magawiki

Plainly stated, if you have anything to do with vintage magazines, collect them, sell them, etc., you need this book.

From Dr. Lomazow’s Magazine History site:

Its pretty much become the standard reference for magazine collecting and I’ve sold or given away a few thousand copies. Its listed on the web for upwards of $100 but I will now be happy to sell it for $40

Now, I’m not sure how you approach him about picking up a copy, but I’m honestly pretty shocked that I don’t see several requests in the comments area.

American Periodicals: A Collector’s Manual and Reference Guide is just that–it’s no price guide, but it is a timeless reference guide to the magazines themselves including origins and very often highspots and highlights from throughout a title’s history.

Best of all, Dr. Lomazow has published a free online addendum to this volume. Have a look, the layout of this 29 page supplement is about the same as the book, it’ll give you a good idea of what you’ll be getting for your $40. To give you an idea of the actual value of this book, well, I make a good portion of my living selling old magazines and this book is not two feet from my right hand right now–it’s removed and referenced more than any other title within arm’s reach.

Don’t miss out head over to Magazine History: A Collector’s Blog as soon as you can, I have a feeling there’s likely a limited quantity involved. Good luck!

blog comments powered by Disqus

1978/05 -

ARTICLES:

FILM REVIEWS:

1889/09 — Complete contents taken from the contents page and from paging through this issue:

Topics of the Time:

Open Letters:

Bric-A-Brac:

1917/08 — Contents as follows:

The Great War:

1917/10 — Contents as follows:

Questions for Americans:

The Great War:

1935/06/01 — Cover is credited to Robert C. Kauffmann

Contents as follows:
SHORT STORIES

SERIALS:

ARTICLES:

FEATURES:

1938/05/14 — Cover painting by Robert C. Kauffmann

Contents as follows:
EDITORIAL:

SHORT STORIES

SERIALS:

ARTICLES:

FEATURES:

Jumbled Resort Contest

1942/09 – Cover drawing by Will Anderson

A SCRIPTWRITER’S SAMPLE BOOK

RADIO DRAMA:

DANCE LIBRETTO:

SOLDIER REVUE:

FILM SCENARIO:

PANTOMIME:

1936/12/12 — Cover is credited to John Newton Howitt

Contents as follows:
EDITORIAL

SHORT STORIES

SERIALS:

ARTICLES:

FEATURES:

1937/03/06 — Cover is credited to Tom Hall

Contents as follows:
EDITORIAL:

SHORT STORIES

SERIALS:

ARTICLES:

FEATURES:

$1,500 Man Hunt Contest

1964/03/07 –

1943/05 — Cover design by Wilhelm Cushman – Photograph by James Abbe, Jr.

Contents as taken from the contents page and paging through the issue:

NOVEL COMPLETE IN THIS ISSUE:

FICTION:

SPECIAL FEATURES:

GENERAL FEATURES:

FASHIONS AND BEAUTY:

INTERIOR DECORATING AND GARDENING:

FOOD AND HOMEMAKING:

POETRY:

1940/07 — Cover design by Al Parker

Contents as taken from the contents page and paging through the issue:

NOVEL COMPLETE IN THIS ISSUE:

FICTION:

SPECIAL FEATURES:

GENERAL FEATURES:

FASHIONS AND BEAUTY:

FOOD AND HOMEMAKING:

INTERIOR DECORATION, BUILDING AND GARDEN:

POETRY:

1937/08/21 — Cover is credited to Robert G. Harris

Contents as follows:
EDITORIAL:

SHORT STORIES

SERIALS:

ARTICLES:

FEATURES:

$1,000 Game of Cities Contest

1938/01/08 — Cover uncredited

Contents as follows:
EDITORIAL:

SHORT STORIES

SERIALS:

ARTICLES:

FEATURES:

$2500 Game of Presidents Contest

1938/09/10 — Cover is credited to R.J. Stuart

Contents as follows:
EDITORIAL:

SHORT STORIES

SERIALS:

ARTICLES:

FEATURES:

$500 Cash Prize Reader Poll Contest

1936/12/19 — Cover is credited to John Newton Howitt

Contents as follows:
EDITORIAL

SHORT STORIES

SERIALS:

ARTICLES:

FEATURES:

1958/04/26 — Cover design by George Hughes

Complete contents picked up from the contents page of this issue are as follows:
3 SHORT STORIES:

NOVELETTE:

7 ARTICLES:

2 SERIALS:

OTHER FEATURES:

1957/07/27 — ITEM DESCRIPTION:
Cover design by John Clymer.

Complete contents picked up from the contents page of this issue are as follows:
4 SHORT STORIES:

8 ARTICLES:

2 SERIALS:

OTHER FEATURES:

Notable advertising in this issue is as follows: 2-page color ad from Ford – “Setting the Pace of the American Road” – features Thunderbird, Lincoln Premeire Landau 4-Door Hardtop, Mercury Turnpike Cruiser, and Ford Fairlane Town Victoria, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company ad illustrated by Norman Rockwell, small ad taking up about an eighth of a page for Mission of California drink includes a pic of Mickey Mantle with slogan “Mickey Mantle Says… it’s Mission for Me!”

1957/01/12 — Cover design by Stevan Dohanos.

Complete contents picked up from the contents page of this issue are as follows:
4 SHORT STORIES:

7 ARTICLES:

2 SERIALS:

OTHER FEATURES:

1951/07/28 — ITEM DESCRIPTION:
Cover design by Constantin Alajalov.

Complete contents picked up from the contents page of this issue are as follows:
4 SHORT STORIES:

7 ARTICLES:

2 SERIALS:

OTHER FEATURES:

Notable advertising in this issue is as follows: 2-page ad for United Aircraft Corporation with full-page color illustration by James R. Bingham, half-page ad featuring Phil Rizzuto for Prest-O-Lite Batteries, Rise Stevens for Camel Cigarettes, full-page color ad with David Niven, Vera-Ellen and Cesar Romero in Happy Go Lovely.

1950/09/23 — Cover design by George Hughes

Complete contents picked up from the contents page of this issue are as follows:
SHORT STORIES:

NOVELETTE:

9 ARTICLES:

2 SERIALS:

OTHER FEATURES:

1946/12/21 — ITEM DESCRIPTION:
Cover design by John Falter.

Complete contents picked up from the contents page of this issue are as follows:
4 SHORT STORIES:

7 ARTICLES:

2 SERIALS:

OTHER FEATURES:

1946/12/14 — ITEM DESCRIPTION:
Cover design by Stevan Dohanos.

Complete contents picked up from the contents page of this issue are as follows:
4 SHORT STORIES:

A POST BOOK EXCERPT:

8 ARTICLES:

2 SERIALS:

OTHER FEATURES:

Notable advertising in this issue is as follows: full-page color ad for Disney’s Song of the South, full-page ad for It’s a Wonderful Life with illustration of Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed, American Airlines, United Air Lines, Cecil B. DeMille and family photographed by Paul Hesse for Magnavox, and a Chesterfield Cigarettes ad featuring Santa Claus on the back cover.

1946/11/30 — ITEM DESCRIPTION:
Cover design by John Falter.

Complete contents picked up from the contents page of this issue are as follows:
4 SHORT STORIES:

NOVELETTE:

8 ARTICLES:

2 SERIALS:

OTHER FEATURES:

Notable advertising in this issue is as follows: National Lead Company illustrated by Karl Godwin, 2-page ad for General Electric Radios with large image of Margaret O’Brien, United Aircraft Corporation ad featuring images of the Vought XF5U-1, American Locomotive Company ad with color illustration by John Clymer, two half-page ads for The Best Years of Our Lives set on facing pages one with Fredric March & Myrna Loy and the other withy Teresa Wright & Dana Andrews, color ad for The Yearling illustrated by Douglass Crockwell, half-page ad featuring illustration of Tex Coulter by Frank Williams.