgia
Item Price
$300.00

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Description:
Softcover. 192 pp. Signet/New American Library, New York (1966). First Edition. First Printing. "First Printing, November, 1966" stated on CP. D2955 in the Signet series. 50-cent OP on cover. Bright, clean, unmarked copy in Fine condition. Light creases on front card. Collectible quality. More photos on request. Shipped in a box within a box, in bubble wrap, with a tracking number.
Item Price
$300.00
Three Ring Mad

Three Ring Mad

by Feldstein, Albert B. (Editor)

  • Used
  • Paperback
  • first
Condition
Used
Edition
First Edition; First Printing stated
Binding
Paperback
Seller
BookRanger
Maysville, Georgia
Item Price
$100.00

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Description:
Softcover. 192 pp. Signet Books/ New American Library. (1964). First Edition. First Printing stated on CP. Bright, clean, and unmarked, with the exception of black marker over price on front card. D2439 in the Signet series. Near Fine. More photos on request. Shipped in a box within a bubble wrap media mailer, with a tracking number.
Item Price
$100.00
Sally

Sally

by Marshall, Alan (Pseudonym of Donald E. Westlake)

  • Used
  • near fine
  • Paperback
  • first
Condition
Used - Near Fine
Binding
Paperback
Seller
Retrograde Media
Pullman, Washington
Item Price
$170.00

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Description:
New York, New York: Midwood Books / Tower Publications, 1959. MMPB. Near Fine. Presumed First Edition The girl who was willing to try anything once… ** Salacious lesbian collectible novel with wonderful cover art by Paul Rader, Midwood 22. Book is in great shape, possibly unread, with only the barest wear that tends to need looked for rather than easily noticeable. Some very light bumping to corners is the main bullet point. Lush deep red dyed page edges. Kept in poly sleeve for protection. Packed and shipped with care.
Item Price
$170.00
Junkie / Narcotic Agent
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Junkie / Narcotic Agent

by Lee, William (William S, Burroughs) / Hellbrandt, Maurice

  • Used
  • Paperback
  • first
Condition
Used - Very Good+
Edition
First Edition
Binding
Paperback
Seller
Shop-books.ca
Brossard, Quebec
Item Price
$681.66

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Description:
Ace, New York, 1953. First edition. Condition: Very good plus; book has slight edge wear and creasing along spine, slight darkening on interior pages. Ace Double Books D-15.Burroughs' classic "confessions of an unredeemed drug addict". His first published book. A very nice copy of this famous example of "write what you know".
Item Price
$681.66
KIM

KIM

by Robert Colby

  • Used
  • near fine
  • Paperback
  • Signed
  • first
Condition
Used - Near Fine
Edition
First Edition
Binding
Paperback
Seller
Astro Trader Books
Los Angeles , California
Item Price
$174.95

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Description:
[ROBERT COLBY]. KIM. Monarch Books, Derby, Connecticut, 1962. First Edition. Monach Books #244 with the original 35 cents price on the front cover. Condition: Near Fine. Appears unread, with micro-chips , rubbing to extremities typical of pulp fiction paperbacks of this age, pages are clean, bright and binding tight. Overall a about fine copy. Scarce signature on the title page by author Robert Colby. This adult erotica book published by the famous Monarch Books publishing house, along with Beacon Books, Midwood Books among many others, published pulp fiction stories in paperback from many world famous authors of the day in the adult fiction genre and today these books are very much sought after, considered highly collectible and even more so if signed. Colby wrote at least 17 novels and numerous short stories including Ace Doubles; In a Vanishing Room, Kill Me a Fortune, Murder Mistress, Gold Medal books; The Captain Must Die, Secret of the Second Door, The Star Trap and many more. Colby was a… Read More
Item Price
$174.95
You Only Live Twice
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You Only Live Twice: With Rare Movie Tie-In Wrap

by Fleming, Ian

  • Used
  • very good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Very Good
Binding
Paperback
Seller
Lavercombes Bookstore
Woolloongabba, Queensland
Item Price
$1,029.90

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Description:
The first edition PAN X434 was published in the UK in 1965 with a cover by Raymond Hawkey and "Not for sale in the in the UK", 250,000 copies were printed in July 1965.
The second edition of PAN X434 were printed in 1966 and shipped with a movie tie-in cover replacing the Hawkey scorpion and pearl cover. PAN Books had remaining stock of the first printing of 1965 with the Hawkey cover and applied a wrap of the movie tie-in edition to the remaining 1965 copies.
There is no record as to how many of these variants were shipped by PAN, the majority of the authentic variants discovered over the years have been found in Australia.
This a good unread copy, has tanned pages and foxing. The foxing is on the inside of the cover and first page, first page has a vertical tanning section where the wrap faces, this tanning supports the authenticity of this being the actual book shipped with the wrapper and not swapped out for another copy, there is a remains clipping to the front cover. The back cover has foxing… Read More
Item Price
$1,029.90
The Red Car
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The Red Car

by Stanford, Don

  • Used
  • very good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Very Good
Edition
First Edition thus
Binding
Paperback
Seller
Village Lights Bookstore, ABAA/ILAB
Madison, Indiana
Item Price
$300.00

Show Details

Description:
New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1962. Tempo Books Edition, T10. First Printing. Softcover. Sextodecimo. 7 x 4.25 inches. 254 pp. Very Good. No dust jacket as issued. Mass market paperback in pictorial wrappers with cover art by Jo Polseno. Edges dyed red. Text block square and tight. Minor rubbing and edgewear to wrappers. Slight browning to pages. School library stamp to top and bottom edges and versos of front and back wrappers, else free of markings. Extremely scarce early softcover issue.
Item Price
$300.00