Mr Galliano's Circus - Armada 1963 paperback edition.

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Ian Regan
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Re: Mr Galliano's Circus - Armada 1963 paperback edition.

Post by Ian Regan »

Moonraker wrote:An extremely interesting thread, Ian (BTW, your avatar always makes me think of Dr Who).
Really?! That's interesting, as it's actually the logo of the Three Investigators, Nigel, a series that I can heartily recommend, in the event that you haven't had the good fortune to encounter it previously.

I'll let Jupiter himself explain the significance of the question marks:
“The question mark,” Jupiter said now in his most adult manner, “otherwise known as the interrogation mark, is a universal symbol for a question unanswered, a riddle unsolved, a mystery unexplained. Therefore we have made it our trade-mark. We will undertake to solve any mystery you want us to tackle. We cannot promise success, but we can promise to try.”
(From The Mystery of the Whispering Mummy.)
Moonraker wrote:It also made me think that as purists, we go on and on about how superior the original books are (which of course they are), however, as you say Ian, some illustrations from later reprints are much better.
That's right - some of the original hardback illustrations could sometimes be described as curate's eggs, I suppose. Also, some of the superior paperback artwork was in print for such a short period of time that relatively few people have seen it.

These are the reasons why I started my Series Book Art website, which is an attempt to archive some of the rarer illustrative works from a selection of my favourite juvenile series. The Blyton page currently focuses on the early Armada illustrations by Charles Stewart:

http://seriesbookart.co.uk/blyton/index.php

Ideally, I would like this page to become complimentary to Tony's excellent work on the Book Listing pages. I plan to add further illustrations by other Armada artists such as Dylan Roberts and Dorothy Brook in the future.
Moonraker wrote:I look forward to reading your article in a future Journal!
I feel rather like one of those Greek plate spinners at the moment, Nigel - but I certainly WOULD like to write something for the journal on this subject at some point. I just wouldn't have a clue when... :wink:
“I am fighting an enraged chair,” Jupe puffed. “And I think I’m winning. Give me another couple of minutes.” - Jupiter Jones in The Mystery of the Fiery Eye.
Tony Summerfield
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Re: Mr Galliano's Circus - Armada 1963 paperback edition.

Post by Tony Summerfield »

I am sure I am telling you something that you already know, Ian, but I have a large collection of Armada paperbacks, with just a few gaps in the first 200 and quite a number had covers by both Charles Stewart and Peter Archer. If ever you are in need of particular scans just let me know and I will see if I can help. Somewhere I have a list of titles, but made before my computer days and without the illustrators - another thing that I ought to get onto computer at some stage!
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Ian Regan
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Re: Mr Galliano's Circus - Armada 1963 paperback edition.

Post by Ian Regan »

Tony Summerfield wrote:If ever you are in need of particular scans just let me know and I will see if I can help.
That's very kind of you Tony - I'm almost certain that I will take you up on your generous offer at some point soon. However, I shall refrain from asking you to scan any of the internal illustrations, as I know that these vintage paperbacks don't have the most flexible of spines, to say the least... 8)
“I am fighting an enraged chair,” Jupe puffed. “And I think I’m winning. Give me another couple of minutes.” - Jupiter Jones in The Mystery of the Fiery Eye.
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Ian Regan
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Re: Mr Galliano's Circus - Armada 1963 paperback edition.

Post by Ian Regan »

SLJ: School Library Journal (School libraries - 1962)
The Misses Landsborough: Girl Editors

A BRITISH PUBLISHER has appointed two children, his daughters Bonny (10) and Diana (13), to serve as editors for a new children's paperback series, "Armada Paperbacks.” The father, Gordon Landsborough was quoted in The Bookseller as saying, "This series is intended for boys and girls in an age group roughly nine to 13..."Bonny and Diana helped screen the first selections for Armada. They have since been made editors, with full power of selection of titles. According to our informants, the girls' duties may soon be expanded to include selection of artwork for book covers. It is not known if the young ladies are actually on the company payroll. But we are told that the editors, no fools, have asked for an increase in pocket money.
Well, there have been some recent developments, and I'm glad to report that my friend and fellow collector Jon Preddle has managed to contact Gordon Landsborough's son! Apparently, he is more than happy to ask his sisters about their involvement in the early formative days of Armada Books (and presumably Dragon Books also).

So, if anyone has any particular questions that they would like to ask Bonny and Diana, please post them in this thread, and I will gladly send them on to Jon. I will, of course, raise the possiblity of one of the sisters potentially writing a short piece for the Journal, but if that's not possible, a Q&A piece would surely be the next best thing.

Thanks! :D
“I am fighting an enraged chair,” Jupe puffed. “And I think I’m winning. Give me another couple of minutes.” - Jupiter Jones in The Mystery of the Fiery Eye.
Tony Summerfield
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Re: Mr Galliano's Circus - Armada 1963 paperback edition.

Post by Tony Summerfield »

That's really good news Ian, it would be fascinating to hear more about the early days of Armada.
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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Mr Galliano's Circus - Armada 1963 paperback edition.

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

That's great, Ian! I'd be interested to know whether Bonny and Diana ever wrote the "blurbs" for the back covers. I'd also like to know what their favourite covers and favourite stories were, and whether they have any amusing anecdotes to share.

Anita
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Ian Regan
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Re: Mr Galliano's Circus - Armada 1963 paperback edition.

Post by Ian Regan »

Here's the list of questions that I've sent to Jon; I'll let you all know when (or if) we get a response!
  • What were your favourite Armada covers, stories and authors?
  • Did you ever meet any of the illustrators, such as Peter Archer, Charles Stewart or Dorothy Brook
  • The “School Library Journal” article mentions that you were given the power to select titles by your father – do you recall any titles that you specifically picked? Also, do you recall any chosen stories that were turned down or rejected by your father (for whatever reason)?
  • Did you ever write the ‘blurbs’ that appeared on the back covers of the Armada and/or Dragon paperbacks?
  • Your mother is listed as secretary of Armada Books in a 1960s Cassell publishing catalogue; it seems that the whole Landsborough family were involved in the day-to-day running of Armada Books. Was it an exciting period, or more stressful and time-consuming, for your parents in particular?
  • How soon after your father had to sell the company to Collins did he start drawing up plans for what later became Dragon Books?
  • After the sale of Armada Books to Collins, did your father retain any kind of role in the company, or did he relinquish all influence completely?
  • Some of the artists who worked for your father in the Armada era (Mary Gernat and Peter Archer) also worked on titles produced by Dragon Books. Did your father have a good relationship with these artists, hence their apparent loyalty to him?
  • The Enid Blyton Society runs a quarterly journal. Since Armada had the privilege of publishing Enid Blyton in paperback for the first time, the society would be interested in running an article on the birth of the imprint and your involvement in it. Would you possibly be interested in writing a short piece for a future issue? http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/fireside-journal.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
  • Finally, do you have any funny, interesting or enlightening anecdotes regarding the creation and operation of Armada and Dragon?
“I am fighting an enraged chair,” Jupe puffed. “And I think I’m winning. Give me another couple of minutes.” - Jupiter Jones in The Mystery of the Fiery Eye.
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Re: Mr Galliano's Circus - Armada 1963 paperback edition.

Post by Kate Mary »

I would be very interested to read such an article should it ever appear, Armada and Dragon books being pocket-money priced were the staple reading of my childhood. I read my copies to death so those that have survived tend to be held together with sellotape(mortal sin!) and glue.

Kate.
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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Mr Galliano's Circus - Armada 1963 paperback edition.

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Excellent questions, Ian! Here's hoping that you get a response, as such an article would make fascinating reading.

I wish the Enid Blyton Society Journal was "quarterly" but it actually comes out thrice-yearly (quite enough from Tony's point of view, methinks!)

Anita
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Re: Mr Galliano's Circus - Armada 1963 paperback edition.

Post by pete9012S »

Ian Regan wrote: I will, of course, raise the possiblity of one of the sisters potentially writing a short piece for the Journal, but if that's not possible, a Q&A piece would surely be the next best thing.

Thanks! :D
Was any of this information by Ian or the sisters ever published in The Enid Blyton Journal?
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Tony Summerfield
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Re: Mr Galliano's Circus - Armada 1963 paperback edition.

Post by Tony Summerfield »

No, sadly the article was never forthcoming. Ian did send me extensive notes that he had made and I was contacted a few years ago by Diana who now lives in Australia. It might be possible to cobble something together from the extensive notes, which I still have somewhere.
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Re: Mr Galliano's Circus - Armada 1963 paperback edition.

Post by pete9012S »

I have found this whole Armada thread extremely interesting and from it I have learned that some of the hardback and early paperback Find Outers books had three distinct and very different illustrators of the same book title between the 50's 60' and 70's...

http://seriesbookart.co.uk/blyton/index.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Tony Summerfield
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Re: Mr Galliano's Circus - Armada 1963 paperback edition.

Post by Tony Summerfield »

You would probably not be surprised that all this information can be seen in the Cave, Pete, as illustrators are given for all the reprints wherever possible. I know that you probably visit the Cave more than most others though, as you often pop illustrations into these forums.
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Re: Mr Galliano's Circus - Armada 1963 paperback edition.

Post by pete9012S »

Very true Tony. But for some reason I haven't stumbled across those actual early Dylan Robert 1960's illustrations themselves anywhere in the cave?

Only thing is, I just don't associate the illustration in The Mystery of the Burnt Cottage (Armada 1991 paperback edition) with Inspector Jenks! :shock:


Image

http://seriesbookart.co.uk/blyton/cottage91.php?id=7" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Mr Galliano's Circus - Armada 1963 paperback edition.

Post by Daisy »

Good grief! Is that supposed to be Inspector Jenks? He looks positively sinister! :?
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