Another copy of the Herbert Jenkins edition of A Gent from Bear Creek popped up on eBay this week and was quickly bought by long time Howard collector Edward Gobbett. If that name is familiar to you, Edward is the guy who snagged the copy that came up for sale on eBay last year.  A collector purchased and traded it to Edward for a collection of rare Shadow pulps.  So now Edward has two copies of Gent, and with only 6 copies of this rare volume in private hands, and about that number in libraries and the Howard House, he holds a third of the ones belonging to individuals.

It has been a busy first year for The Robert E. Howard Foundation.  Two volumes of a three volume set of Howard’s letters have appeared, along with a poetry volume, not to mention two newsletters, and a passel of special goodies for Legacy Circle members of the foundation. If you haven’t checked out the Foundation website and joined up, you are missing out on great discounts, not to mention all the perks that come with membership.  At least one more volume from the Foundation is planned for this year, The Last of the Trunk, so it is not too late to get in on the savings. And don’t forget, memberships make excellent Christmas gifts!

As the Doomsday Clock counts down the days until the film version of Solomon Kane stumbles on to big screens worldwide, I pause to reflect on this new promotional poster.  While a slight improvement over the first poster which had Kane wielding an eight foot broadsword that weighed more than he did, I’m still perturbed by his accouterments.  First the ammunition belt.  What does it hold? IEDs? Holy water, Evian water?  Did such belts even exist during Kane’s time? Doubtful.  Then there is the sidearm, which appears to be a cross between a blunderbuss and an AK-47, not to mention two swords he’s toting. There is also a character named “Reaper” listed over at the IMDB site for this film.  Oh joy, I can hardly wait to see his poster.

Rare book-dealer Terence McVicker has recently restarted the late Roy A. Squires’ publishing company and will soon be issuing the original, unedited version of a rare Clark Ashton Smith story:

Clark Ashton Smith: “The Black Abbot of Puthuum”

In February of 1935, Clark Ashton Smith submitted three stories to Weird Tales. Editor Farnsworth Wright accepted all but “The Black Abbot of Puthuum,” until the tale was drastically cut and rewritten. When the story finally appeared in the March, 1936 issue, it was 1500 words shorter, a pivotal character was excised from the tale, and the ending was completely different. The rejected manuscript lay buried in the collection of H. P. Lovecraft’s executor Robert H. Barlow, and only now, more than seventy years later, is the story published as the author originally conceived it. Complementing the text is a tipped-in illustration reproduced from the original Weird Tales artwork of Virgil Finlay. The artwork–long thought lost–was located in the collection of a friend of Clark Ashton Smith’s and has not been seen since its first appearance.

The RAS Press was founded in 1961 by Roy A. Squires who produced beautiful booklets until 1987, when he printed his final book, his bibliography, The Private Press of Roy A. Squires. Under the guidance and expertise of Master Printer and Designer Gerald Lange, Terence McVicker has revived the RAS Press in honor of that notable anniversary with its first publication in twenty years: “The Black Abbot of Puthuum” by Clark Ashton Smith. This digitally produced edition is limited to 250 numbered copies. The tipped-in reproduction of the illustration by Finlay was ink-jet printed by McVicker. The papers are Mohawk 50/10 Matte and Curtis Flannel. The cover was letter-pressed printed by Lange.

The book sells for $49.95, but pre-publication subscribers are invited to take advantage of a 20% discounted price of $39.95 (plus 8.25% sales tax for California residents) prior to November 4.

“The Black Abbot of Puthuum” will debut at the 2007 World Fantasy Convention in Saratoga Springs, New York.

Copies of the prospectus for “The Black Abbot of Puthuum” which shows the typefonts, the inking, and the quality of the printing is now ready for mailing. It is printed upon the paper that will be used for the edition. Gratis copies will be mailed to subscribers this week.

A hardcopy of the Prospectus is free to anyone who requests one.
Inquiries may be directed to Terence McVicker at mcrarebooks@earthlink.net

This book is forty-eight pages not counting the covers. The covers are soft-cover, letterpress printed, there is a reproduction of the Virgil Finlay artwork, and the book is handsewn.  The book is roughly 4.5 x 8.5. 

Pre-publication price is $39.95 including shipping. Checks are preferred and should be made out to:

Terence McVicker
1745 W. Kenneth Road
Glendale, California 91201-1451

You can also pay via Paypal to the email address mcrarebooks@earthlink.net