Vault-Keeper
03-26-2005, 02:16 PM
Hello to everyone!
My name is Steve, & I'm a new board member. I have been a collector of comic books since 1968.
I've recently come across an item that I was wondering if anyone knew anything about. I was also wondering if anyone thought it had any value. What I'm about to relate is what I've pieced together about a little known, 9-years in the making footnote in the history of comics. It began at the end of the Golden Age & came to fruition during the early years of the Silver Age, 1959.
I'm talking about a 12 volume illustrated encyclopedia titled "The Picture World Encyclopedia", which I picked up a few years ago a a flea market. It is printed on comic stock paper, with comic stock covers. Each volume is 10 1/4" x 7 1/8" with 190 illustrated pages.
In 1959, Rinso detergent soap offered this "The Picture World Encyclopedia" for sale for 50¢ per volume along with a Rinso Soap boxtop. Published by The F. M. Charlton Company, Inc., & edited by Gene Fawcette, it was 12 volumes long, & featured a profuse amount of comic-book type illustrations done by a virtual who's who of Golden Age & Silver Age comic book artists, many who also worked in the comic strip field as well.
In the final volume, there is a letter from the publisher stating that it took 9 years to produce this illustrated encyclopedia. So it was a "work in progress" from 1950 to 1959. The back of this page lists all the "Editorial Contributors", which is a three column list of names associated with this work. If you didn't have this final volume, you wouldn't know who the list of artists were.
Many of the famous (& not so famous) artists names that worked on this project are among the best of their period, with this information about their contibutions to this encyclopedia all but forgotten, (except in the case of African-American artist Matt Baker).
I believe this set is an almost forgotten footnote in the history of comics! The illustrations in this encyclopedia look like a Silver Age meets the Golden Age collaboration! Very cool!
Here is a list of all the names printed on the page, who contributed artwork & writing to the encyclopedia:
1. Edd Ashe---Don Winslow for Fawcett, Pep Comics, Human Torch, Ted Towers, Mike Shane;
2. Rafael Astarita---Graduate from the Eisner-Igne Art Studio, New Comics for DC in 1935, Quality Comics, Standard Comics, All-Amazing, Planet Comics, Fighting Yank;
3. Matt Baker---"Good Girl" Comics for Fox, Atlas, Fiction House, Tiger Girl, Sky Girl;
4. Hunter Barker---Pulp Artist;
5. Seymour Barry---DC, Phantom Stranger, Marvel, Gleason, The Phantom for King Features;
6. Carl Burgos---Timely, Marvel, Human Torch;
7. Sam Burlockoff---DC, Superman with Curt Swan, Timely, The Shield & The Web for MLJ;
8. John Calnan---DC, World's Finest, Justice League;
9. Joseph Campbell---(Mythology Scholar);
10. Nick Cardy---Graduate from the Eisner-Igne Art Studio, Fight Comics, Jungle Comics, Tarzan, DC, Daniel Boone, Congo Bill, Superman, Teen Titans, Bat Lash, Aquaman, Marvel, Standard Comics;
11. John Celardo---Graduate from the Eisner-Igne Art Studio, Wonder Boy, Uncle Sam, Fiction House, Red Comet, Powerman;
12. Marjorie Coe---(Writer);
13. George Conradsen---(?);
14. Dwight Dobbins---Book Illustrator, Clue Club;
15. Ann Dowling---(Professor);
16. Muriel Elkind---(?);
17. Ric Estrada---DC, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Richard Dragon Kung-Fu Fighter, Warren, Eeire;
18. Jerry Fasano---Atlas, Marvel, Black Magic for Headline Publications;
19. Gene Fawcette---Pulps, Sci-Fi, Mighty Mouse, Standard Comics, Quality Comics, Wings Comics, Flash Gordon;
20. Virginia Fawcette---(Gene's wife?);
21. Jerry Feldmann---Marvel Letterer;
22. Frank Giacoia---DC, Flash, Batman, War Stories, Dell, Fawcett, Harvey, Spider-Man & Hulk Comic Strips for Marvel;
23. Tom Gill---Blue Bolt, Lone Ranger;
24. John Giunta---THUNDER Agents, Mighty Crusaders, Jaguar, Tower Comics;
25. Anne Harris---(?);
26. Jorj Harris---Magazine, Book, & Sheet Music Illustrator;
27. Anne Holden---(Author);
28. Bob Jenney---DC, Superman, Gary Hawke in New Fun in 1935, Dell;
29. Andre LeBlanc---Picture Bible, The Spirit, The Phantom, Flash Gordon;
30. John Lencicki---Artist & Book Illustrator;
31. Howard Liss---(Author);
32. Dan Loprieno---Marvel, Chip & Dale for Disney;
33. Shane Miller---(?);
34. Barry Nellis---(?);
35. Mike Pepe---(Author);
36. John Pierotti---Political & Sports Cartoonist;
37. Peter Poradosky---Artist;
38. Bob Powell---Graduate from the Eisner-Igne Art Studio, Created Sheena for Fiction House, Jumbo Comics, Mr. Mystic, Harvey, Atlas, Marvel, Head of Sick Magazine;
39. Jack Raymond---(Author);
40. Aldo Rubano---Did Tom Sawyer for Classics Illustrated, Quality Comics;
41. Don Sherwood---Dan Flagg, The Phantom, Terry & The Pirates;
42. Bill Siegel---(?);
43. Jack Sparling---Flash Gordon, Ghost Rider, Classics Illustrated, DC, Challengers Of The Unknown, House Of Secrets, Plastic Man;
44. Lee Teaford---Book Illustrator;
45. Irving Watanabe---Marvel Colorist & Letterer;
CONDITION:
The overall condition of this set is Fine. The pages are all cream colored. Here is a rundown of each volumes condition:
#1---VG solid with tape on spine & old light water stain;
#2---VG+ with some light water stain on the back cover;
#3---Fine+ with minor to average wear;
#4---Fine+ with minor to average wear;
#5---Fine+ with minor to average wear;
#6---Fine with average wear;
#7---VG+ with some average wear & partially worn spine;
#8---Fine+ with minor to average wear;
#9---Fine+ with minor to average wear;
#10---Fine+ with minor to average wear;
#11---Fine+ with minor to average wear;
#12---VG+ with a 6" front cover tear along the spine;
I set up a photo album with a gallery of 44 pictures from the encyclpedia. Have a look & let me know what you think. Thanks!---Steve (The Vault-Keeper)
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=6989568&uid=447660
My name is Steve, & I'm a new board member. I have been a collector of comic books since 1968.
I've recently come across an item that I was wondering if anyone knew anything about. I was also wondering if anyone thought it had any value. What I'm about to relate is what I've pieced together about a little known, 9-years in the making footnote in the history of comics. It began at the end of the Golden Age & came to fruition during the early years of the Silver Age, 1959.
I'm talking about a 12 volume illustrated encyclopedia titled "The Picture World Encyclopedia", which I picked up a few years ago a a flea market. It is printed on comic stock paper, with comic stock covers. Each volume is 10 1/4" x 7 1/8" with 190 illustrated pages.
In 1959, Rinso detergent soap offered this "The Picture World Encyclopedia" for sale for 50¢ per volume along with a Rinso Soap boxtop. Published by The F. M. Charlton Company, Inc., & edited by Gene Fawcette, it was 12 volumes long, & featured a profuse amount of comic-book type illustrations done by a virtual who's who of Golden Age & Silver Age comic book artists, many who also worked in the comic strip field as well.
In the final volume, there is a letter from the publisher stating that it took 9 years to produce this illustrated encyclopedia. So it was a "work in progress" from 1950 to 1959. The back of this page lists all the "Editorial Contributors", which is a three column list of names associated with this work. If you didn't have this final volume, you wouldn't know who the list of artists were.
Many of the famous (& not so famous) artists names that worked on this project are among the best of their period, with this information about their contibutions to this encyclopedia all but forgotten, (except in the case of African-American artist Matt Baker).
I believe this set is an almost forgotten footnote in the history of comics! The illustrations in this encyclopedia look like a Silver Age meets the Golden Age collaboration! Very cool!
Here is a list of all the names printed on the page, who contributed artwork & writing to the encyclopedia:
1. Edd Ashe---Don Winslow for Fawcett, Pep Comics, Human Torch, Ted Towers, Mike Shane;
2. Rafael Astarita---Graduate from the Eisner-Igne Art Studio, New Comics for DC in 1935, Quality Comics, Standard Comics, All-Amazing, Planet Comics, Fighting Yank;
3. Matt Baker---"Good Girl" Comics for Fox, Atlas, Fiction House, Tiger Girl, Sky Girl;
4. Hunter Barker---Pulp Artist;
5. Seymour Barry---DC, Phantom Stranger, Marvel, Gleason, The Phantom for King Features;
6. Carl Burgos---Timely, Marvel, Human Torch;
7. Sam Burlockoff---DC, Superman with Curt Swan, Timely, The Shield & The Web for MLJ;
8. John Calnan---DC, World's Finest, Justice League;
9. Joseph Campbell---(Mythology Scholar);
10. Nick Cardy---Graduate from the Eisner-Igne Art Studio, Fight Comics, Jungle Comics, Tarzan, DC, Daniel Boone, Congo Bill, Superman, Teen Titans, Bat Lash, Aquaman, Marvel, Standard Comics;
11. John Celardo---Graduate from the Eisner-Igne Art Studio, Wonder Boy, Uncle Sam, Fiction House, Red Comet, Powerman;
12. Marjorie Coe---(Writer);
13. George Conradsen---(?);
14. Dwight Dobbins---Book Illustrator, Clue Club;
15. Ann Dowling---(Professor);
16. Muriel Elkind---(?);
17. Ric Estrada---DC, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Richard Dragon Kung-Fu Fighter, Warren, Eeire;
18. Jerry Fasano---Atlas, Marvel, Black Magic for Headline Publications;
19. Gene Fawcette---Pulps, Sci-Fi, Mighty Mouse, Standard Comics, Quality Comics, Wings Comics, Flash Gordon;
20. Virginia Fawcette---(Gene's wife?);
21. Jerry Feldmann---Marvel Letterer;
22. Frank Giacoia---DC, Flash, Batman, War Stories, Dell, Fawcett, Harvey, Spider-Man & Hulk Comic Strips for Marvel;
23. Tom Gill---Blue Bolt, Lone Ranger;
24. John Giunta---THUNDER Agents, Mighty Crusaders, Jaguar, Tower Comics;
25. Anne Harris---(?);
26. Jorj Harris---Magazine, Book, & Sheet Music Illustrator;
27. Anne Holden---(Author);
28. Bob Jenney---DC, Superman, Gary Hawke in New Fun in 1935, Dell;
29. Andre LeBlanc---Picture Bible, The Spirit, The Phantom, Flash Gordon;
30. John Lencicki---Artist & Book Illustrator;
31. Howard Liss---(Author);
32. Dan Loprieno---Marvel, Chip & Dale for Disney;
33. Shane Miller---(?);
34. Barry Nellis---(?);
35. Mike Pepe---(Author);
36. John Pierotti---Political & Sports Cartoonist;
37. Peter Poradosky---Artist;
38. Bob Powell---Graduate from the Eisner-Igne Art Studio, Created Sheena for Fiction House, Jumbo Comics, Mr. Mystic, Harvey, Atlas, Marvel, Head of Sick Magazine;
39. Jack Raymond---(Author);
40. Aldo Rubano---Did Tom Sawyer for Classics Illustrated, Quality Comics;
41. Don Sherwood---Dan Flagg, The Phantom, Terry & The Pirates;
42. Bill Siegel---(?);
43. Jack Sparling---Flash Gordon, Ghost Rider, Classics Illustrated, DC, Challengers Of The Unknown, House Of Secrets, Plastic Man;
44. Lee Teaford---Book Illustrator;
45. Irving Watanabe---Marvel Colorist & Letterer;
CONDITION:
The overall condition of this set is Fine. The pages are all cream colored. Here is a rundown of each volumes condition:
#1---VG solid with tape on spine & old light water stain;
#2---VG+ with some light water stain on the back cover;
#3---Fine+ with minor to average wear;
#4---Fine+ with minor to average wear;
#5---Fine+ with minor to average wear;
#6---Fine with average wear;
#7---VG+ with some average wear & partially worn spine;
#8---Fine+ with minor to average wear;
#9---Fine+ with minor to average wear;
#10---Fine+ with minor to average wear;
#11---Fine+ with minor to average wear;
#12---VG+ with a 6" front cover tear along the spine;
I set up a photo album with a gallery of 44 pictures from the encyclpedia. Have a look & let me know what you think. Thanks!---Steve (The Vault-Keeper)
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=6989568&uid=447660