Lloyd Arthur Eshbach Papers and Fantasy Press Archives

Lloyd Arthur Eshbach was born in Palm, Pennsylvania, on June 20, 1910. He was raised in a Pennsylvania German county, one in which both his maternal and paternal ancestors had settled in 1734. He became a science fiction fan at the age of nine, when an older brother awakened his interest in the work of Burroughs, Merritt, Hal, Flint and other writers who produced stories of scientific fantasy for the Munsey publications. After starting to write seriously at the age of seventeen, he published his first story in 1930. He continued to produce science fiction for twenty years, his work appearing in numerous science fiction pulps including Amazing Stories, Science Fiction, Astounding Stories, and Strange Stories.

Outside of writing, Eshbach's career ranged from show-card writer and advertising copy writer to publisher in two Pennsylvania-based publishing companies, and later clergyman for three small eastern Pennsylvania churches. Eshbach stopped writing in 1946 to organize Fantasy Press.

Through Fantasy Press, a collection Eshbach's own fiction appeared in 1955 under the title The Tyrant of Time. The non-fiction book Of Worlds Beyond: The Science of Science Fiction Writing, edited by Eshbach, was published in 1947, in which top authors outlined the various ways in which they approached science fiction writing. One of Eshbach's first accepted stories, "A Voice from the Ether, " was selected by Michael Ashley for Part I of his History of the Science Fiction Magazine (Chicago, 1974) as representative science fiction for 1931.

Besides science fiction, Eshbach's other interests included lapidary arts and silversmithing. While living in Chicago in the 1960s, he became an expert in these crafts, winning some major prizes in competition. After his retirement, Eshbach began writing again, and published Over My Shoulder: Reflections on a Science Fiction Era (1983), among other works.

Founded in 1946 by Lloyd Arthur Eshbach, Fantasy Press was one of the first American specialist science fiction and fantasy publishing houses. While in conversation with two fellow employees Glidden Paint Company in Reading, Pennsylvania, where Eshbach was advertising copy writer, he asked in jest if they would like to go into the science fiction book publishing business. Eshbach was surprised to hear them reply with interest. This was the start of Fantasy Press, with Eshbach acquiring the stories, A.J. Donnell as illustrator, Lyman Houck (an accountant friend and fellow Mason) as bookkeeper, and Herb MacGregor shipping the books.

Fantasy Press's first publishing venture was E.E. Smith's Spacehounds of IPC. Two printings followed totaling more than 5, 500 copies produced and sold. Fantasy Press was responsible for bringing works by some of the great early magazine science fiction authors, notably E.E. Smith and John Campbell.

During the eleven years that Fantasy Press was run by Eshbach, more than 40 novels were published. In 1950 his partners sold their interests in the publishing company to Eshbach. Up until 1958, when Eshbach sold the company and its stock to Gnome Press, works by such authors as John W. Campbell, Jr., Sprague de Camp, E. E. Smith, Stanley G. Weinbaum and Jack Williamson were published.

For a more personal and detailed account of the Fantasy Press see "The Fantasy Press Story" by L.A. Eshbach in this collection, Box 3, Folder 1.

The Lloyd Arthur Eshbach Papers and Fantasy Press Archives contain correspondence of and manuscripts for books and short stories by Lloyd Arthur Eshbach, as well as other manuscripts and correspondence related to Eshbach's publishing company, Fantasy Press. In particular, the collection contains manuscript by and correspondence of three writers published by Fantasy Press: Eric Temple Bell (also known as John Taine), John W. Campbell, Jr., and E. E. "Doc" Smith. Many of the folders containing manuscripts have a typed note (1979) by Eshbach giving further pertinent history concerning those manuscripts.

The collection is arranged into 5 series as follows:

• Series 1:Lloyd Arthur Eshbach Papers, 1929-1945, undated
• Subseries 1.1: Correspondence, 1929-1943, undated
• Subseries 1.2: Short Stories, 1929-1945, undated
• Series 2: Fantasy Press Archives, circa 1909-1976
• Subseries 2.1: The Fantasy Press Story, undated
• Subseries 2.1: John W. Campbell, Jr. Manuscripts, circa 1976
• Subseries 2.2: John Taine (Eric Temple Bell) Manuscripts, circa 1909-1954
• Subseries 2.2: E.E. Smith Manuscripts and Correspondence, 1947-1976
• Sub-subseries series 2.2.1: Skylark Series, circa 1947-1966
• Sub-subseries series 2.2.2: Lensman Series, circa 1950-1976
• Sub-subseries Series 2.2.3: Correspondence, 1954-1964
• Series 3: Lloyd Arthur Eshbach Papers 1981 Addition, circa 1983, undated
• Series 4: Lloyd Arthur Eshbach Papers 1993 Addition, circa 1983-1990
• Series 5: Lloyd Arthur Eshbach Papers 1990 Addition, circa 1980s

The manuscripts of John Campbell, John Taine (Eric Temple Bell) and E.E. Smith were acquired by purchase in 1977 with the help of a number of authors and publishers; the personal papers of Lloyd Eshbach were the gift of Eshbach in 1979, with additions in 1981, 1990, and 1993.

Finding aid revised according to contemporary archival standards in July 2014 by Katy Rawdon, Coordinator of Technical Services.

Use

The Lloyd Arthur Eshbach Papers and Fantasy Press Archives are the physical property of the Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries. Temple University holds intellectual property rights only for material donated to the university with such rights specifically assigned. For all other material, intellectual property rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. Researchers are responsible for determining the identity of rights holders and obtaining their permission for publication and for other purposes where stated.

Preferred Citation

[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Lloyd Arthur Eshbach Papers and Fantasy Press Archives, SCRC 74, Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Publisher

Temple University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center

Finding aids author

Machine-readable finding aid created by: Rajkumar Natarajan, Sky Global Services India (P) Ltd.

Date

March 2024

Creator

Eshbach, Lloyd Arthur, 1910-2003

Subject

American fiction -- 20th century

Authors, American -- 20th century

Publishers and publishing

Science fiction

People

Bell, Eric Temple, 1883-1960

Campbell, John W., Jr. (John Wood), 1910-1971

Smith, E. E. (Edward Elmer), 1890-1965

Taine, John, 1883-1960

Organization

Amazing Stories

Astounding Stories

Fantasy Press

Science Fiction Magazine

Strange Stories

Language

English

Form

Fantasy fiction

Clippings

Correspondence

Ephemera

Manuscripts

Pamphlets

Photocopies

Proofs

Publications (documents)