Horrors and Unpleasantries: A bibliographical history & collectors' price guide to Arkham House

Arkham House is an American publishing house specializing in weird fiction. It was founded in Sauk City, Wisconsin in 1939 by August Derleth and Donald Wandrei to preserve in hardcover the best fiction of H. P. Lovecraft. The company's name is derived from Lovecraft's fictional New England city, Arkham. Arkham House editions are noted for the quality of their printing and binding. [Wikipedia]

"Horrors and Unpleasantries" - A Bibliographical History & Collector's Guide to Arkham House by Sheldon Jaffery (1934-2003) was published in 1982 by Bowling Green State University Popular Press with the intent to provide a history of Arkham House activities via the weird fiction that was their basis of existence. Although initially linking themselves to the works of H. P. Lovecraft, Arkham House later published other fantasy and science fiction authors, including the first novels of many of these writers. Arkham House writers include, among others, Ray Bradbury, L. Sprague de Camp, Robert Bloch, Clark Ashton Smith, and A. E. Van Vogt. Mr. Jaffery, an avid collector of Arkham House editions, provides the reader a thorough, scholarly and humorous anecdotal bibliography and price guide.

The book, which measures approximately 6 ¼ x 9 ¼ inches, contains 142 pages. It is hard bound in red cloth covered boards with gilt lettering on the spine. The original dust jacket, wrapped in a mylar protective sheet, covers the book. The dust jacket art was by Gary Dumm, who is an Ohio-based comic book artist known particularly for his work illustrating the comics of Harvey Pekar. Both the book and the dust jacket are in like-new condition. An author-signed inscription appears on the half-title page, which reads 6/24/83 For Susan Heller – One of my favorite book persons and soon to be an Arkhamaniac, /s/ Sheldon Jaffery.

As an extra, this offering includes a laid-in 34 page, stiff paper covered catalog co-compiled by Rulon-Miller Books, Inc. and Pepper & Stern Rare Books, Inc. titled Selections From The Donald Wandrei Library. Donald Wandrei was an author and co-founder of Arkham House. The booklet, published in 1988, the year following Wandrei's death, provides a priced listing of 358 books in Wandrei's personal library. Also included in the catalog is James Pepper's 2 ½ page dissertation on Donald Wandrei's life and works. The booklet, which measures approximately 6 x 9 inches, is in near-fine condition.

The illustrations accompanying this description show show, for the Horrors and Unpleasantries book, the Front face of the dust jacket, the half-title page, with the signed inscription, and a typical 2-page spread of text, and for the Selections From The Donald Wandrei Library booklet, the Front Cover and a typical 2-page spread of text.