This is my second entry this month in the Agatha Christie Carnival hosted by Kerrie Smith over at her blog, MYSTERIES IN PARADISE. I thought you'd like to see more Vintage Christie book covers just for the heck of it. Again I ask: why aren't modern day dust jackets as much wicked fun as these?
I wish someone would put together a museum exhibit of the artwork from old mystery book covers. That would be something really special. It might take real detective work to track down the artwork and get the covers all together in one place. But I don't think it would be impossible.
Yvette, I do indeed love these Agatha Christie book covers! In fact, I remember I first saw that ABC MURDERS paperback cover when I was in high school. Thanks for sharing that awesome cover art!
ReplyDeleteLove, love, love! That's one reason why I like the pocket size edition books so much...the covers are so darn cool! And I agree, they just don't make covers like they used to. What's up with all the neon these days?
ReplyDeleteNifty! (my word for the day) THE SECRET ADVERSARY is very strange, isn't it? Cool to see MURDER IN THREE ACTS which was on PBS tonight. Is that last one a Tom Adams cover?
ReplyDeleteLOVE THEM! That's what I love about the used book stores so much, I get to find some of these covers to take home.
ReplyDeleteJust great covers! So much better than large font type over a colored cover, which draws in no interest from passersby in a bookstore.
ReplyDeleteI' telling you Yvette, you should be designing covers or telling artists and publishers what needs to be done.
Hello Yvette:
ReplyDeleteThese dust jackets are absolutely splendid and such period pieces. How we should love to own them.
We can never understand people, and there seem to be many of them, who remove the paper dust jackets from the books which they have or, at best, do not mind if they become torn or marked.
i am always looking for vintage agathas in flees markets or at the salvation army shop. the girls there used to put the price lap on the front cover of the books!!! i had to ask them " can you please stop doing thit on the book faces?" very politely though : )
ReplyDeleteBrilliant, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteNext to some Ellery Queen vintage covers, there's nothing I love more!
ReplyDeleteOn occasion the NYPL does that with vintage covers. It is always fun to see.
ReplyDeleteDorian: I remember seeing that ABC cover as well - somewhere, sometime. THe other are older, that's for sure. Soon as I replace my broken down camera I'm going to take pix of the old covers I have. Not as great as these, let me tell you. But still fun.
ReplyDeleteBev: I think publishers must assume that people prefer flash and dash.
ReplyDeleteActually, most people don't. :)
These covers are swell. I'd love to see somebody put together an exhibit.
ReplyDeleteJohn: I think it is. I love the wrap-around.
ReplyDeleteJohn I've stopped watching the 'newer' Poirots/Marples since they've so twisted and ruined the stories.
But that's just me.
Ryan: There used to be the best used bookstore over in the next town, but they went out of business. Sad day. A garage sale is my next best hope. :) I should photo what I have just to keep a record. Ok, that's my next project. :)
ReplyDeleteNot that I have anything nearly as good as these.
I'm trying to remember the plot of THE SECRET ADVERSARY. Maybe that bear stands for Russia?
Kathy: Thanks. :) There are plenty of good designers out there but they just have to give publishers what they want. That's the way of it.
ReplyDeleteJane and Lance. I had a whole slew of paperbacks - very old, but they began to fall apart with age - literally. Some of the paper crumbled to dust! Finally I took the covers off - they're of better stock so they last longer. I have a bunch of covers I'm going to photo one of these days.
ReplyDeleteI would love to own that SEVEN DIALS one at the top and THE SECRET ADVERSARY, for sure. :)
demie: Yeah, I hate when they ruin a cover with a price sticker. I mean, really. Some people just have no idea of esthetics. :)
ReplyDeleteLucy Nation: You're very welcome. Glad you stopped by. :)
ReplyDeleteCaftan Woman: Ooooh, yes! Ellery Queen covers are terrific too! In fact, most vintage mystery covers are worth a look. I found some 'Saint' covers online that I'm going to post one of these days.
ReplyDeletePatti: I would love to see the actual paintings - do they do that?
ReplyDeleteFor instance, it would be tons of fun to see a Tom Adams retrospective.
Jacqueline: I think you're the only person I know who uses the word: 'swell'. Love it.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't an exhibit be...uh, well, 'swell'?
Yes. :)
2nd attempt to get a comment up here!
ReplyDeleteLove these covers - harking back to the days of elegance when men wore hats and ladies dressed with style (& with the ubiquitous pair of gloves!)
I remember having to shelve many bland (& thus, seemingly boring) books at the library - coming across gems such as these instantly signalled them out for display and they were soon walking out the door as someone's cache of 'new' reads!!
Love these, Yvette! :-)
Sue: So sorry you're having troubles posting. I thought everything had straightened itself out. Must be some lingering fidget still needing work.
ReplyDeleteYes, aren't these covers wonderful? Certainly they are more eye-catching than a lot of what gets done today where many times you can't tell one cover from another.
Yvette - another reminder of days gone by is seeing the pre-decimal currency pricing! Ah, the days of pounds, shillings and pence.....(yes, I do remember that - but NOT farthings; they were def. before my time!) ;-)
ReplyDeleteSue: The good old days. I remember pounds and shillings.
ReplyDeleteI don't like this whole euro thing.