IN 1999, I BEGAN the Edgar Rice Burroughs Dust-Jacket Reconstruction Project. My intention was to produce high quality reproductions of some of the most exciting and sought-after dust-jackets in book collecting.
I digitally adjust the color, clean and restore each image to assure optimal brightness and maximum detail. I work from several sources, including scans of the original art, to obtain the finest reproduction possible. The type is completely reset with digital fonts to match the originals—even to the kerning and typos. The jackets are complete, including back cover and flaps, and printed in one piece on glossy paper. Each reproduction is marked as a facsimile for the sake of bibliographic integrity.
In 2004 and 2005, Easton Press chose my restorations for the frontispieces of their deluxe leather-bound editions of the Tarzan and Mars series.
Here's what others have had to say about my reconstructions:
“You do GORGEOUS work. More, more from your studio!” — George McWhorter Curator, Burroughs Memorial Collection, University of Louisville; Editor of the Burroughs Bulletin
“Incredible quality. Don't ever stop!”— Robert B. Zeuschner author of Edgar Rice Burroughs:The Exhaustive Scholar's and Collector's Descriptive Bibliography
“(Your dust-jackets) are the best I have yet seen . . . a superb job of highest quality.” — Darrell C. Richardson: ERB scholar and author of J. Allen St. John, An Illustrated Bibliography
“Just a quick note to thank you for the new 'alternate' SAVAGE PELLUCIDAR dust-jacket. I wish we'd been able to turn out a jacket like this back in Canaveral Press days. You've done a wonderful job on this. In fact, all of your dust jackets are gems.” — Richard A. Lupoff: author of the Lindsey and Plum series, numerous SF novels and stories and Master of Adventure, The Worlds of Edgar Rice Burroughs
“On opening your package I discovered that the [TARZAN OF THE APES Letterpress] dust-jackets were as great as I expected them to be. Received the print and A FIGHTING MAN OF MARS 'fantasy' dust-jacket yesterday morning. Wow!! Metropolitan should have followed their original inclination and ignored Ed's comments about using the Blue Book cover. It is a real knockout!” — Robert R. BarrettERB collector, scholar and author of Tarzan of the Funnies
“Wanted you to know I received the jackets for THUVIA and EARTH'S CORE, and that I couldn't be more pleased. They are exquisite! Your work continues to astound me, and I look forward to ordering more to fill in the gaps of my collection.I've been wondering how it's going with the Metropolitan jackets, especially your experiments with paper for TARZAN AND THE LOST EMPIRE. You have taken on a huge task, but are doing a super job. I'm glad I found out about you and your project.” — J. Slaughter
“The A PRINCESS OF MARS dust-jacket I purchased from you arrived today. I had to let you know how impressed I am with the quality of it and your service! I had purchased one previously from a "phantom" seller on a certain auction-type website and paid almost as much and got quite a bit less than I liked. It seems that just about anyone with an inkjet printer thinks they can do replica dust-jackets. The sad truth is: they can't! The sharpness of the lettering and the coloring on your jacket are exceptional. I will soon be placing an order with you so I can cover the rest of my ERB first edition Mars books. Thank you for your great service!” — V. Sherlock
“I received the two new dust-jackets today. Once again they are stunning to look at and really beautiful.Thank you.The only original jacket I have is THE BEASTS OF TARZAN, and your jacket has a clarity that's missing in my original. It's great to see Tarzan's face looking out from the cover.” — S. Mould