Penguin "Black Classics"

During the 1960s to 1970s Penguin Books released the series of black covered classics. In the 1950s the covers were much simpler though of uniform design.

The “Black Classics” however all have wonderfully appropriate works of art on the front cover, for instance all the Ibsen Plays in the series are graced with cover art by Edvard Munch.

1964 Edition Detail of portrait of Ibsen	1973 Edition Detail of "The RedVineyard"

1974 Edition – Detail of “The Sick Child” by Munch

1973 Edition Detail of a lithograph by Munch	1974 Edition Detail of "Agony" by Munch

I have quite a good collection of the Penguin “Black Classics”, most of them acquired in the 1960s. There was, I remember, a small bookshop in an inner Melbourne suburb, which sold Penguin seconds (i.e. slightly shop soiled) at ridiculously cheap prices. Also I was lucky to have a friend who worked for Penguin. Penguin employees had access to a “pig” bin of seconds and were able to take their pick of them. My friend gave me boxes of these, so I have many books that appear very interesting, but remain unread. They now appear to have become collector’s items.

Next – more “Black Classics”