Mark Seifert
@markseifert.bleedingcool.com
860 followers 580 following 540 posts
Vintage paper addict, co-founder of Avatar Press, managing editor of Bleeding Cool. Interest in American periodical publishing history including dime novels, pulps, newspapers, magazines, golden age & silver age comics. I mostly post about old paper here.
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markseifert.bleedingcool.com
You've got great taste in obscure stuff. Early 1950s Quality is underappreciated across the board.
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The "Pepper's Ghost" illusion inspired one of the most infamous back-pages ads in American publishing history, and one that remained popular enough to appear for a century+. As a kid, I was always curious about what this was. #PhantomsFriday
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Lakeside Library, December 1878.

The earliest version I've seen of the infamous "Dancing Skeleton" ad that would appear in the back pages of comic books and magazines for a century. The "Prof. Pepper" reference makes it clear this was inspired by the "Pepper's Ghost" effect.
A small add in an 1878 issue of Lakeside Library.  The illustration is of a dancing skeleton.
markseifert.bleedingcool.com
National Police Gazette, v2 #14. Dec. 12, 1846.

The exploits of real-life bandit John A. Murrell inspired sensationalized accounts, myth, and fiction. This account claims that initiation into his "mystic clan" included an encounter with a spectral skeleton guarding his liar. #phantomsfriday
Front page of the National Police Gazette, Vol. 2, No. 14, published in New York on Saturday, December 12, 1846. The masthead title is printed in bold black letters across the top, with the price listed as “Four Cents a Number.” Below the masthead, the main illustration depicts a dramatic scene captioned “The Robbers’ Awful Oath.” A skeletal figure holding an arrow, rises from behind a coffin, confronting a terrified man recoiling in fear with arms raised. The image accompanies the feature article in the “Lives of the Felons” series, this installment titled “John A. Murrell, the Great Western Land Pirate.” The text columns below and beside the illustration recount Murrell’s life and crimes, describing the initiation rites and oaths of his robber gang in lurid detail.
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“‘The vampire bat!’ exclaimed Blount, echoing the words of the bo'wswain.”

The Bat of the Battery
Another Joe Phenix detective story by Albert W. Aiken.

Beadle’s New York Dime Library #419, Nov. 3, 1886
Front cover of Beadle’s New York Dime Library, Vol. XXXIII, No. 419, published November 3, 1886, by Beadle & Adams of New York. The featured story is The Bat of the Battery; or, Joe Phenix, King of Detectives by Albert W. Aiken. The engraving shows a dramatic nighttime waterfront scene under a full moon. In the foreground, a man in a wide-brimmed hat and long coat stands at the stern of a small rowboat, his arms raised as he confronts an approaching boat of armed pursuers. Another man fires a gun toward him, the muzzle flash bright against the dark water, while two additional figures row in pursuit. At the bottom left, the limp body of a woman lies in the bow of the first boat, illuminated faintly by moonlight. The text on the illustration reads “The Bat of the Battery” in large stylized letters. Below the image, the caption reads: “‘The vampire bat!’ exclaimed Blount, echoing the words of the bo'wswain.”
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The Black Cat #12, Sept 1896
Cover by Nelly Littlehale Umbstaetter

One of the most successful small-format literary magazines published in the wake of The Chap-Book, The Black Cat became known for "strange" fiction from the likes of O. Henry, Jack London, Henry Miller, Clark Ashton Smith, others.
Color cover of The Black Cat magazine, September 1896 issue, published by The Shortstory Publishing Co., Boston. The central illustration shows a black cat dressed in a plaid suit, cap, and red tie, cheerfully riding a yellow bicycle with red rims against a gold background. The cat is anthropomorphic, pedaling confidently with a paw on the handlebar and a mischievous smile. A red circular emblem marked “5 Cents” appears in the upper right corner within a white laurel wreath. To the right, the issue date and story titles are listed: “The Reapers” by Batterman Lindsay, “A Kindergarten Hold-Up” by Mabel Shippe Clarke, “The Guardian of Mystery Island” by Dr. Edmond Nolcini, “A Mental Mischance” by Thomas F. Anderson, and “The Barber of the Alpena” by J. Harwood. The publisher’s imprint reads: “The Shortstory Publishing Co., 144 High St., Boston, Mass.”
markseifert.bleedingcool.com
What is probably the best pulp collection ever assembled is hitting the auction block beginning this winter.
markseifert.bleedingcool.com
Thank you! I have a lot of interest in the story paper/dime novel era of fiction in America, which in general is not as well understood as pulps and comics, and I would love to address that. I hope to have some books in my future.
markseifert.bleedingcool.com
Providence, 1827: Long before HPL, Providence was home to a weird fiction writer called "The Troglodyte". His work is alternate reality fiction.

Here, he sees the phantom of a figure from NYC's past, who triggers a vision of its future. Spoiler: it ends poorly. #phantomsfriday (summary in alt)
The Literary Cadet is an obscure, short-run newspaper (1826-1829) edited by Sylvester S. Southworth, and published by Samuel J. Smith and Jonathan C. Parmenter, with the help of their apprentice Samuel Adams (no close relation to the political Adams' families, it appears).  Southworth often wrote a column called "Travels of a Troglodyte", which he signed as "The Troglodyte", it's sort of a Tale of the Mysterious Traveler as filtered through Weird Tales bit of alternate (and time traveling!) reality fiction.

In this installment, the Troglodyte has traveled from Providence to NYC  and finds it a booming, noisy, bustling place.  He begins to wonder if we can maintain this level of civilization, and as he does, the cacophony of the various activity surrounding him begins to evoke the chanting of some prior era.

Disoriented, he encounters a man named Anthony Van Corlaer -- a fictional trumpeter of the 1640s New Amsterdam colony which would ultimately become New York (sort of an earlier version of Paul Revere... he was to sound his trumpet to signal that the British were coming, and appeared in Washington Irving's History of New York).  But he knows that Van Corlaer should be long dead.

As he ponders the meaning of this, Van Corlaer sounds his horn, and reality dissolves, replaced by some future or alternate vision of NYC.  The city is in ruins, decayed, overgrown. "the mart of the New World has become the dwelling of wild beasts -- not a record of her greatness remains."

Just as he thinks to seek out manuscripts of this ruined place so he can record the "History of New York" himself, he's startled back to reality, disappointed that the vision has slipped away.  In closing, he notes a parade of "malicious soldiers" on Broadway, accompanied by a bugler whose instrument bears a "villainous resemblance" to Van Corlaer's trumpet.
markseifert.bleedingcool.com
Yeah, he's the brother of well known Golden Age Archie comic book artist Bill Vigoda.
markseifert.bleedingcool.com
Not impossible, as this would have been around the end of the Ray Palmer-edited Amazing Stories era, made infamous by the "Shaver Mystery" hollow earth theory stuff. It all makes me curious what other stuff on the ayahuasca subject was out there in newsstand fiction within the time frame.
markseifert.bleedingcool.com
This would probably lead to other interesting avenues of research, as the author says. My initial questions would be a) where did Gaddis pick up his grains of truth, and b) would Burroughs have put Amazing Stories (and Weird Tales) in the "True/He-Man magazine" category.
markseifert.bleedingcool.com
Fantastic research. Looking at real-life inspirations to/from things found in historical fiction is also something that interests me a lot. As the author alludes to there, this is not the only time Gaddis has sent researchers down a rabbit hole.

www.academia.edu/34329912/Fak...
Fake news and Macfadden.pdf
A follow-up to my paper on the Vanishing Lighthousemen of Eilean Mòr. This article finally solves the puzzle of exactly who wrote the bizarre logbook entries at the centre of the lighthouse mystery – ...
www.academia.edu
markseifert.bleedingcool.com
Every time I read pre-Code crime, I see if I can figure out if it's based on something real, and it is more often than you'd think. All-Famous Police Cases #8 cover story is about the Kansas City Massacre. The writer mangled Johnny Lazia's name, so I don't think Cole realized what he had.
markseifert.bleedingcool.com
Bound by bad guys who were using a boat as a base of operations, they then dumped him into the water. In the story, he was actually able to use the swordfish to cut through his bonds and escape the predicament.
markseifert.bleedingcool.com
They definitely dry out more, though still tend to have a long shelf life. I think the general rule of thumb is 6-12 months.
markseifert.bleedingcool.com
Nothing quite improves my mood like getting "new" old paper.

(Attached: A few bound volumes of the Beadle's New York Dime Library, a series that ran for 1103 issues 1877-1905.)
A close-up photograph of four bound volumes of Beadle’s New York Dime Library, a 19th-century dime novel series. The spines are black leather with gold lettering and raised bands. The titles read “DIME LIBRARY” in uppercase, followed by the volume numbers stamped in gold. From left to right, the volumes are: Vol. III, showing significant wear and scuffing; Vol. IX, with moderate wear; Vol. XXXIII (33), with slightly more pronounced reddish wear near the spine bands; and Vol. XX (20), in relatively better condition.
markseifert.bleedingcool.com
Beadle's New York Dime Library #112, Dec 15, 1880.

Joe Phenix, Private Detective;
Or, The League of the Skeleton Keys

Albert W. Aiken did significant work for Beadle & Adams. Also an actor and playwright. Perhaps best known for his play "Witches of New York" which had a good run 1869-early 1870s
ront cover of Beadle’s New York Dime Library, Vol. IX, No. 112, published December 15, 1880. The headline story is Joe Phenix, Private Detective; or, The League of the Skeleton Keys by Albert W. Aiken, advertised with the subtitle “The Man of Many Disguises!”. The dramatic wood-engraved illustration beneath the title depicts a tense underground scene inside a stone-vaulted chamber. At the center, detective Joe Phenix, dressed in plain clothes and wearing a wide-brimmed hat, stands defiantly facing a group of shadowy, hooded figures. A single light illuminates the chamber from above, casting eerie shadows and highlighting a skull-shaped ornament or projection on the ceiling. The cloaked figures, arranged in a semicircle, loom menacingly around Phenix, suggesting a secret society or criminal cabal. The caption below reads: “Don’t flatter yourself that we have not penetrated your disguise! We know that you are Joe Phenix.”
markseifert.bleedingcool.com
Great interview. I love his piece "The Chemist" shown there. Very pulpy.
markseifert.bleedingcool.com
Frank Leslie's Boys and Girls Weekly, Feb 21, 1880.

Tracked by a Pirate;
Or, the Adventures of a Young Sponge-Hunter

Roger Starbuck is a pen name for prolific author Augustus Comstock (1837-1908), who specialized in sea stories after working a number of years on a whaling ship.
Front cover of Frank Leslie’s Boys’ and Girls’ Weekly, No. 696, dated February 21, 1880. The masthead is printed in ornate, illustrated lettering with decorative flourishes. The featured serial story is titled Tracked by a Pirate; Or, The Adventures of a Young Sponge-Hunter by Roger Starbuck (Augustus Comstock). A large engraved illustration dominates the page, showing a violent deckside struggle: a young man in naval-style clothing has wrestled a pirate to the ground while pointing a pistol at his face. The pirate, sprawled across the deck with sword nearby, grimaces in rage as he fights back. Behind them, another pirate charges forward with a cutlass raised, while a third figure, possibly an onlooker or shipmate, decends stairs with a pistol. Nautical details such as barrels, ropes, and wooden planks frame the chaotic scene. The caption beneath the image reads: “The pirate made a furious blow at the youth as the latter drew a pistol from his belt; but the young captain dodged the blow, and, taking aim, pulled the trigger of his weapon.”
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Frank Leslie's New York Journal, 1855

"The Stockholm Engine" was the first post-Babbage effort at a computing machine. The model shown here was purchased for £1000 by the Dudley Observatory in Albany, New York around this time. Created by the father/son team of Georg and Edvard Scheutz of Sweden.
The Stockholm Engine, 1855: An engraving of Scheutz’s New Calculating Machine, an early mechanical computer based on Charles Babbage’s Difference Engine design. The machine is built on a large wooden base and consists of a complex arrangement of gears, wheels, and vertical rods connected to number wheels arranged in rows. A hand crank on the left is used to operate the mechanism, which could automatically calculate and print mathematical tables. The detailed engraving shows the intricate interlocking gears and numbered drums, reflecting the machine’s experimental engineering. This device, created by Swedish inventors Georg and Edvard Scheutz, represents one of the earliest practical attempts at automated computation.
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Boys of New York #611, April 30, 1887.
Published by Frank Tousey

The Electric Horse
Or, Frank Reade Jr. and His Father in Search of the Lost Treasure of the Peruvians.

A cover I like.
Front cover of The Boys of New York: A Paper for Young Americans, Vol. XII, No. 611, dated April 30, 1887. The masthead features bold ornate lettering with decorative flourishes, beneath which is the lead serialized story titled The Electric Horse; or, Frank Reade Jr. and His Father in Search of the Lost Treasure of the Peruvians. The page is dominated by a large engraved illustration showing a dramatic action scene: an experimental vehicle — a carriage with mechanical design elements — speeds across a rugged pampas landscape, drawn by an electrical robot horse. Two armed figures, named Corrajo and Pomp, are seen firing rifles at a giant condor swooping low across the sky. The immense bird spreads its wings menacingly, dwarfing the mountains in the background. Below the image, a caption reads: “The Electric Horse was dashing away in pursuit of the condor, which flew along the pampas skirting the wood. The sides of the deck were lowered, and Corrajo and Pomp seized their rifles, and dropping each on one knee, leveled their weapons, and breathlessly waited to get a shot at the condor.” The bottom of the page continues the text of the serialized adventure.
markseifert.bleedingcool.com
Whups, misspelled the hashtag here #phantomsfriday
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A Banquet with the Dead, author unknown. Full short story for #phantomfriday Street & Smith's Literary Album v2 #41, Sept 29, 1866.

It reminds me of Nosferatu's "Dinner with Count Orlock" scene. "A time of peculiar trial occurs in the life of every man, and Mr. E--- felt that his had come."
Front page of Street & Smith’s Literary Album, Vol. II, No. 41, dated September 29, 1866. The masthead is ornate, with decorative lettering and flourishes. Below the title, the featured article is titled A Banquet with the Dead. The page includes a large engraved illustration: a group of men in dark robes sit around a banquet table covered with food, cups, and pitchers. One man, standing at the right, looks shocked as he glances at the other guests, who are all depicted with hollow-eyed, corpse-like faces. The caption beneath the illustration reads: “A Banquet with the Dead—He glanced at the company—they were all robed in deep black.” The scene conveys a macabre, gothic atmosphere typical of mid-19th-century serialized fiction. Page two of Street & Smith’s Literary Album, Vol. II, No. 41 featuring the conclusion of A Banquet with the Dead, densely set in three columns of small serif text with a decorative border. The top header reads “The Literary Album.” A visible column at the right contains a short poem titled Give Your Brother a Lift and the continuation of a serialized story, The False Heir; or, The Belle of the Season. The page is entirely text-heavy, reflecting the publication’s focus on serialized literature.
markseifert.bleedingcool.com
A Banquet with the Dead, author unknown. Full short story for #phantomfriday Street & Smith's Literary Album v2 #41, Sept 29, 1866.

It reminds me of Nosferatu's "Dinner with Count Orlock" scene. "A time of peculiar trial occurs in the life of every man, and Mr. E--- felt that his had come."
Front page of Street & Smith’s Literary Album, Vol. II, No. 41, dated September 29, 1866. The masthead is ornate, with decorative lettering and flourishes. Below the title, the featured article is titled A Banquet with the Dead. The page includes a large engraved illustration: a group of men in dark robes sit around a banquet table covered with food, cups, and pitchers. One man, standing at the right, looks shocked as he glances at the other guests, who are all depicted with hollow-eyed, corpse-like faces. The caption beneath the illustration reads: “A Banquet with the Dead—He glanced at the company—they were all robed in deep black.” The scene conveys a macabre, gothic atmosphere typical of mid-19th-century serialized fiction. Page two of Street & Smith’s Literary Album, Vol. II, No. 41 featuring the conclusion of A Banquet with the Dead, densely set in three columns of small serif text with a decorative border. The top header reads “The Literary Album.” A visible column at the right contains a short poem titled Give Your Brother a Lift and the continuation of a serialized story, The False Heir; or, The Belle of the Season. The page is entirely text-heavy, reflecting the publication’s focus on serialized literature.