The art of science fiction magazines

Here’s a look at some beautiful covers of science fiction magazines, which were popular in the early and mid 20th century. Later they would be replaced in popularity by books, television and film, but for a time, this was where you could get your science fiction stories.

Amazing Stories, 1926. This was the first magazine dedicated to sci-fi stories.

Astounding Stories, September 1934

American Science Fiction Magazine: Nine worlds West by Paul W. Fairman 1953

Common Time, 1955. An Australian SciFi mag which featured a series of stories from popular American magazines. Cover art by Stanley Pitt. Available here.

Astounding Stories Magazine July 1935. Usually available on eBay

September 1936 Astounding Stories magazine.

Amazing Stories, February 1948 available on eBay

Tom Swift

Here's a quickie for a busy Monday morning. A few Tom Swift Books that I came across on Heritage Auctions. I do love colorful futuristic illustrations from the 50s and 60s. Looks like Tom had some very expensive toys.

Victor Appleton II. Tom Swift and His Space Solartron. Grosset & Dunlap, 1958. First edition, first printing. Sold for $62

Four Tom Swift books.  Grosset & Dunlap, 1956-1964. Two volumes in dj. Very good or better condition.

Four Tom Swift books.  Grosset & Dunlap, 1956-1964. Two volumes in dj. Very good or better condition.

Science fiction novels from the 1950s

The fifties were arguably the golden age of science fiction, and here are a few highly collectible novels from that era by such giants as Isaac Asimov & Ray Bradbury. The first six are from the bookseller L.W. Currey. They have an especially wide range of first edition science fiction and fantasy books. The last two are from my own library. 

 Isaac Asimov THE STARS, LIKE DUST. Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1951

Clarke, Arthur C. THE CITY AND THE STARS. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, [1956]. Cover design by George Salter.

Clarke, Arthur C. THE CITY AND THE STARS. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, [1956]. Cover design by George Salter.

Asimov, Isaac. THE CURRENTS OF SPACE. Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1952. Jacket design by George Giusti.

Asimov, Isaac. THE CURRENTS OF SPACE. Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1952. Jacket design by George Giusti.

Asimov, Isaac. THE MARTIAN WAY AND OTHER STORIES. Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1955. 

Asimov, Isaac. THE MARTIAN WAY AND OTHER STORIES. Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1955. 

Robert A. Heinlein. BETWEEN PLANETS. New York:Charles Scribner's Sons, 1951.

Robert A. Heinlein. BETWEEN PLANETS. New York:Charles Scribner's Sons, 1951.

Bradbury, Ray. THE ILLUSTRATED MAN. First British edition. London: Rupert Hart-Davis, 1952.

Bradbury, Ray. THE ILLUSTRATED MAN. First British edition. London: Rupert Hart-Davis, 1952.

I, Robot by Isaac Asimov. 1950. This is my copy. It's a facsimile edition from The First Edition Library. An actual first edition of this novel is really pricey, usually in the thousands of dollars..

I, Robot by Isaac Asimov. 1950. This is my copy. It's a facsimile edition from The First Edition Library. An actual first edition of this novel is really pricey, usually in the thousands of dollars..

Shambleau and Others by C.L.Moore 1953. My "First Edition Library" reprint of the First Edition from 1981.

Shambleau and Others by C.L.Moore 1953. My "First Edition Library" reprint of the First Edition from 1981.