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London : Modern Fiction (London), [1950]. First edition. Bullets, business and be-pop – better dead than dope-crazed – the “Griff” byline was first used by Ernest McKeag (1896-1974) in 1948, but became the most successful of the Modern Fiction pulp brand-names under various later authors. Lightning pace, crisp dialogue, casual violence, and seedy and salacious faux American settings are the common denominators. By 1950 most of the “Griff” titles, of which this is perhaps the most celebrated, were being written by the journalist, compiler of reference works and occasional Dickens scholar, Frank Dubrez Fawcett (1891-1968) and this is almost certainly his work.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 112pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers – redhead takes an injection in her thigh from corrupt brunette – a pair of man’s shoes suggestively by the couch; mild wear to tips; repaired splits to lower joint and spine; small initial on upper cover; crease to lower wrapper; staples a touch rusted; text a little tanned, but the wrappers and artwork unusually clean and fresh. Only the British Library copy located in major libraries worldwide.

SOLD

London : Modern Fiction (London), [ca.1955]. One of the most successful of the Griff titles – at least three different editions are known: the present copy, with 110,[ii] pages, the name and address of the printers given as E. H. T. (Printers) Ltd. of Liverpool Road, and with advertisements consonant with a publication date somewhere in the mid 1950s, would appear to post-date both the 128pp edition and the 160pp one. Chapter headings include Blondes Mean Trouble, White Slave Racket, When Crooks Fall Out, etc.
Crown 8vo (19cm). 160pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers – blondes in scanties, whip, Mexican hat; chipped at foot; some light wear; small scuff and some creasing to upper wrapper; lower wrapper very slightly marked; lightly tanned, but a good copy of a scarce and fragile production. Just a single copy (British Library) of any edition located in major libraries worldwide.

SOLD

London : Modern Fiction (London), [1953]. First edition. “Master-spies, gunhawks, mobsters, hoods, all the unsavoury characters of the underworld ... A young scientist is kidnapped. He carries badly wanted secrets in his brain ... the secrets of that most despicable of all forms of death ... germ warfare!”. Mark Freeman of the FBI is on the case. The “Griff” house name here being used by David Boyce.
Crown 8vo (18cm). 127,[i]pp. Original pictorial stapled wrappers in a design by Leonard Potts (1902-1978) – redhead dragged into gunfight; a little worn and chipped; price inked on upper wrapper; staples rusted; text tanned; a few slight marks; a reasonable copy of an elusive and fragile title. Only the British Library copy located in any of the major libraries worldwide.

£25

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