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E. E. Smith – First Edition Books: Identification Points

E. E. Smith
E. E. Smith

Edward Elmer Smith (1890 – 1965), publishing as E. E. Smith, Ph.D. and later as E. E. “Doc” Smith, was an American food engineer (specializing in doughnut and pastry mixes) and science-fiction author, best known for the Lensman and Skylark series. He is sometimes called the father of space opera.

In his 1947 essay “The Epic of Space”, Smith listed (by last name only) authors he enjoyed reading: John W. Campbell, L. Sprague de Camp, Robert A. Heinlein, Murray Leinster, H. P. Lovecraft, and A. Merritt (specifically The Ship of Ishtar, The Moon Pool, The Snake Mother, and Dwellers in the Mirage, as well as the character John Kenton), C. L. Moore (specifically “Jirel of Joiry”), Roman Frederick Starzl, John Taine, A. E. van Vogt, Stanley G. Weinbaum (specifically “Tweerl”), and Jack Williamson. In a passage on his preparation for writing the Lensman novels, he notes that Clinton Constantinescu’s “War of the Universe” was not a masterpiece, but says that Starzl and Williamson were masters; this suggests that Starzl’s Interplanetary Flying Patrol may have been an influence on Smith’s Triplanetary Patrol, later the Galactic Patrol. The feeding of the Overlords of Delgon upon the life-force of their victims at the end of chapter five of Galactic Patrol seems a clear allusion to chapter 29 of The Moon Pool, Merritt’s account of the Taithu and the power of love in chapters 29 and 34 also bear some resemblance to the end of Children of the Lens. Smith also mentions Edgar Rice Burroughs, complaining about loose ends at the end of one of his novels.

E. E. Smith’s novels are generally considered to be classic space operas, and he is sometimes called the first of the three “novas” of 20th-century science fiction (with Stanley G. Weinbaum and Robert A. Heinlein as the second and third novas).

Robert A. Heinlein credited him for being his main influence:

I have learned from many writers—from Jules Verne and H.G. Wells and Campbell and Sinclair Lewis, et al.—but I have learned more from you than from any of the others and perhaps more than for all the others put together …

E. E. Smith expressed a preference for inventing fictional technologies that were not strictly impossible (so far as the science of the day was aware) but highly unlikely: “the more highly improbable a concept is—short of being contrary to mathematics whose fundamental operations involve no neglect of infinitesimals—the better I like it” was his phrase.

Lensman was one of five finalists when the 1966 World Science Fiction Convention judged Isaac Asimov‘s Foundation the Best All-Time Series.

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame inducted Smith in 2004

E. E. Smith – First Edition Identification Guide

Note: This list only includes works published prior to 1977.

How to Identify First Edition books by E. E. Smith Guide
YearTitlePublisherFirst edition/Printing Identification Points
1975THE BEST OF E. E. 'DOC' SMITH[London}: Futura Publications Limited, [1975]Wrappers. First published in 1975 ... on © page. Orbit Science Fiction 0 8600 7873 6 (75p).
ALSO: London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. [1976]. Boards. First published in hard cover by Weidenfeld and Nicolson ... on © page. First hardcover edition.
Note: Orbit edition was published in November 1975. The Weidenfeld & Nicolson edition was scheduled for October 1975 release but was not published until January 1976.
1954THE CHALLENGE FROM BEYONDN.p.: [A Weltschmerz Publication/Bill Evans /Franklin Kerkhof, Printer /The Pennsylvania Dutch Cheese Press/February 1954]Self wrappers. No statement of printing. Mimeographed, stapled. Cover title. With STANLEY G. WEINBAUM, DONALD WANDREI, HARL VINCENT, and MURRAY LEINSTER.
Notes: (1) Published by William H. Evans for distribution through the Fantasy Amateur Press Association (FAPA), (2) Not to be confused with a booklet of identical title and format with a different round-robin story by C. L. Moore and others.
1954CHILDREN OF THE LENSReading, Pennsylvania: Fantasy Press, Inc., [1954}Four bindings, priority as listed:
  • (A) Blue cloth, spine lettered in gold;
  • (B) Blue cloth, spine lettered in black;
  • (C) Blue boards, spine lettered in black;
  • (D) Gray boards, spine lettered in black. Two issues, no priority: (A) 500 copies with numbered leaf signed by the author inserted; (B) Trade issue. First edition so stated on © page.
1950FIRST LENSMANReading, Pennsylvania: Fantasy Press,1950Two issues, no priority: (A) 500 copies with numbered leaf signed by the author inserted; (B) Trade issue. First edition so stated on © page.
1950GALACTIC PATROLReading, Pennsylvania: Fantasy Press,1950Four bindings, priority as listed:
  • (A) Blue cloth, spine lettered in gold;
  • (B) Red cloth, spine lettered in black;
  • (C) Red boards, spine lettered in black;
  • (D) Gray boards, spine lettered in black. Two issues, no priority: (A) 500 copies with numbered leaf signed by the author inserted; (B) Trade issue. First edition so stated on © page.
1965THE GALAXY PRIMESNew York: Ace Books, Inc., [1965]Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Book F-328 (40c).
1951GRAY LENSMANReading, Pennsylvania: Fantasy Press,1951Two issues, no priority:
  • (A) 500 copies with numbered leaf signed by the author inserted;
  • (B) Trade issue. First edition so stated on © page.
Notes: (1) Owings and Chalker in The Index to the Science-Fantasy Publishers report a Greenberg variant binding for this title. No copy thus bound has been observed. (2) In 1962 Gnome Press produced an offset reprint bearing the title page imprint The Gnome Press Inc./P.O. Box 161 /Hicksville, New York. This reprint retains the first edition statement on the © page.
1953-1955[THE HISTORY OF CIVILIZATION] Reading: Fantasy Press, Inc., 1953-1955Cloth with leather shelf back. Six volumes. 75 sets, each volume having a numbered leaf signed by the author inserted. Issued without dust jackets, enclosed in a card-stock box. Reprint. Includes TRIPLANETARY, FIRST LENSMAN, GALACTIC PATROL, GRAY LENSMAN, SECOND STAGE LENSMEN, and CHILDREN OF THE LENS.
1976IMPERIAL STARSNew York: Pyramid Books, [1976]Wrappers. February 1976 on © page. Pyramid V3839 ($1.25). With STEPHEN GOLDIN. An enlargement by Goldin of Smith's short novel "The Imperial Stars" which originally appeared in "Worlds of If", May 1964. Subsequent volumes in The Family d'Alembert series were written by Goldin.
1976MASTERS OF SPACE[London]: Futura Publications Limited, [1976]Wrappers. First published in Great Britain in 1976 ... on © page. Orbit 0 8600 7901 5 (50p).
1965MASTERS OF THE VORTEXNew York: Pyramid Books, [196S]Wrappers. August, 1968 on © page. Pyramid Science Fiction X-1851 (60c). Reissue Of THE VORTEX BLASTER.
1953SECOND STAGE LENSMENReading, Pennsylvania: Fantasy Press, [1953 ]Four bindings, priority as listed:
  • (A) Blue cloth, spine lettered in gold;
  • (B) Blue cloth, spine lettered in black;
  • (C) Blue-gray cloth, spine lettered in black;
  • (D) Red boards, spine lettered in black. Two issues, no priority: (A) 500 copies with numbered leaf signed by the author inserted; (B) Trade issue. First edition so stated on © page.
1966SKYLARK DUQUESNENew York: Pyramid. Books, [1966]Wrappers, November, 1966 on © page. Pyramid Books X-1539 (60c).
ALSO: [New York & London: Garland Publishing, line. , 1975].
1946THE SKYLARK OF SPACE[Providence, Rhode Island: The Buffalo Book Co., 1946]No statement of printing on © page. With MRS. LEE HAWKINS GARBY.
1949SKYLARK OF V ALERONReading, Pennsylvania: Fantasy Press,1949Two issues, no priority:
  • (A) 500 copies with numbered leaf signed by the author inserted;
  • (B) Trade issue. First edition so stated on © page.
Note: An undetermined number of copies of the limited issue have an inserted limitation leaf which lacks the statements Number and of which 500 are numbered and autographed. All examined copies of this variant have the author's signature or presentation inscription.
1948SKYLARK THREEReading, Pennsylvania: Fantasy Press,1948Two issues, no priority: (A) 500 copies with numbered leaf signed by the author inserted; (B) Trade issue. First edition so stated on © page.,
1947SPACEHOUNDS OF IPCReading, Pennsylvania: Fantasy Press,1947Two issues, no priority:
  • (A) 300 copies with numbered leaf signed by the author inserted;
  • (B) Trade issue. Dust jacket occurs in two states, priority as listed:
    • (A) Rear panel lists four titles, the first being The Legion of Space by Jack Williamson;
    • (B) Rear panel lists 11 titles, the first being The Forbidden Garden by John Taine.
Note: This later dust jacket also appears on copies of the second edition published by Fantasy Press in 1949. First edition so stated on © page.
1965SUBSPACE EXPLORERSNew York: Canaveral Press, Inc.,1965No statement of printing on © page.
1948TRIPLANETARYReading, Pennsylvania: Fantasy Press,1948Two issues, no priority:
  • (A) 500 copies with numbered leaf signed by the author inserted;
  • (B) Trade issue. First edition so stated on © page.
Note: Triplanetary is printed in red on front panel of dust jacket issued with the first edition. Second edition published by Fantasy Press in 1950 has Triplanetary printed in yellow on front panel of dust jacket.
1960THE VORTEX BLASTERHicksville, New York: Gnome Press, Inc., [1960]Two issues, priority as listed:
  • (A) With Gnome Press imprint as above. Three bindings, priority as listed: (1) Blue boards, spine lettered in yellow; (2) Gray cloth, spine lettered in red; (3) Gray wrappers, lettered in black.
  • (B) Imprint reads Reading, Pa./Fantasy Press. Of the Fantasy Press variant, publisher Lloyd Eshbach remarked in a letter to the compiler dated 19 May 1975, "When I printed the overrun of the Gnome Press edition with FP imprint, I shot for 100 [copies]. There were a few extras." In a later undated letter (1977) he states, "Press run immediately after Gnome Press edition, 300 copies on better book paper." First edition so stated on © pages of both issues. Reissued as MASTERS OF THE VORTEX.

E. E. Smith – First Printing Dust Jacket Identification Points

Gallery of First state Dust Jackets of E. E. Smith’s works. Only includes the first appearance in book form. Either the UK or US edition and does not include later printings.

Reference:

  • Wikipedia
  • L. W. Currey, Science Fiction and Fantasy Authors: A Bibliography of First Printings of Their Fiction and Selected Nonfiction.

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