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Unidentified gothic romance cover by Harry Barton.

OK. I'm new here so maybe this is a stupid question but...

....how do you know this was a gothic cover if you don't have the title of the book? Where do you find gothic cover art that isn't labeled? How do you search for something if you don't have a title? Are there collections of unidentified gothic covers and if there are, how did they compile the collection without knowing their names?

I guess that is several questions actually but they're all pretty much the same. Obviously, it looks like a typical gothic cover but if the art is still out there floating around how is it that there is no record of what book it was used for?

I guess I just don't understand how we can lose the paper trail on something like that if we already know the artist and have the image.

Des Esseintes Wrote:OK. I'm new here so maybe this is a stupid question but...

....how do you know this was a gothic cover if you don't have the title of the book? Where do you find gothic cover art that isn't labeled? How do you search for something if you don't have a title? Are there collections of unidentified gothic covers and if there are, how did they compile the collection without knowing their names?

I guess that is several questions actually but they're all pretty much the same. Obviously, it looks like a typical gothic cover but if the art is still out there floating around how is it that there is no record of what book it was used for?

I guess I just don't understand how we can lose the paper trail on something like that if we already know the artist and have the image.

Hi,

I've seen the published book before, as a matter of fact recently on the net but I ca'nt place it right now. When I find it I'll add it to the thread. I picked up to 2 gothic romance covers recently thru someone who purchased them from a photographer who was doing promotional photography for the Dark Shadows tv series from the 60s. The art was purchased by the photographer (at that time he was the New York Yankees photographer) directly from the artists. My understanding is that this particular photographer new many of the artists who were doing various genres of covers including gothic romance work.The art never left this guys hands for over 30 years. In most cases on the verso of most of these paintings are reference # publisher and title or titles if it was used for more than one title as well as date. However for some reason there are paintings that are blank on the verso.There are tons of different ways this art found it's way out of the publishers offices. Many artists evidently wanted their art back so they just asked for it and resold it. Probably for cash. No paper trail there.The art was'nt really considered of any major value at that time. I mentioned in an earlier thread by the way where you can locate some of this type of original art.

Derek

Ahh, I see. That is interesting.

Des Esseintes Wrote:Ahh, I see. That is interesting.

Hi,

I want to point out that every cover I've posted except one has a published book cover version of the original painting. I've seen all of these in published form. I just enlightened a dealer about an original painted book cover he has which he and the artist were wondering if it had been published. I found out about a week ago. Here's the original and published version.

Derek

Amazing, isn't it, how much the title color and style, author's name, publisher's icon, etc., adds to a cover...

Bellatrix Wrote:Amazing, isn't it, how much the title color and style, author's name, publisher's icon, etc., adds to a cover...

Well I know it adds to it , not so sure it enhances it all that much more. I do have this book however and they the publisher laid out the the word positioning nicely so it does'nt block the art which is what sold the book, at least in those days.

Derek