This weeks David Taylor roughs are for ‘The Gun’ by C S Forester’ There are four of them with one being very close to the finished cover which was used on at least seven PAN editions plus another by Simon Publishing. Cecil Louis Troughton Smith (27/08/1899 to 02/04/1966) was an English novelist probably best known for writing tales of naval warfare, such as the twelve book Horatio Hornblower series depicting a Royal Navy officer during the Napoleonic Wars of which PAN published four titles. Forester was born in Cairo and died in California but with a blue plaque in Dulwich!

---

Last week I asked for guesses as to what a couple of David Tayler roughs might be for. After a few suggestions I think Alan Lewis and colleague win as I’m now 99.9% sure it was an unused idea for ‘Ice Cold in Alex’ by Christopher Landon. He suggested the second drawing was definitely a scene from the film and after looking at it I agree. I’ve added a still from the film to the page for G200 as back up to the suggestion. PAN published it twice with the first edition having a cover by Sam ‘PEFF’ Peffer but I’m not sure of the later one.

---

Now having got the last missing title people say ‘What next?’ Well apart from later PANs, catalogues, artwork, advertising and display material I do occasionally dabble in others publishers offerings. I recently featured the complete Agatha Christie ‘foxtail’ titles from Fontana with cover artwork by Martin Baker and now  I’m including what was listed as ‘The Corgi SF Collectors Library’ plus a few earlier titles with covers I like. Maybe a page of ‘Anticipation’ covers from Fleuve Noir might be coming up.

This week we have two David Tayler roughs which look very familiar but I can’t come up with a title or titles. I though they might be for a Nevil Shute but now I don’t think so. I’m still wondering if they are for two books or variants for just one. Can anyone help?

---

PAN published a wide variety of titles including those devoted to animal care. I picked up a copy of ‘Fraser’s Horse Book’ signed by Alistair Fraser, joint author along with Frank Manolson. This made me look to see if they had written anything else PAN published and I have come up with one for Fraser and another two for Manolson. I ordered a copy of one of them and after waiting three weeks I asked where it was and got the reply that when packing, it didn’t meet their high standard. I’ve not had that for a long time and I interpret it as either they can’t find it or decided it was being sold too cheaply but it would have been nice for them to contact me to let me know instead of the other way around. Now left trying to find another copy at a price I’m happy to pay.

---

Back in 2018 I mentioned Vladimir Koziakin and his Mazes Books of which PAN published a few. At the time I couldn’t find out if he was still with us but now the internet tells me ‘Vladimir Nicholas Koziakin (1943–1990) was an American graphic artist and author who pioneered the craze for thematic, illustrated maze books during the 1970s and 1980s. Working as a broadcast designer by day, he turned a personal drawing hobby into a highly successful publishing career, selling millions of puzzle books worldwide’

Just a quick note to say “Thank you” to all those who sent me messages of congratulations on obtaining the final title that I was missing from the 2,391 published by PAN between 1947 and 1969 before PAN switched to using SBNs. I’m hoping 2,391 titles is correct as I made a spreadsheet and entered all the numbers I knew of and this is what it came to. Sometimes there were duplicate numbers with different titles and some numbers were skipped so I can’t be 100% certain which just adds to the fun of the chase. There are still variants and covers I’ve not got and I’m always looking for artwork, catalogues, advertising and any ephemera  so if you can help please comment or email.

---

Following on from the above post where I mention there are still a lot of variants out there, I heard from Joe McLaughlin in Thorneside, Australia to say he had noticed I did not have the Australian Special Edition of ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ and would I like a copy? Well how could I say no to his very generous offer and I have now scanned it in and added it to the page. Thank you Joe and I’m amazed at how fast it got here.

---

I picked up up a pack on line of what I thought were printer’s proofs but which turned out to be over 200 promo cards so was a bit disappointed but a few were of covers I have not got.  One example was for ‘Casino’ by Peter Baker which I’ve looked for but I’ve only turned up a copy in Indonesia. I don’t think I’m that desperate to go for that as it’s not really that interesting a cover. PAN also published ‘Cruise’ with a cover by Hans Helweg (which Pulp International erroneously attributed to Robert McGinnis, I have emailed them) which I saw in Hans studio. Both Baker titles I have are just ‘T’ and a SBN which means they cost 6/0 (30p in todays money)

‘Teddy Edward’ features is a series of books by Patrick and Mollie Matthews. PAN Piccolo published four titles based on the 1973 BBC TV programmes of which there were thirteen episodes. These were narrated by TV newsreader Richard Baker who also told the stories on records. There were annuals, stuffed toys, jig-saw puzzles and numerous other examples of merchandising. Patrick Matthews (1914–1996) worked as a writer, photographer, and cinematographer. He also served as a director for Condé Nast and managing director of Vogue Studios. Mollie Matthews (1919–2001), born Winifred Mary Berry, initially worked as a personal assistant to the head of the British Military Mission to France before marrying Patrick in 1951.

---

This weeks David Tayler rough is for 1960 edition of ‘The Cardinal’ by Henry Morton Robinson. PAN published three editions of this title, the later two having artwork by another PAN stalwart, Glenn Steward. Robinson (07/09/1898 to 13/01/1961) was an American novelist born in Boston and graduated from Columbia College in 1923 after serving in the US Navy during the First World War. He was an instructor in English at Columbia University, and a senior editor at ‘Reader’s Digest’ He wrote thirteen novels of which PAN only published the one. On December 23, 1960, he fell asleep in a hot bath after taking a sedative. Three weeks later, on January 13, 1961, he died in New York of complications from the resulting second  and third degree burns.

---

Looking at old newspaper and magazine articles I noticed this one in ‘The Bookseller’ for the 18th April 1959. Now wondering why there was a problem, was it a specific title published that caused the demand?