Having picked up a copy of ‘The Send-Off’ by Christopher Leach which I actually read and enjoyed I looked to see if PAN had published anymore of his titles but it appears this was the only one. What I did find was he has written five titles in the Topliner series, two published as hardback and three as softback.

Topliners were originally published by PAN/Macmillan and then taken over solely by Macmillan. Of the five by Leach it is odd that ‘Answering Miss Roberts’ clearly says Macmillan on the back but has a PAN ISBN. The two hardback say the jackets are designed by a familiar name, ‘Young Artists’

Looking at a copy of ‘Options’ by Freda Bright I thought it looked different to the one I had. Turns out I was right in that there are two versions from 1882 where one has a photo of a lady in a hat on the front and a lady with a roll neck sweater on the back and reversed on the other. I’m left wondering why? Was it just a play on the title and how were they put on the shelves, a random number of each? PAN published some of her other titles in the 2000s.

In the 1970s PAN published or republished a series of titles they called the ‘PAN Classics’ of which I had 27 and an image of a variant of ‘Jane Eyre’. I still wanted this but after ordering a couple of times when I ended up with the one I’ve already in spite of the picture showing otherwise I thought I’d give it a rest until I spotted a copy not on a ‘stack them high, sell them cheap’ site. For once I actually got the right one plus a copy of ‘Bleak House’ which I’m really pleased to add to the page as I hadn’t seen it before. I’ve no clue as to the artist of the latter but at nearly 900 pages it is quite a door stop. I’m left wondering how many more there might be out there still to find?

Today (30th September) is a sad day in that it is the funeral of Pat, Kitty Peffer’s sister and Sam ‘PEFF’ Peffer’s sister in law. Pat never really got over the effects of COVID and complications arising from that. The funeral will take place in the small village where she lived and is for family and friends only.

I have posted several pages of Agatha Christie series covers from PAN in the past (‘Double Dagger‘, ‘White Top‘, ‘All Photo‘) but Fontana also published her titles with the most well know probably being with covers by Tom Adams. Not so common are those with covers mainly by Martin Baker called ‘the foxtail series’ because of the ‘g’ For no real reason I find I have amassed quite a few of these editions so for a change this week I’m including these covers just because I like most of them apart from the biography which spoils the set by having a photo and is B format unlike the others which are A format. I don’t think Martin painted any for PAN but Tom Adams did so I’m using that as my spurious link. If you know of any I don’t have, as a sad old completest can I ask please email details me.  I can’t find out much about Martin Baker, was he the same Martin who wrote ‘Artists of the Radio Times’?

‘The Dragon’ by Alfred Coppel is a problem in that there were two versions of the cover but the date/printing information inside is identical as PAN seems to be using the same text block . The only way I can guess which is the oldest is by looking at the price. The earlier one uses the same Alun Hood artwork as the Macmillan hardback while the later is by David Bergen. Alfred Coppel was born Alfredo Jose de Arana-Marini Coppel (09/11/1921 – 30/05/2004) in America. He wrote several science fiction short stories and thirty one books of which PAN published just one more namely ’34 East’

I’m always on the look out for reading, proof or reviews copies of PAN titles as they are usually a little different from the published edition. This time it’s an ‘Special Advance Reading Copy’ no less for ‘The Sisters’ by Robert Littell from 1987. Inside it says there was going to be a major PAN promotion but so far I’ve not found anything that could be related to a campaign for this title. It is different in that the PAN logo is at the top of the spine. Robert Littell had written seven novels by the time PAN published this one but it wasn’t until the 2000’s that they published any more of his books.

It’s been a busy week but I did manage to rescan all my copies of PAN number 2 of ‘Lost Horizon’ by James Hilton, This title must hold the record for the most editions with six different covers but with the same number from 1947 through to 1957. Artists for these covers include Stephen Richard Boldero (whose real surname was Hamel-Wedekind), Sax (Rudolph Michael Sachs) , J H Bruce and Roger Hall.  PAN also published it as G330 in 1960 with a cover by Samuel John ‘PEFF’ Peffer, again in 1966 as X558 with a cover by Hans Heinrich Helweg which PAN also used for 0330 105582 in 1980. PAN published a film tie-in edition in 1973 with film stills on the cover and at least two special editions for the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore which opened on the 23rd of April 1971 One of the covers features the Hans Helweg cover artwork.

Just as an aside, and this may be hard to believe, but I do have other interests alongside PAN Books. The reason it has been busy this week is because we have had news on a decision we have been waiting for for nearly two years. The press release from SUSTRANS say “We’re thrilled to announce that planning permission has been granted for a multi-million-pound upgrade to the McClean Way, enhancing safety and accessibility for all users! The project will improve the route between Pelsall and Brownhills, providing a safer, direct path for walking, wheeling, and cycling. A huge thank you to our partners National Highways and the Department for Transport for their support in delivering this transformative project!” Having helped open up this disused railway track from the primeval swamp it was, this is fantastic as it means it will get a proper surface which currently can get very muddy in the winter. We are now moving along the Lichfield section of which we have cleared a third.

Dean Street Press publishes titles that have long gone out of print including 24 from Peter Cheyney many of which were published by PAN and use the same artwork. I have found at least five that have PAN artwork but are not the right titles so here is a quiz. Try guessing what these Cheyney titles were originally and for the answer click on the book cover.

When I had a better look I noticed the signatures had been removed so I email Dean Street Pres and Victoria kindly replied to say “These editions were published under my brother, Rupert Heath who died last year, so I’m afraid I cannot offer an explanation about the missing signatures. Personally I agree that the artists deserve recognition but Rupert was an art historian and did everything by the rules. Perhaps the images he found had already had the signatures removed?” If he was using the PAN editions which are mostly ‘PEFF’ ‘Keay’ or ‘Sheldon’ then they are clearly signed as in the 3rd PAN printing of 139 ‘Sorry You’ve Been Troubled’ but oddly not G160 ‘Dark Duet’ by Sam Peffer

Having picked up a copy of ’11 Harrowhouse Street’ with a dust jacket recently I was really pleased to get a copy of the US edition of ‘Eastern Nights – and  Flights’ by Alan Bott, founder of PAN Books, also with a dust jacket. The book itself is fairly common but this is the first dust jacket I’ve seen although not the most inspiring. Still trying to find out if this was the ‘house style’ for a series as was common here in the UK?

This weeks book with the same title and same number but this time two years apart is for Peter Cheyney’s ‘Uneasy Terms’ published by PAN as G280 in 1959 and 1961. Both covers are by Sam ‘PEFF’ Peffer but why PAN felt the need for a revamp but kept the exact same back cover I’ve no idea. Not sure who is modelling on the 1961 edition but it  doesn’t look like Kitty.

A while back I posted about David Hyman finding a copy of ‘’11 Harrowhouse Street’ by Gerald A Browne with a dust jacket.  My first thought was for a film tie-in but the cover underneath also mentions the film. My next thought was maybe the cover was a little ‘raunchy’ by PAN standards but now I think it is probably because the film dropped the word ‘Street’ from the title as does the book dustjacket. I am now pleased to say I have managed to get a copy of my own to add to my collection. Now if I can just find ‘Leviathan’ with a dust jacket …….

This weeks title of same number with different covers is M9 ‘The Cardinal’ by Henry Morton Robinson. The 1960 edition has a cover by David Tayler while the 1963 film tie-in is by Glenn Steward. PAN also published another edition in 1969 as 0330 200097 using the Glenn Steward artwork but no longer mentions the film. Henry Morton Robinson (September 7, 1898 – January 13, 1961) was an American novelist. He was born in Boston and died an unfortunate death in New York, Robinson 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.

I was intrigued to see an article by Porter Anderson in last weeks ‘Publishing Perspectives’ I hope they don’t mind as I’ve abridged it as follows;
“Penguin Random House UK unveiled a new Penguin book-vending machine (a successor to the Penguincubator) at Linlithgow Academy in Scotland. The machine is a gift from the publishing house and gives students access to more than 70 titles from Penguin’s “Lit in Colour” reading lists making the work of writers of colour more visible in schools. Jackie Kay, a former Makar or poet laureate of Scotland, joined the presentation. Our discerning readers may note that some of Kay’s books can be seen waiting to be sold in the machine. (‘May Day‘ & ‘The Lamplighter’) Kay’s books are published not by Penguin but by PAN Picador. Indeed, Picador has donated 150 copies of Kay’s books to the inventory of the machine from Penguin”
I think ‘Pancubator’ rolls of the tongue easier than ‘Penguincubator’ so I’m putting it out there for future use, just saying!

Recently on eBay there was an auction for some original Pat Owen paintings of Andy Murray playing in November 2016 at the O2 arena in London when he beat Marin Cilic in the ATP World Tour finals. I wasn’t sure about bidding as nothing really related to PAN apart from Pat also painted many covers for PAN but at the price they were very cheap. There were three which became four and arrived the day after the auction ended. They are signed on the front and on the back and must be amongst some of Pats last work as he died in 2017. It turned out it was Pat’s brother-in-law that was selling them.

This weeks same number two covers is for PAN G148 ‘God’s Little Acre’ by Erskine Caldwell from 1958 and 1960. I suspect the 1958  one is by Hans Helweg although not signed while the 1960 one clearly is and for which he got paid £42. It doesn’t follow the usual pattern in that the film tie-in cover came first and the later doesn’t mention it on the front but has the same back cover as the earlier with a film still. I prefer the 1960 cover but I might be biased as the original artwork is hanging on my wall. My copy is also signed by Erskine Caldwell. The 1963 cover, X323, is also by Helweg and for this ‘re do’ he got paid £50 16s.

Sometimes when I’m looking at the asking price for a book on eBay I’m left wondering if it is genuine or a typing error as in this example.

This is not a rare title and many copies can be found for a fraction of that price. PAN published two editions, X101 from 1961 with a cover by William Francis Phillipps and 0330 241001 in 1974.
STOP PRESS Since I mentioned this I have had an email to say the price has been reduced by ….. £384.99!

Don’t ask ChatGPT to make a picture of a long haired black cat like our Hecate reading a PAN copy of ‘Casino Royale’ on her birthday if you don’t want to be disappointed. It couldn’t even spell ‘Casino’ right! Mind you I didn’t tell it she only has three legs with one of her front ones missing but it’s got her eyes right with one darker than the other, pity it’s not the same on both images.

The artwork I successfully bid on at auction eventually arrived and while looking at the roughs for covers I don’t think were ever used the address on the label sounded familiar. Straight to Google for a search and it came up with the reason why. It was on the news as Banksy recently painted a couple of elephants on the end of a building and it was on number 10 right next door to 9. Click HERE to see the Banksy and also the rough and if anyone has any idea if it was actually used pleased let me know.

I was hoping to make it a trio of Nobel Prize for Literature winning authors in Picador last week but could only think of Steinbeck (1962) and Hemingway (1954) and they were published as PANs. Since then I’ve Googled to see a list of winners and I found I had forgotten all about Gabriel Garcia Marquez which was an oversight as at least three covers proclaim the win on their front covers. Four of the covers are by artist Gary McAvers and all I can find out about him was that he is American.  If I made a blog just about winners published as PANs I should also include Rudyard Kipling (1907), William Butler Yeats (1923) and Pearl Buck (1938)

This weeks two covers with the same number very close together date wise is for PAN 335 ‘The Trojan Horse’ by (Ralph) Hammond Innes (1914-1998) The 1955 edition has artwork by Barrow while the 1957 has it by Graham R Barkley. I can’t see if there was any reason for a change such as film tie-in but I think I prefer the later version although I believe there is a chase in the sewers of London. I may have to read the book to see which is most faithful to the story line.

PAN published several of the works of 1946 Nobel Prize for Literature winning author Hermann Hesse (1877 to 1962) “for his inspired writings which, while growing in boldness and penetration, exemplify the classical humanitarian ideals and high qualities of style” Most of the PAN covers were painted by Peter Le Vasseur apart from one by George Sharp and a photo by Peter Williams. I contacted Peter who kindly emailed back to say:

“Hi Tim, I started doing book covers when a friend asked me to do one in the 60’s.After that I did covers for a number of companies through and agent in Soho, the company was called Artist’s Partners. I came in contact with Pan through AP in the 1970’s. I did covers for their imprint Picador because they did more arty/poetic books, hence doing the covers for Hermann Hesse’s books. Hermann Hesse’s work was going through a bit of a revival at that time. Picador were very good in that they gave me a huge amount of freedom to interpret the author’s work. All the original art work was sold, most of it through the Portal Gallery, who showed my work around that time. Others sold in Guernsey where I live. One or two of the images are in the book about me, which was published by Lutterworth Press a couple of years ago. It’s called ‘A Brush with Life’ and was written by Jason Monaghan. I hope that helps a bit, come back to me if you need anything more and i will see if I can help”
I have a copy of Peter’s book which is a very informative read and features the art work for three of his Picador covers and lists others but misses out ‘Rosshalde’. Peter also painted the cover for the Picador 1980 edition of ‘The Track to Bragula’ by B. Wonger

The second Nobel Prize for Literature author is Knut Hamsun (1859 to 1952) who won his in 1920. Again PAN published several of his titles with most of the covers by Paul Leith although oddly again one of them is by George Sharp plus another by Bee Willey. I have emailed Paul but so far no reply. His website states “Paul Leith is a British illustrator, artist and graduate from The Royal College of Art. Paul’s work covers decades of colourful creativity; producing murals, felt artworks, sketches and commercial illustration. His experience is reflected in his high profile client list which includes Royal Mail, Penguin Books, The Sunday Times, The Body Shop, W H Smiths and Virgin Trains to name a few. Paul is currently working on a variety of creative projects and is based in Carlisle, Cumbria”

This might just be me but sometimes I look at a cover and go ‘What the …..?’ I am now offering the Picador edition of ‘Waterland’ by Graham Swift from 1984 as my ‘What the ……?’ of this week.

I found out about some of pieces of original PAN artwork coming up for sale at couple of auction houses and thought I would give them a punt. One I had known about for quite a while as Mark at Sworders had asked me if I could identify the artist which I could as it was Hans Helweg. It was for the later edition of ‘Sweet Thursday’ by John Steinbeck. I thought I had bid a reasonable amount but in the end it went well above that at £380. The second low was for Eric Tenney’s artwork for ‘The Stone Leopard’ by Colin Forbes at Tooveys. I wasn’t that bothered about it so I didn’t bid that high but what I hadn’t noticed was that it also included the artwork for ‘Path Into the Unknown: The Best of Soviet S. F.’ with a cover by W F Phillips. This went for £110 and Stuart Webb was the successful bidder. The third lot was something I really regret missing as I didn’t read all the details. It appeared to be a collection of artwork for children’s books but also included paintings by Roger Hall for three covers in the ‘PAN Romance Series’. It went for £130 and again Stuart was the lucky bidder. So we come to the one high which was for ‘Find A Victim’ by John Ross Macdonald with a cover by Stephen Richard Boldero. I probably got carried away and bid too high to win it at £300. On the plus side it also came with several other artworks including two paintings for a couple of covers for published hardbacks and some roughs. Thanks to Stuart for the photographs of his winning lots and permission for me to include them on the appropriate pages.

There was a very optimistic seller on eBay offering a home bound copy of the PAN 22nd printing of ‘Moonraker’ from 1965 as a hardback.

I was pleased to hear from John Mott who told me his uncle, the actor Frank Ellement, was used by Sam Peffer as the face of James Lessiter on the cover of G122 ‘Miss Silver Comes to Stay’ John wrote “Frank was born in Ottawa, Canada in 1928 and died in London, England in 1998. He moved to the UK in his early 20’s. He was an aspiring opera singer and did quite a bit of modelling and bit part acting to make ends meet. There is an entry for him at IMDB. He eventually settled into life as a school teacher. He was also for some time the lover of journalist Patrick Thursfield (1923-2003) His younger sister (my aunt) passed away in Ottawa a few years ago, and I inherited Frank’s portfolio scrap books. These had been sent to my aunt by Patrick Thursfield, in his capacity as Frank’s executor. A small advertisement for the Patricia Wentworth paperback was clipped and pasted into the scrapbook, along with many other magazine and newspaper clippings featuring my uncle. This small clipping is very likely the only piece of surviving evidence that links my uncle to Sam Peffer. I am attaching a professional headshot of my uncle from that time, that most closely approximates the art. Until visiting your website, I had always imagined that my uncle had posed for the painting. It now seems quite possible that Sam never actually met my uncle, but simply painted the face from a headshot” At one time Frank was considered for the role of James Bond. I contacted Kathy, Sam’s great niece, to see if she knew the name but she emailed back to say “Just a quick one to let you know that I have never heard Frank Ellement’s name mentioned or seen it written as a contact in an address book, but so pleased to have received your link as I don’t remember seeing that cover before. I see it is 1958, the year I was born. Definitely uncle Sam modelling in the photos, it is in the sitting room of 13 Stonenest Street, Finsbury Park (my childhood home with Kit and Sam). The curtains are claret red and the carpet is black with yellow scrolls. The desk furniture is their dressing table, and the chair is from their dining room suite which had a mustard/grey mottled vinyl seat. The black telephone on the desk was their home phone and the number was ‘Archway 6040’ The green phone in ‘Please Don’t Eat the Daisies’ with Doris Day/David Niven, was also their home phone from 1964 to the 1980s in Finchley was ‘Hillside 9989’!“

While sorting out my Picador titles I found I had two copies of ‘Roots’ by Alex Haley, neither of which are firsts.  I thought it would be easy to find a copy but I was wrong. This is probably because it wasn’t the success it became after the TV series so later copies are the ones ‘flashed’ in some way. I was interested to find in one of my copies a lot of faded newspaper clippings purporting to say a lot of the book was plagerised and fabricated, this being discovered in Haley’s private papers after his death. Click HERE to see one of the articles from ‘The Times’

This weeks short lived cover is for  X375 ‘Claudelle’ by Erskine Caldwell. The 1960 cover by Hans Helweg, for which he got paid £42, was replaced in 1961 by a Sam ‘PEFF’ Peffer cover as a film tie-in. The 1960 cover mentions a film coming shortly so probably prophesising is own demise. While the original artwork from Sam correctly names the film released as  ‘Claudelle Inglish’ the printed cover has it as ‘Jilted’, the name used for the film in Australia amongst other countries. I much prefer Hans version and my copy of the book looks and feels as though it has never been read.