--I can't believe the magnitude of my mania for weird books--
You can't?!!
Heh. And we are all thankful for it. A few of these (the first few especially) would be hard to date if seen alone and out of context. Twistedly innovative. Just how I like my ... visual delights.
That reminds me, any questions for Rottensteiner? He's providing a lot of info on international sf/fantasy, including the story behind Seabury Press (early publisher of Lem in English). He was actually Lem's international rights agent from the 70s to about 1995.
You may want contact the ZVAB - I found many of my Orchideengarten-Issues there (it's a kind of central site for nearly all appropriate / antiquarian german & austrian bookstores)
I just found your blog and I love it! I would give my eye teeth to see even one of these pulp mags in person. The covers alone are fabulous! Now I'm hooked.
GREAT post. I'm a bit of a history buff. I even run a small history blog, The Great Geek Manual. (http://www.thegreatgeekmanual.com/blog/)
Does there happen to be a more specific date on that first issue? I'd love to know the month it was released. Write me at Pipedreamergrey@thegreatgeekmanual.com
Hi there, I really enjoyed your post. I wrote a book about one of the authors of "Orchideengarten": Alexander Moritz Frey, probably listed as AM Frey. Could you maybe confirm the titles of the stories Frey published in "Orchideengarten"?
ABOUT MY BOOK: "The phantastic rebel", a book about the forgotten satirical writer Alexander Moritz Frey who was in a platoon with Adolf Hitler during WWI.
"Hitler's years in the German army during World War I have long been a mystery due to the lack of eyewitness accounts. Now a memoir written by a forgotten German author of fantastic literature has been rediscovered -- and sheds new light on the Führer." -> English review with some excerpts at Spiegel Online: http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,478359,00.html
I'm also hosting a MySpace for Frey: http://www.myspace.com/amfrey
these are wonderful! does any one know if they ever got reissued in book format, i don't have $6000 to blow on the original sets. thanks. angus oh and by the way will, i just stumbled across your blog page and greatly enjoying myself. keep up the good work.
Thanks Angus. I'm fairly sure these have never been reprinted as I've been digging and haven't seen one.
You can still find issues in the $15 to $50 range from German dealers. The $6000 price tag is probably inflated because the person is selling a collection, presumably a lot harder to find than any one issue.
Hello together! This is really an amazing blog, thank you! I´m a collector of german weird fiction (esp. 1900-1930)and a lucky owner of all original (unbounded!)Orchideengarten-magazines that I found some years ago as a complete collection for a "very special price".
Hi everyone, I have had a bound copy of the first 18 hefts of Orchideengarten and have loved it for its illustrations and the advertisements foolishly not reading the stories (my German is not very good) Sadly it has been bound without those spectacular covers. I know it came from Germany. I have never until now realised that it had historic significance. Can anyone out there put a value on it? Im not really sure that I want to sell it but just curious.
Hi Phil, it´s different to put a value on it. I think, without the covers you will reach 30-40% of the price of the complete issue, although the first 18 issues are very rare. So we talk about max. 400-500€. But, of course, the prices have a great range at the moment. I wouldn´t sell my issues at the moment, although i have two of all three volumes(one bound and one original). Greetings, Peter
--I can't believe the magnitude of my mania for weird books--
ReplyDeleteYou can't?!!
Heh. And we are all thankful for it. A few of these (the first few especially) would be hard to date if seen alone and out of context. Twistedly innovative. Just how I like my ... visual delights.
Thanks peacay.
ReplyDeleteI didn't put them in order of issue date so I could load my favorites at the top. (My favorite happens to be the first issue.)
Someone in Chicago is selling a bound set of 24 issues for $6000 -- now that is f*cking crazy. Luckily I will never have that kind of money.
Many thanks for posting these. As you know, I've been eager to see more of this stuff having being tantalised for years by Rottensteiner's book.
ReplyDeleteJohn, this post is more for you than anyone.
ReplyDeleteThat reminds me, any questions for Rottensteiner? He's providing a lot of info on international sf/fantasy, including the story behind Seabury Press (early publisher of Lem in English). He was actually Lem's international rights agent from the 70s to about 1995.
Amazing covers.
ReplyDeleteThanks as always. If I had any visual skills at all I'd be envious. Instead I just let my jaw drop.
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderful! Thank you for sharing :D
ReplyDeleteYou may want contact the ZVAB - I found many of my Orchideengarten-Issues there (it's a kind of central site for nearly all appropriate / antiquarian german & austrian bookstores)
ReplyDeleteGreetings form Hamburg, Germany
Lars
Stupid me: http://www.zvab.com
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog and I love it! I would give my eye teeth to see even one of these pulp mags in person. The covers alone are fabulous! Now I'm hooked.
ReplyDeletebreathtaking.
ReplyDeleteNo-one does weird like the German(ophone)s :D
ReplyDeleteI think it must be a German/Austrian/ Swiss endeavour.
The Publishers are called 'Three Lands Press' and list cities in each of the countries.
I found your post via Morbid Anatomy. I am blown away. These are amazing. Please post more!
ReplyDeleteGREAT post. I'm a bit of a history buff. I even run a small history blog, The Great Geek Manual. (http://www.thegreatgeekmanual.com/blog/)
ReplyDeleteDoes there happen to be a more specific date on that first issue? I'd love to know the month it was released. Write me at Pipedreamergrey@thegreatgeekmanual.com
thanks for all the comments.
ReplyDeleteThat first issue is from January 1919.
Thanks for aking me discover this great magazine.
ReplyDeleteIs the title "Der Orchideengarten" a reference to Octave Mirbeau's "Jardin des Supplices"?
Hi there,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your post. I wrote a book about one of the authors of "Orchideengarten": Alexander Moritz Frey, probably listed as AM Frey. Could you maybe confirm the titles of the stories Frey published in "Orchideengarten"?
ABOUT MY BOOK:
"The phantastic rebel", a book about the forgotten satirical writer Alexander Moritz Frey who was in a platoon with Adolf Hitler during WWI.
"Hitler's years in the German army during World War I have long been a mystery due to the lack of eyewitness accounts. Now a memoir written by a forgotten German author of fantastic literature has been rediscovered -- and sheds new light on the Führer." -> English review with some excerpts at Spiegel Online: http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,478359,00.html
I'm also hosting a MySpace for Frey: http://www.myspace.com/amfrey
Find me at www.popmoderne.de
Cheers from Berlin,
Stefan
these are wonderful! does any one know if they ever got reissued in book format, i don't have $6000 to blow on the original sets. thanks.
ReplyDeleteangus
oh and by the way will, i just stumbled across your blog page and greatly enjoying myself. keep up the good work.
Thanks Angus. I'm fairly sure these have never been reprinted as I've been digging and haven't seen one.
ReplyDeleteYou can still find issues in the $15 to $50 range from German dealers. The $6000 price tag is probably inflated because the person is selling a collection, presumably a lot harder to find than any one issue.
Will
Hello together!
ReplyDeleteThis is really an amazing blog, thank you!
I´m a collector of german weird fiction (esp. 1900-1930)and a lucky owner of all original (unbounded!)Orchideengarten-magazines that I found some years ago as a complete collection for a "very special price".
Greetings, Peter
Peter, I would love to hear from you directly -- my email address is ajourneyroundmyskull@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI'm mainly interested in learning how many issues I'm missing.
Thanks for writing,
Will
"der Orchideengarten" is available on my Website www.idesetautres.be
ReplyDeleteBernard GOORDEN
Incredible, perhaps I'm too sheltered but I have never seen anything like this.
ReplyDeleteHi everyone, I have had a bound copy of the first 18 hefts of Orchideengarten and have loved it for its illustrations and the advertisements foolishly not reading the stories (my German is not very good) Sadly it has been bound without those spectacular covers. I know it came from Germany. I have never until now realised that it had historic significance. Can anyone out there put a value on it? Im not really sure that I want to sell it but just curious.
ReplyDeleteLove the artwork on this site maybe you will like www.philipcharlesparker.com
ReplyDeleteHi Phil,
ReplyDeleteit´s different to put a value on it. I think, without the covers you will reach 30-40% of the price of the complete issue, although the first 18 issues are very rare. So we talk about max. 400-500€. But, of course, the prices have a great range at the moment. I wouldn´t sell my issues at the moment, although i have two of all three volumes(one bound and one original).
Greetings,
Peter
Thank you for the information Peter. I think I'll keep them for now and improve my German!
ReplyDeletePhil
Hi,
ReplyDeleteCan you help? I am looking for images by Alfred Ehlers for Der Orchideengarten?
Best regards,
Duane
Duane, when I have a chance I'll go through the books and see if there any images by Ehlers in the issues I own. It might take a couple days.
ReplyDelete