Ghostly Images II
E.F. Benson - More Spook Stories [1934]
In this wonderfully corny dustwrapper a dapper man-about-town seeks to keep supernatural manifestations at bay with a revolver.
More Spook Stories is less common than its predecessor Spook Stories [1928] which was reprinted in the Hutchinson’s Booklovers’ Library series in the early 30s. However, both are uncommon in dustwrapper.
More Spook Stories is less common than its predecessor Spook Stories [1928] which was reprinted in the Hutchinson’s Booklovers’ Library series in the early 30s. However, both are uncommon in dustwrapper.
James Corbett - The Monster Of Dagenham Hall [1935]
In this Herbert Jenkins horror mystery, the apparent scaring-to-death of a murder victim by an unknown apparition throws the household of Sir Ralph Dagenham into turmoil.
Corbett is notorious for his belief-stretching metaphors. His various pre-WW2 mysteries are written in a cheesy but amusing ‘club’ style.
Corbett is notorious for his belief-
Marie Corelli - The Strange Visitation Of
Josiah
McNason [1904]
Josiah
McNason [1904]
In this uncommon Christmas Number from The Strand, the romanticist Marie Corelli shamelessly plagiarises Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
Frederick Cowles -
The Horror Of Abbots Grange [1936]
The Horror Of Abbots Grange [1936]
Cowles’s two published collected works of horror have been long sought-after by collectors on account of their rarity. The dw for The Horror Of Abbots Grange is infinitely superior to that of its successor The Night Wind Howls [1938] although both are uncommon.
Leslie Haggard - Leslie’s Fate, and Hilda, or The Ghost Of Erminstein [n.d.]
H. Rider Haggard’s brother published these two supernatural novellas in one collected volume in 1892. The book is profusely illustrated by Evelyn Stuart Hardy.
In this energetic illustration, the ghost of a Knight supports a particularly voluptuous swooning damsel.
In this energetic illustration, the ghost of a Knight supports a particularly voluptuous swooning damsel.
Mark Hansom - The Beasts Of Brahm [1937]
There are often compelling reasons why some authors become neglected. In the case of Hansom it was because of his abysmal prose style. However, his work is collectible because of the lurid-sounding titles.
In this Wright & Brown offering we at least have a disturbing dustwrapper which is significantly superior to the one that features on the later reprint of the same book.
In this Wright & Brown offering we at least have a disturbing dustwrapper which is significantly superior to the one that features on the later reprint of the same book.
‘Ingulphus’ - Tedious Brief Tales Of Granta & Gramayre [1919]
Arthur Gray (‘Ingulphus’) published one collection of ghost stories, but it has nevertheless become one of the essential items for collectors, partly because of the high quality prose, partly for its splendid front cover illustration. Don’t expect any truly frightening or traumatic manifestations however; these clever exercises in supernatural fiction are in complete contrast to the tactile, psychological horrors of contemporary M.R. James.
M.R. James - Collected Ghost Stories [1931]
Several previously unpublished ghost stories were added to this 1931 Edward Arnold collection. This edition has enjoyed a huge number of reissues and is probably the book which introduced the vast majority of collectors to the work of M.R. James.
This rare art nouveau dustwrapper by John Case depicts sand spiders crawling across the page. Although no sand spiders exist in any of James’s tales, beaches play a memorable part in several of his tales, as do spiders in general.
I found this copy in a Norfolk bookshop in 2003 for the princely sum of £12.50, a fraction of what it is actually worth
This rare art nouveau dustwrapper by John Case depicts sand spiders crawling across the page. Although no sand spiders exist in any of James’s tales, beaches play a memorable part in several of his tales, as do spiders in general.
I found this copy in a Norfolk bookshop in 2003 for the princely sum of £12.50, a fraction of what it is actually worth
Letter from Eveleigh Nash to Elliott O’Donnell
In this interesting letter, Eveleigh Nash, the publisher of Elliott O’Donnell and William Hope Hodgson, expresses his regret that he cannot join his author on a ghost-hunting expedition.
Perhaps Nash had got wind of the fact that O’Donnell staged hauntings with the assistance of his acting friends who included C. Aubrey Smith?
The letter came from a larger collection which appeared in auction shortly after O’Donnell’s death.
Perhaps Nash had got wind of the fact that O’Donnell staged hauntings with the assistance of his acting friends who included C. Aubrey Smith?
The letter came from a larger collection which appeared in auction shortly after O’Donnell’s death.
“M.H. James” - Bogie Tales Of East Anglia [1891]
This rare exercise in lampooning was very probably the work of ghost story writer M.R. James (as was first discussed in Weirdly Supernatural 1, Norfolk, 2001). In this regional account of ghostly goings-on, non-existent folklore is recounted by implausible working class folk in the same style employed by James in various of his other contemporary pranks. For this reason, genuine scholars of East Anglian folklore have shunned the book and rarely if ever refer to its existence. For example, although both Bogie Tales and Chas Sampson’s Ghosts Of The Broads deal with the same area, Sampson ignores this Jamesian spoof, whilst citing rarer reference books.
Collectors however are very unlikely to find a copy of this fragile paperback in its original paperwraps format. The book very occasionally surfaces rebound.
Collectors however are very unlikely to find a copy of this fragile paperback in its original paperwraps format. The book very occasionally surfaces rebound.