[ Bookseller Catalogues ] Robert A. Madle Catalogues Number 20 through 25 plus a folding list of magazine sets and long runs

Rockville, MD: Robert A. Madle, 1990. Wraps. Near Fine. Stapled wrappers, 60 to 90 pages each. With address stickers on rear, generally near fine condition. Two copies of #20, so a total of seven catalogues plus one multi-fold pamphlet on magazine runs. Wraps. Back in the Very Early Days (pre-Kuenzig Books) this seller specialized in science fiction and made it a goal to get catalogues from the standard-bearers in the field. I'm thinning out my reference shelves and thought these might be interesting material for those interested in the pre-internet science fiction and fantasy market. The catalogs are not dated, but my recollection is that these were the mid to late 1990s.

Robert Madle is a specialty science fiction and fantasy dealer, and also a real fan. Rumor has it that at conventions he would sell enough books to cover his costs, then throw a sheet over his table and enjoy the convention. I found his catalogs most helpful as a reference for pulps and sometimes for specialty press pricing. Strictly speaking, these are sale lists - author/title/publisher, condition, and price. No real annotations, often 70 items per page, one item per line in small type. He also sold runs of pulps, digests, etc, and was one of the few places you could find a reference on pricing (this was pre-internet). Mint Gnome Press replacement dust jackets, Winston juvenile series, and many more can all be found here. An interesting view of the pre-internet specialty dealer marketplace. My only observation is as someone who handled a lot of pulp magazines, Bob's grading took some getting used to. Compare and contrast Bob's catalogues with LW Currey and Barry R. Levin to see a broad range of style, content, and material in this era.