LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2008 April Music & Entertainment #688  / 

31552

Complete Playboy Collection (1953-2008)

Currency:USD Category:Memorabilia / Other Start Price:9,750.00 USD Estimated At:12,000.00 - 18,000.00 USD
Complete Playboy Collection (1953-2008)
<B><I>Playboy</B></I></B></I> <B>The Complete Collection (HMH Publishing, 1953-2008).</B></I> One of our auction highlights represents more than 50 years of an American institution -- a complete collection of <I>Playboy Magazine,</B></I> from the iconic first issue of December 1953 to the April 2008 issue -- and all 650 issues in between! And they're housed in 42 brand new library cases made especially for <I>Playboy</B></I>.<BR><BR>It's the finest <I>Playboy</B></I> collection we've seen, with an overall condition rating of <I>Very Fine to Near Mint,</B></I> or 9.0 on a 10-point grading scale. From the January 2000 issue to the present, 83 of 100 issues are still sealed in their plastic newsstand packages, several of which include a separate pictorial supplement. For individual grades of the first 15 issues and average grades by decade for the collection <a href="http://entertainment.ha.com/misc/Playboy1.html"><B>click here</B></I></a>. <BR><BR>When Hugh Hefner borrowed enough money to publish the first issue in 1953, he wasn't sure there would be a second. But the first issue, most famous for its color picture of a nude Marilyn Monroe in the center of the magazine -- taking up just one page, it wasn't yet a centerfold -- the 50,000 initial print run was followed by gradually increasing numbers at first, making those early issues relatively scarce, especially in as nice of condition as in this collection.<BR><BR>Hefner had a vision, one he had honed while working as a copywriter for the premier men's magazine of the day, the venerable <I>Esquire,</B></I> already in its 21st year when <I>Playboy</B></I> was launched. His vision incorporated the best of <I>Esquire</B></I> - the smart mix of fiction and non-fiction, the humor (especially the clever cartoons), the articles on music, sports, and other manly topics, and added to that, the element of the Playmate (a term that wasn't used until the 3rd issue). <I>Esquire</B></I> had regular, sexy renditions of beautiful girls in various stages of undress, drawn by renowned illustrators like George Petty and Alberto Vargas; <I>Playboy</B></I> had real, live, beautiful women, photographed in a manner that, by comparison to the "girly" magazines of the day, was more tasteful, and that presented the models in more natural, everyday settings. The <I>Playboy</B></I> model was "the girl next door." <I>Playboy</B></I> overnight became the <I>Esquire</B></I> for a new generation.<BR><BR>The first issue provided a basic blueprint for future issues, a foundation upon which Hefner added important pieces over the years. There was the Marilyn Monroe center feature, a special by noted cartoonist Virgil Partch ("VIP"), fiction by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, a Big Band article about the Dorsey Brothers, a Party Jokes section, and a timely football article "The Return of the All-Purpose Back." Over succeeding issues, Hefner solidified this core, expanding the center pictorial feature into the Playmate of the Month centerfold, and soon adding regular pictorials of female celebrities and rising starlets; attracting the very best cartoonists available, many of which contributed for decades; and enlisting fiction by an astonishing array of writers, both well-known and up-and-coming.<BR><BR>The magazine grew in size and stature. It was in the right place and the right time for the <I>Playboy Philosophy,</B></I> and in December 1962, Hefner published his first installment of a regular editorial of the same name. Earlier, in 1960 he had already begun a panel discussion feature which offered lively discussion and debate over a variety of topics. In September 1962, the first <I>Playboy Interview</B></I> spotlighted Jazz great, Miles Davis. It was the first of a regular feature that eventually became the second most popular feature of the magazine. Over the years, the interviews have included scores of legendary personalities, good guys and bad guys alike. For a listing of some of the notable Playmates and interviews of the first 40 years, <a href="http://entertainment.ha.com/misc/Playboy2.html"><B>click here</B></I></a>. <BR><BR>By the early 1960s, <I>Playboy</B></I> had firmly established itself as the #1 men's magazine in the country, and one of the most important, influential publications of any genre. Over the decades since, <I>Playboy</B></I> has been challenged by numerous other publishers for market share, but while many have been able to take a narrow component quality and expand upon it, and even better <I>Playboy</B></I> in some aspects, no one publication has succeeded in providing the same variety of high-quality features that <I>Playboy</B></I> has been delivering for over 54 years. It's an instant library impressive proportions!<BR><BR>Please note that, as usual, the winning bidder will be responsible for shipping expenses, which in this case are estimated to be $1,200-$1,500. Or you could avoid that expense, join us for the live auction here in Dallas, and let us help you load your winnings into your vehicle!<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Requires 3rd Party Shipping (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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