Let's Keep it in the Local Planetary System: Mars Man and Moon Man

I wanted to make another appeal to blog readers with a collection of old comics -I know, so far every appeal has failed but I'm too stupid to give up.

If anyone has scans of the Mars-man and the Moon Man strips and are willing to forward them to me then I would be very grateful because after 20 years I've still never seen a copy.

Thanks

 

Puzzle solved

I received a response from the British Library which told me what I already knew however one very tiny piece of info opened everything up so Renwick and Otley is now no longer a mystery.

Anyone here related to William Walker of Otley?

"That's a scary old man on the cover!"

When I took the package from the front doorstep the first thing that I noticed was that it was bulky. I felt around the package as I was not expecting anything large (old habits die hard) and after that I carefully undid the package to find that there was another sturdy layer of card....followed by more protection and then...a book!

It was sturdy enough in itself but lightweight. It turned out to be 25 Star Stories For Boys published by D. C. Thomson & Sons.  Now, normally I do not buy fiction books only technical ones or books covering subjects I am looking into so need references. I have no time to read a lot of text books. So why did I buy this one? Well, I thought one of the stories featured art by John McCail but iot did not -just the publisher re-using an old title. Not uncommon.

Here is the book -look how thick it is...

The book size is 11.5 inches x 8.25 inches and 1.25 inches thick (29.9 x 20.25 x 2.5 cms) and there are 190 pp and in those days this thickness of paper was not unusual and books looked bulky!

Cover not in bad shape but as my sister pointed out "That's a scary old man on the cover!" Ahem. A kid that lived a rough life I'd say!

The spine is missing its cloth binding. Nothing really that unusual because even 1950s and early 1960s annuals bound this way can lose the binding cloth. Remember these were books printed as disposable entertainment and the binding on other books read by careful adults might remain intact but, come on -kids!

The frontispiece is rather jolly and not scribbled on.

The dedication page...my camera needs shooting but it's all I have:

"This BOOK Belongs To-
Keith Parsons
with Love & best wishes
from Auntie Nance & Uncle Jack
Xmas 1939"

Below is the contents page

And I know what you are thinking: "He must have spent a fortune getting that book!"  Well, it is over 81 years old and there is the significance of it coming from the very year that the "unpleasantness" started with Germany (no, NOT Brexit! Honestly). My mind asks questions immediately knowing full well that I will never get the answers.  But here we have Aunt Nance and Uncle Jack giving nephew Keith a Christmas annual just as war was breaking out and you can only hope they all went through that safely.

It is not just a book but a connection to human beings 81 years ago.

Oh. Right. You wanted to know how much I spent on this book. Deep breath, with postage...£7.50 or Euro 8.19 and $9.23.  That about covers you for 1.5 US comics today. Bargain. I may read through it more when I get time as I've a lot of publishing work to do but for my collection I do not mind having this book -it all dovetails in with our favourite subject -comics!

No, before you ask, I do not sell on or even think about how I could mark up the price of the book.

Do You Know Anything About Renwick of Otley (no, this is not about Medieval heraldry!)

There are many problems when it comes to tracking down defunct publishers. Renwick of Otley, with an office in Fleet Street it says in the books (probably letter drops) is one such publisher. Nothing comic book related but I have some of their hard back boys' books and to be honest sellers and dealers know nothing about the company. It has taken a month of solid searching to piece together bits and pieces for an upcoming article in Comic Bits

Problems: apart from the printer and the Fleet Street address there is absolutely no information what-so-ever. No date. Also, I have only two that carry inscriptions and these are important in a number of ways.

Firstly: "To Jimmy. Happy Chistmas 1959" helps date it straight away. The owner writing "This book belongs to ---------, 1956" again dates it. Dating is an important aspect. However, knowing that Auntie Joan and Uncle Bert gave the book to Jimmy gives it a sort of connection with tghose people (do not panic -I am not now going to try to trace the former owners!).

One person I bought a book from told me that he had owned it over 50 years and that his gran had given it to him -she having been born in 1878.  Now that is an added bonus for a bibliophile: from printers to shop to purchaser and then on to child.

I had, as I wrote, found out a few small pieces of information from book and online research but wanted to find out more. I thought "Try the British Library!"  So off went an email (I am not travelling by two buses to post a letter under current circumstances):

"Hello. I have several hardback books/annuals for children published by Renwick of Otley. I can find no details of the company and their books are undated ranging from 1920s to mid 1950s. "Fleet Street, London EC4" is one address: therewas an office there likely a letter drop. The books were "Printed by William Walker & Sons (Otley) Limited" that in the books is followed by "Printerdom, Otley". Do you have any information on the company? If it helps their titles included Our Boys' Tip Top, Our Boys Tales and Our Boys Best of All -similar titles for Girls. Thanks in advance -Terry"

Well, when I wrote that email I thought that the books were rare but then realised I only thought so because sellers were saying that!  I felt a real ass when I realised that -falling for the biggest con selling line on Ebay!  As it turns out there are a lot of these books out there.  But today I received a reply from the British Library:

"Hello Terry Hooper,
Thanks for your enquiry.

Since the discussed books were published after 1914, your enquiry is under the subject area of Humanities so I'm transferring it to my colleagues in the Humanities Reference Service Team.

You will be contacted in due course.
Kind regards, "

Seriously. What the--- "undere the subject area of Humanities"??  Before you ask there are several Reference Service Teams but none really explain what they cover. I am guessing I will need to wait longer to be told "We know nothing"! 😁

Wait unless someone out there has any information?  If you have then please get in touch. Like I wrote; nothing comic related just a curiosity to find out more about the company.