PulpFest is known for its enjoyable auctions. In recent years, PulpFest has sold three major collections of pulps, books, fanzines, and related materials.
Our 2023 auction featured about 90 lots from the estate of Vermont collector Carl Joecks, over 80 lots consigned by Dearly Departed Books of Alliance, Ohio, and more than 100 lots submitted by PulpFest 2023 members.
Some of the highlights of our 2023 auction included the first eight volumes of the Tom Corbett juvenile series, a trio of early edition hardcovers by Robert A. Heinlein, the first authorized American edition of Jules Verne’s The Mysterious Island, nine early edition hardcovers by E. E. “Doc” Smith, thirties issues of The Shadow Magazine and Weird Tales, the December 1939 Marvel Tales, a large lot of fanzines and related materials, and a set of Shadow paperbacks in very fine condition.
Overshadowing all of the lots was a very scarce ink stamp pulp premium from “The Shadow Club.” Originally offered through The Shadow Magazine from April 1, 1934, to the end of August 1934, the stamp sold for $750. All told, nearly $12,000 exchanged hands during the auction.
PulpFest is very proud to help with estate auctions. We welcome estate auctions for the simple reason that we would like to see collections stay with people who enjoy and appreciate the pulps. We also accept large consignments — such as that offered by Dearly Departed Books — for much the same reason. However, PulpFest also features lots that are submitted by the members of the convention. Every registered member of PulpFest can submit items to sell at auction. Again, our hope is that these smaller consignments are likewise acquired by people who enjoy and appreciate the pulps.
All auction lots, large or small, must have a $20 minimum value. If you plan to offer an auction lot with a reserve price, your reserve must be $50 or more. The convention charges sellers 16% of the selling price for anything sold at auction. If you submit a lot to our auction and it receives no bids, you will be assessed a $5 fee. PulpFest reserves the right to reject any auction material that does not meet our standards.
All consignors are encouraged to submit their items prior to the start of the convention. This will allow the convention to list submitted lots — including photographs that you submit — on our online auction page, allowing them to be advertised to PulpFest members and to the public at large. For estate auctions, PulpFest creates the listings and their accompanying photographs.
For those who cannot attend PulpFest, the convention accepts bids placed through the PulpFest Silent Auction Bid Page. Beginning in April 2024, we will begin accepting silent bids for each currently submitted auction lot in our 2024 auction. Silent bidders will be allowed to place both an opening and closing bid for each auction lot. Further instructions will be posted once we assemble our PulpFest 2024 online auction catalog. Click here to see our 2023 catalog.
People who would like to attend the PulpFest auction, but not the convention itself are also welcome to attend our auction. However, if non-PulpFest attendees want to place bids during the convention’s auction, they will have to register as bidders. There will be a $5 non-refundable fee to bid during the auction. Non-PulpFest attendees will be able to register to bid in the PulpFest 2024 auction at the convention’s front desk or immediately prior to the start of the auction.
PulpFest reserves the right to withdraw any auction lot from sale at any time prior to its being auctioned. All bidders are encouraged to review the lots before placing bids. ALL SALES ARE FINAL.
PulpFest will accept checks or money orders (in U.S. dollars), PayPal, or credit card payments for items won through silent bidding. A 5% fee will be charged for all credit card or PayPal transactions. There will be additional shipping charges for those who are not able to pick up the lots they have won.
Write to PulpFest auction coordinator, Mike Chomko, at mike@pulpfest.com or 2217 W. Fairview Street, Allentown, PA 18104 if you have any questions about placing material or bidding in the next PulpFest auction. The PulpFest 2024 auction is currently scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. on Saturday, August 3, 2024.
Our featured image is adapted from John Falter’s cover art for The Saturday Evening Post, dated August 5, 1944.
The image of the auctioneer featured above was excerpted from the thirty-fifth and final Country Gentleman cover painted by Norman Rockwell. According to best-norman-rockwell-art.com, the artist painted thirty-five covers for The Country Gentleman starting in August 1917 and continuing through this cover, April 1922.
Our final image is a photograph of the rubber from a scarce ink stamp pulp premium offered by Street & Smith’s “The Shadow Club.” These extremely rare premiums were originally offered through The Shadow Magazine from April 1, 1934 to the end of August 1934, accounting for their scarcity.
