Preliminary Guide
to LBB Wrapper Front Styles
1919 - 1978 Version 2

This is a preliminary attempt at developing a quick guide to the the major wrapper types used in the 3.5" X 5" Haldeman-Julius booklet series. I'm certain that other variations exist — if you have one, please scan it (front & back) and send it to me with descriptive info (number of staples, dating if you can, and so on). Dates in this version are guesses but make use of Jake Gibbs article "Dating Little Blue Books" in Issue 4 of the H-J Collectors Club newsletter. Other info will be added (or corrected) to the Notes side as it comes to me. All info in the Notes column is tenuous at best. The Style numbers are for convenience at the moment and will likely change.

This version ONLY considers the Little Blue Book series & its predecessors, ignoring the Fillers and Critic and Guide series.

Last update: 13 November 2009

Style: 1

Major Identifiers: Appeal's Pocket Series

In Use: 1919 - 1921

Colors: red, occasionally yellow


Style: 2

Major Identifiers: People's Pocket Series, upper/lower case italic script font for title, "scholar" image logo, editor, "Appeal To Reason" publisher

In Use: 1921


Style: 3

Major Identifiers: People's Pocket Series, upper/lower case script font for title, "scholar" image logo, editor, "Appeal To Reason" publisher

In Use: 1921


Style: 4

Major Identifiers: People's Pocket Series, editor, upper/lower case block font for title, "scholar" image logo, "Appeal Publishing Company" publisher

In Use: 1922


Style: 5

Major Identifiers: Appeal Pocket Series, editor

In Use: 1922

Colors: blue, occasionally white

 


Style: 6

Major Identifiers: Ten Cent Pocket Series, editor, "Haldeman-Julius Company" publishers

In Use: April 1922 - September 1923

Colors: blue only (other apparent colors are faded)


Style: 7

Major Identifiers: Five Cent Pocket Series, editor, "Haldeman-Julius Company" publishers

In Use: September 1923 only

Colors: blue only (other apparent colors are faded)


Style: 8

Major Identifiers: Pocket Series, editor, "Haldeman-Julius Company" publishers

In Use: October 1923 - November 1923

Colors: blue only (other apparent colors are faded)


Style: 9

Major Identifiers: Little Blue Book, editor, small series number, "Haldeman-Julius Company" publishers

In Use: November 1923 - 1924

Colors: blue only (other apparent colors are faded)


Style: 10

Major Identifiers: Little Blue Book, editor, large series number in bold, publisher credit removed

In Use: 1924 - 1939 (likely)

Colors: blue only (other apparent colors are faded)


Style: 11

Major Identifiers: Little Blue Book, editor, large series number in bold, unique H-J logo, "Haldeman-Julius Publications" publisher

In Use: 1933 - 1934 (likely)

Colors: blue only (other apparent colors are faded)


Style: 12

Major Identifiers: Little Blue Book, editor, large series number, "Published for Automatic Libraries" etc. inscribed within rectange, large union label

In Use: 1939 - 1940

Colors: blue only (other apparent colors are faded)


Style: 13

Major Identifiers: Little Blue Book, large series number not bold, editor, union label (sometimes with the numeral 1 after it), publisher credit removed

In Use: starting in 1940 (likely)

Colors: blue, yellow, orange, white, maybe others


Style: 14

Major Identifiers: Little Blue Book, large series number not bold, editor; author name in large caps

In Use: 1940 - ?

 


Style: 15

Major Identifiers: Little Blue Book, large series number not bold, editor; author name in medium caps, union label

In Use: 1940 - ?

 


Style: 16

Major Identifiers: Little Blue Book, large series number not bold, editor; author name in small caps

In Use: 1940 - ?

NOTE: This particular example has a spelling error in the author name: SAMUEI instead of SAMUEL.


 

Style: 17

Major Identifiers: Self Educator No. <x>, Little Blue Book, large series number (sometimes in a finer, thinner font), editor named, author name in upper case, no union label

In Use: 1943 - ?

 


 

Style: 18

Major Identifiers: Self Educator No. <x>, Little Blue Book, large series number, editor, union label

In Use: 1943 - ?


 

Style: 19

Major Identifiers: Cartoon-like graphic, usually no text on front except title (& sometimes author)

In Use: Late 1940's on, perhaps simultaneously with text-only cover ???


Style: 20

Major Identifiers: Little Blue Book, editor, large series number; author name in all caps; copyright date and "Printed in U.S.A." at bottom

In Use: 1948 [earlier/later dates possible]


Style: 21

Major Identifiers: Knowledge of Life Series with large torch logo, no publisher or editor or number mentioned

In Use: ?


Style: 22

Major Identifiers: Self-Help Library (no flame), no publisher or editor or number mentioned

In Use: ?


Style: 23

Major Identifiers: Self-Help Library (flame logo), no publisher or editor or number mentioned

In Use: ?


Style: 24

Major Identifiers: Little Blue Book, large series number, editor name removed

In Use: post-1951

NOTE: The generic post-EH-J cover — the key is that the ditor's name is gone from the cover as well as from inside pages


Style: 25

Major Identifiers: Little Blue Book, large series number, editor, "Property of:" with line(s) for name

In Use: ?

NOTE: Serial number on back


Style: 26

Major Identifiers: editor name removed, "Property of:" with line(s) for name,

In Use: 1952 - ???

NOTE: Back of this example shows 15¢ price & serial number



Style: 27

Major Identifiers: editor name removed, "University In Print" logo

In Use: 1952 - ???

NOTE: Multiple colors of both background and ink; list of books related to this title's genre on the back


Style: 28

Major Identifiers: Large number but no reference to editor, no reference to Little Blue Books, large text

In Use:1952 - ???



Style: 29

Major Identifiers: Large number with reference to Little Blue Books on cover at top with large numbers, large text, no reference to editor

In Use: 1952 - ???




Style: 30

Major Identifiers: Small number, no reference to Little Blue Books or editor, some graphic devices, large text

In Use: 1952 - ???




Style: 31

Major Identifiers: Large number above large text labeled as "BooK No." in initial caps, no reference to Little Blue Books or editor

In Use: 1952 - ???




Style: 32

Major Identifiers: Large number below large text labeled as "BOOK NO." in all caps, no reference to Little Blue Books or editor

In Use: 1952 - ???


Style: 33

Major Identifiers: Large number but no reference to editor, no reference to Little Blue Books, Photo on front cover

In Use: ?


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