LEONARD POTTS – BRITISH PULP FICTION AT
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London : Ralph Stokes for the Gaywood Press, [ca.1952]. First edition. “I was a construction gang foreman, not a private eye or a cop. I’ll admit that my one taste of hoodlums some weeks ago had whetted my appetite for the detecting racket” – Ace Capelli was a house name used variously by Betty Williams (Dail Ambler), Geoffrey Pardoe, Stephen Frances (Hank Janson) and Norman Lazenby. Although over thirty Capelli titles are known, only fourteen or so are represented in major collections.
Crown 8vo (19cm). [iv],9-132pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers in a sprightly design by Leonard Potts (1902-1978); a little chipped at extremities; covers a little marked; some creasing; staples rusted; text lightly tanned, but a reasonable copy of a scarce and fragile item. No copy located in any major library worldwide.

£50

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London : Edwin Self & Co., [ca.1953]. First edition. Country-bred innocent gets a job in Paris – “the fascinating world of beautiful artists’ models and dangerous demi-mondaines”. Ostensibly a translation of “Les Affaires de Paris” by “one of the most exciting and glamorous” of modern French authors – but Delmaine appears to be unknown to the Bibliothèque Nationale.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 128pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers – a stylish and saucy but unsigned design, probably by Leonard Potts (1902-1978); a few very minor signs of age and use, but overall a very good copy indeed – clean, bright and sound. Just a single copy (British Library) located in major libraries worldwide.

SOLD

London : Edwin Self & Co., [ca.1953]. First edition. “One of the most exciting and glamorous authors to depict life in modern Paris ... the fascinating world of beautiful artists’ models and dangerous demi-mondaines ... a new and glamorous world where excitement and passion rub shoulders with the treacherous apache and the shady boite de nuit”. The exciting and glamorous author would appear to be entirely unknown to the Bibliothèque Nationale.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 128pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers – a stylish design almost certainly by Leonard Potts; a little rubbed and worn; wrappers slightly frayed; some creasing and spotting, but a good and serviceable copy. No copy located in any major library worldwide.

SOLD

London : Robin Hood Press, 1953. [First? edition]. Lugs Cortesi, slum-rat with an underwear fetish, junkies, brothels, etc. An earlier edition published by Wells Gardner has been inferred, but the evidence is sketchy and the publishers’ edition statement (first published 1953) is quite explicit. It may be possible that a Wells Gardner edition was announced but pulled from publication in the wake of the 1942 trial.
Crown 8vo (19cm). (160)pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers – a design probably by Leonard Potts; somewhat worn, creased and chipped; lacks lower wrapper; text lightly tanned, but a serviceable copy of a very uncommon title. No copy located in any major library worldwide.

£50

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London : Modern Fiction (London), [1952]. First edition. “If a guy is a private eye, which is the other word for private detective or inquiry agent, he oughta keep his hands off his lady clients, if any. Tonio Folari didn’t do that” – and Maria Speratta is quick to teach him a lesson. “You just can’t leave off, once you start. You go hurrying, thirsty. You lose sleep. You miss your love-date. But you get forgiven when you say: ‘I’ve been reading Crooked Coffins’. Yes, folks – this book does that to you – and everybody”.
Crown 8vo (18cm). 128pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers – a stylish design by Leonard Potts; spine chipped in places; wrappers rubbed, nicked and creased; rear wrapper and final few leaves a little torn, without loss; staples rusted; some light spotting and browning, but a serviceable copy of an uncommon title. An enthusiastic “yes” inscribed on half-title. Just a single copy (British Library) located in major libraries worldwide.

£50

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London : Modern Fiction (London), [1952]. First edition. Man hits an abandoned parked car on his way to Chicago – it’s riddled with bullets and a dead blonde falls out. Then a spray gun is planted in his car.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 110,[ii]pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers – a typical Leonard Potts design; slightly chipped; wrappers a little worn and frayed; a few minor internal flaws, but a good and serviceable copy. Just a single copy (British Library) located in major libraries worldwide.

£40

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London : Modern Fiction (London), [1953]. First edition. New York water rats Adenoids Jenkins and Polack Pete are intercepted on the river by a police vessel expecting to find some stolen whisky or perhaps a stolen sheep’s carcase – instead they find a beautiful young woman, barely alive.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 127,[i]pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers – a stylish design by Leonard Potts; some light wear and creasing; a few tiny nicks and chips; text a little tanned, but a good copy of an uncommon title. Initials “XP” on title-page. Just a single copy (British Library) located in major libraries worldwide.

SOLD

London : Modern Fiction (London), [1953]. First edition. Gentle Hoggarty, “tough private eye and boulevardier of the concrete jungle, encounters an unattainable angel ... her name was Arline Manningtree, and she topped the bill in the social register ... a fast-moving thriller that is unsurpassed for raffishness, suspense, originality, and a subtly Rabelaisian humor”.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 128pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers – a design by Leonard Potts; some light wear and creasing; rear wrapper lightly discoloured; a few internal marks and spots, but a better than average copy of a Modern Fiction title. Just a single copy (British Library) located in major libraries worldwide.

SOLD

London : Modern Fiction (London), [1953]. First edition. The Sweeney Todd tale given a fresh New York setting, and featuring the introduction of herculean private eye Rapier Codd, a.k.a. “Swordfish”, and “the glamorous, exotic Polish girl who tangled with him in gangland”. The “Griff” house-name was used by at least half a dozen different authors.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 127,[i]pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers – a design by Leonard Potts; some light wear; slightly chipped at head and tail; some creasing; a few minor internal marks and spots, but a reasonable copy of an uncommon title. Just a single copy (British Library) located in major libraries worldwide.

SOLD

London : Modern Fiction (London), [1953]. First edition. Con-men, pimps, gamblers, gun-men and their women gather in a bar in San Francisco and talk of an escape from Alcatraz. The “Griff” house-name was used by at least half a dozen authors, but the present title is attributed to William Simpson Newton.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 126,[ii]pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers – a design by Leonard Potts – redhead, fat man, man in a hat starts shooting; some minor wear; front wrapper creased; with some slight creasing elsewhere; text a little tanned in places, but otherwise a nice copy. Just a single copy (British Library) located in major libraries worldwide.

£50

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London : Modern Fiction (London), [1952]. First edition. “Abruptly he stopped dictating. His dark eyes were suddenly amused. He said: “Will you have dinner with me tonight, Jennifer?” She nearly dropped her pencil and pad in amazement. Even her chin sagged, and then she snapped her mouth shut as she quickly recovered ...”.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 127,[i]pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers – brunette and redhead come to grips – a design by Leonard Potts (1902-1978); chipped at foot; a few nicks and short tears; some chipping, creasing and wear; one leaf poorly trimmed; a reasonable copy of a scarce and fragile item. Just a single copy (British Library) located in major libraries worldwide.

SOLD

London : Modern Fiction (London), [1952]. First edition. “Almost out-Zolas Zola” – “Girls disappear from their Paris homes; in many cases they are never traced ... enticed, on one pretext or another, by glib promises of a film, dance-hall, or cabaret career” – Ben Sarto with an “on-the-spot study” of a typical victim of the white slave trade.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 126,[ii]pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers – a design by Leonard Potts (1902-1978); a little worn and creased; some short nicks and tiny chips; a few slight marks, but a good copy of a scarce and fragile production. Just a single copy (British Library) traced in major libraries worldwide.

SOLD

London : Modern Fiction (London), [1952]. First edition. Rena falls for a European, but “she hadn’t seen anything of the world further east than Minneapolis”. Sarto “tears the veil from the activities of the army of White Slavers”.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 127,[i]pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers – unsigned, but unmistakably by Leonard Potts; some minor wear; a few slight marks, creases, nicks and short tears; staples rusting, but a good copy of an uncommon title. Just a single copy (British Library) located in major libraries worldwide.

£50

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London : Modern Fiction, [1952]. First edition. “With all America seething, aghast at allegations of graft, corruption – and worse – even in high government circles, this smashing account of a Manhattan Police Office throws a searing, blistering spotlight on corruption and organized murder by a crooked Lieutenant in charge of an important New York Precinct. Gunmen, stabbers, hoodlums, known as the Manhattan Terrors, are here shown to be little better than some of the shameless lawmen set to destroy them”.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 127,[i]pp – pages six and seven printed in wrong order. Original pictorial stapled wrappers by Leonard Potts (1902-1978); some wear; a few slight marks, creases, nicks and one short tear, but otherwise a good copy of an unusual title. Just one copy (British Library) located in major libraries worldwide.

£40

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London : Modern Fiction, [1952]. First edition. “As usual with Sarto books, it is the result of personal observation, plus access to police records and secret news files ... an innocent young girl from the country finds herself caught up in the toils of a Manhattan exploiter – with tragic results. One big, breath-catching thrill from first word to last, but shot with sadness and regret”.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 127,[i]pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers – a design by Leonard Potts (1902-1978); slight wear at tips; creases, a short tear and some slight discolouration to rear wrapper; text a little tanned, but still overall a very good copy. Just two copies (British Library and Monash) located in major libraries worldwide.

SOLD

London : Alexander Moring, [ca.1956]. [Second edition]. “It’s close to sundown, and way ahead lights are winking up along the sprawling sucker-trap that is the Hellfire Strip, wide open merry-go-round of the good-time dolls and the sugar-daddies ...” – a pacy tale set in Las Vegas. Originally published under Reginald Carter’s earlier Comyns imprint in 1953.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 141,[iii]pp. Original pictorial wrappers – a cheery brunette from Leonard Potts; some very minor wear; two diagonal creases to front wrapper, but otherwise a very good copy. No copy of this edition located in any major library worldwide.

£40

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London : Edwin Self & Co., [ca.1952]. First edition. “A fascinating story of the modern Paris underworld with all the romantic and glamorous aspect of life with artist’s models and midinettes”. One of the earliest “Valois” titles and frankly hilarious in its Franglais – “The température inside the room seemed to leap hundreds of degrees! The air was électrique, so that even Danielle Javenne could feel it in the garde-robe ...”.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 128pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers in a design by Leonard Potts; a little worn, creased and slightly chipped; text lightly tanned; staples slightly rusted, but a good copy. No copy located in any major library worldwide.

SOLD

London : Edwin Self & Co., [ca.1952]. First edition. “A fascinating story of the modern Paris underworld with all the romantic and glamorous aspects of life with artist’s models and midinettes” from “one of the newest successes in modern French literature”. This and the rest of the authorial biography – poor boy from Montmartre, served with the Maquis, imprisoned by the Gestapo – is all a complete fiction. Valois was the pseudonym of Lisle Willis, ex-RAF English school-teacher, local councillor and prospective parliamentary candidate. Both he and his publisher, Edwin Self, were tried on bizarre obscenity charges in 1954 and, even more bizarrely, found guilty. Self went to prison, Willis heavily fined and barred for life from teaching (he went into television). For an excellent account of the whole affair see Steve Holland’s “The Big Panic : The Story of Edwin Self and Pedigree Books”.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 128pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers in a design by Leonard Potts; some wear and creasing; text lightly tanned but a good copy of a scarce title. Just a single copy (Manchester) located in major libraries worldwide.

£40

To purchase, call us or e-mail us at books@ashrare.com quoting stock number 46244 – or simply click on the button