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PENGUIN EPHEMERA




A variety of Ephemera produced by Penguin Books and others









Over the years Penguin Books have produced a variety of items which have become known as 'Ephemera'. These were, in the main, created to advertise the company, a range of series, events, and products. We include all sorts of items, from early business reply cards to Christmas cards. Also included are internal publications. Details of the item are included where available, but many were not dated, and so their order on this page is somewhat arbitrary. A few of the items shown have been produced by other companies, with the agreement of Penguin Books Ltd.






Information and images of Penguin Ephemera
1937
Business Reply Card

Item: PENGUIN BUSINESS REPLY CARD INSERT ADVERT "If you would like to know when new titles are added"
Date: 1937
This business reply card (top two images) was inserted in many of the early books in 1937. Penguin had a huge response, and within the first three months the Post Office had returned to Penguin 26,000 cards at a cost of £108. Penguin revised the reply card, with the sender required to pay the halfpenny postage (bottom two images). Penguin continued to have tremendous response and by August 1937 60,000 people were on the mailing list!
c. 1937
Assurance Advert

Item: BUSINESS REPLY CARD INSERT ADVERTISING THE 'PEARL PENSION ASSURANCE SCHEME'
Date: c. 1937
This, and similar cards appeared inserted in many of the early books. Penguins were paid 10/- per thousand inserts. The second image is of the 'business reply address' side.
c. 1938
Reading-case Advert

Item: READING-CASE AND READING CASE LABEL (FOR SPINE)
Date: c. 1938
Price: 6d.
Penguin Books produced firm cloth covers 'reading cases' to help protect and preserve the books. The Dust Jackets of the books carried a small advert on the back flap which also included the 'label' for the spine of the reading-case. The instructions stated "This book will keep better if it is protected by the special Penguin reading-case (6d. from any bookseller). Cut out this label and paste it on to the back of the case." However, since the books were still mostly 6d. in price and the covers cost another sixpence, not many were bought. The image shown is of a blue cover with silver logo, and organge were produced for fiction, and so on. The second image is of the label on the flap of the back of the dust jacket which advertises the covers (in this example an orange fiction book).
1947
Double Volumes

Item: PENGUIN AND PELICAN: PAPER INSERT ANNOUNCING DOUBLE VOLUMES
Date Published: 1947
'On the cover of this book you will see two Penguins - or may be Pelicans - in place of the familiar solitary bird.' The note announces the Double Volume, rather than splitting thick books into two, they are now printed as one volume, but twice the price!
1948
King Penguins

Item: THE KING PENGUIN BOOKS - Advertisment/list of King Penguins in the format of a bookmark
Date: 1948
Format: small paper with vertical fold, providing 4 sides
c. 1948
Music Magazine

Item: PAPER INSERT ADVERTISING THE PENGUIN MUSIC MAGAZINE
Date Published: c. 1948
1950
Christmas Card

Item: CHRISTMAS CARD - 1950 - SIGNED BY ALLEN LANE
Date: 1950
Images of front and inside
Display
Item: SHOP DISPLAY FOR PENGUIN MUSIC BOOKS
Date: early 1950's
cardboard packaging
Item: CHRISTMAS CARDBOARD PACKAGING for PENGUIN BOOK

Christmas Card

Item: PENGUIN CHRISTMAS CARD with special Penguin verse on back


Images show front of card with message, back with verse, and one image of how card is folded.
good wishes slip
Item: GOOD WISHES SLIP accompanying a 'CHRISTMAS BOOK' from Allen Lane
with compliments slip
Item: WITH COMPLIMENTS SLIP: 'PENGUINS COMING OF AGE' With the compliments of Sir Allen Lane 1935 - 1956
Produced at time of 21st Birthday of Penguins
1956
Bookshelf

Item: THE PENGUIN BOOKSHELF
Date Published: Spring 1956
Pages: 4pp. and 2pp.
Item designed: by Frank Height
Price of item: 88/- (including Purchase Tax)
Produced: by Beaver and Tapley Ltd, Furniture Manufacturers

'EVERYONE READS PENGUINS' - The Penguin Bookshelf holds about 150 Penguins in nine separate divisions. 2 models, a Floor and Wall model - made from solid Nigerian Walnut.

Four images shown: the first two are of a colour leaflet (4 pages); the latter two are of a small single page leaflet inserted into Penguin Books.
Notepad
Item: NOTEPAD produced by C. Nicholls and Co Ltd. The facsimilie cover flips over from the top to reveal a plain paper note-pad.
Printer/Production: C. Nicholls and Co Ltd
"It was during the War that the Company began producing Penguin Books for Allen Lane and this note pad is a facsimilie of an early title produced at the Philips Park Press in 1946."

Second image of back cover.
1960
Penguin leaflet

Item: ADVERTISING LEAFLET: A FEAST OF PENGUINS: Twenty-five outstanding books for Penguins 25th Birthday
Pages: sheet folded vertically in form of bookmark to give 4 sides
Second image shows middle two pages with the 25 books listed.
1961
Penguin Book

Item: BOOK - PENGUIN CLASSICS QUIZ: Are you well read?
Cover design: by Richard Hollis and shows, from left to right, top to bottom: Strindberg, Ibsen, Dostoyevsky, Josephus, Xenophon, Flaubert, Cicero, Descartes and Homer
Date Published: 1961
Pages: 32pp.
Printer: Western Printing Services Ltd
Second image shows title page giving explanation of book

Handbook

Item: PENGUIN ORGANIZATION HANDBOOK
Date Published: not given
Pages: 22pp.
Plastic ring binding book produced as internal guide.

Second image shows Editorial Board Organization Chart

Third image shows Production Department Organization Chart
1962
Item: PENGUINS LOOK AT THE NEW AFRICA WITH THE - PENGUIN AFRICAN LIBRARY
Produced to advertise the launch of the revised series, after the West Africa Penguins, of the Penguin African Library in June 1962. Series with prefix 'AP'.
Date Published: 1962
Pages: 4pp.

Design based on the Cover of AP2
Title: A SHORT HISTORY OF AFRICA
Series Editor: Ronald Segal
Cover Design: by Massimo Vignelli, photos by Europress
Date Published: June 1962


This book entry can be found on the Penguin African Library page.
Reading-case
Item: READING-CASE WITH EMBOSSED PENGUIN LOGO
Penguin produced a variety of reading-cases to protect books. These were in plastic, in various colours and also clear.
advert for hard covers
Item: ADVERTISEMENT FOR HARD-COVER PENGUIN BOOKS
leaflet
Item: ADVERTISING LEAFLET: PRESENTABLE PENGUINS - Some of the thousand Penguins, Pelicans and Puffins suitable for gifts
Cover illustration: by John Griffiths
Pages: bookmark format, sheet folded vertically
3D glasses
Item: 3D GLASSES - FOR PUFFIN BOOKS SPECTACULAR READING! and BOOKMARK TYPE ADVERT FOR PUFFIN BOOKS 'SPECTACULAR EASTER READS FROM PUFFIN'. On the reverse is printed 'WHY TOADS LOOK MUCH MORE SERIOUS THAN FROGS' in 3D format/colouring
Top image of the 3D glasses or spectacles made of card and red/green celluloid; the second image is of the bookmark.
1966
Author's Guide

Item: AUTHOR'S GUIDE TO PENGUIN HOUSE STYLE
Date Published: 1966
Pages: 36pp.
Produced 'in-house' as guidance for potential authors.
Image of 1967 reprint.
c. 1973
bookmark

Item: ADVERTISING BOOKMARK: FOR GIFT SETS (possibly Christmas 1973)
Second image shows reverse side of bookmark
c. 1974
Puffin Books Mug

Item: PUFFIN BOOKS MUG
Design: Puffin designed by Quentin Blake
Date: c. 1974
Manufactured: by Churchill, in England


Second image shows detail of design

Third image shows base of mug
c. 1975
matches

Item: ADVERTISING MATCHES: Book of Matches - 40 years of Penguin Books: 1935 - 1975
Date: 1975
Manufactured: by Bryant and May, 'Sovereign' Safety Book Matches, Made in England
Second image shows inside of match-book with 20 matches, each imprinted with 'PENGUIN BOOKS'
c. 1979?
Cassette Guide

Item: THE PENGUIN CASSETTE GUIDE - Listing of 1,000 cassette tapes (in association with DECCA Group)
Date: October 1979 ?
Pages: 16pp.
Printer: Clout and Baker Ltd.
Second image shows back cover
1979
Puffin Post

Item: PUFFIN POST - SUMMER 1979 - Vol.13 No. 12
The Official Voice of the Puffin Club founded in 1967 Editor: Kaye Webb
Date Published: 1979
Pages: 32pp. + covers
Printer: Hillingdon Press
c.1980
Puffin Club

Item: Two ADVERTISING LEAFLETS PROMOTING THE PUFFIN CLUB: Free Membership of the 'PUFFIN CLUB' with starter packs
Date: c. 1980

Two leaflets, one a promotional leaflet, the other an order form, for membership of the 'Puffin Club' and starter packs

Puffin Post

Item: PUFFIN POST - Vol.15 No. 12
Cover design: by J. A.
Date Published:
Pages: 32pp.
Printer: Surrey Fine Art Press Ltd
1981
Puffin leaflet

Item: ADVERTISING LEAFLET: FORTY FAMOUS PUFFIN YEARS 1941 - 1981
Pages: bookmark format - folded in two
Puffin Story Books - plus great birthday competition!

Second image shows inside of folded bookmark - giving a potted history of Puffin Books
1981
Mini-Book

Item: STOP - A GUIDE TO NON-SMOKING : SPECIAL ISSUE
Author: Pat Emery
Format: This very small book was made to look like a packet of cigarettes, and wrapped in cellophane
Date Published: 7 May 1981
Publisher: VERSO Penguin Books
Price: 95p
Photographed with cellophane wrapping covering mini-book

The second image shows the side of the 'packet' or pocket book. It bears a facsimilie health warning "H. M. Govt. Health Depts.' WARNING: CIGARETTES CAN SERIOUSLY DAMAGE YOUR HEALTH. PENGUIN BOOKS"
c. 1982
Booklet

Item: BOOKLET: 'THE LITERATURE OF THE BRITISH ISLES IN PENGUIN: A CHRONOLOGY'
Cover illustration: 'Dante's Dream' by Sir Jospeh Noel Paton
Date Published: c. 1982
Pages: 36pp.

This booklet provides a listing of published and forthcoming Penguin Books, described and listed under nine groupings - from Anglo Saxon and Middle English Literature to Post War.

Images of front of booklet and title/contents page.
1983
Puffin News

Item: PUFFIN NEWS 1983 - List of Puffin Books with offer to get Post Free if four or more books are ordered. (Offer ends December 1st, 1983)
Date Published: 1983
Pages: 4 sides

Images of front of leaflet and back with order form.
1983
Christmas Card

Item: A CHRISTMAS CARD 1983 - Sent out by Penguin Books, Melbourne, Australia
Date Published: 1983
Pages: 4 sides

Images of front of card, and card opened out (front and back)
1985
Puffin Post

Item: PUFFIN POST - SPRING 1985 - No. 5
Date Published: 1985
Pages: 24pp. + covers
Printer: not stated
Price: 30p

Item: BRIEF LIVES, LOVES AND LONGINGS - THE SHORT STORY IN PENGUIN
Introduction: by Tony Lacy
Pages: 80pp.
Price: 'FREE PLEASE TAKE ONE'
1985
Shop sign

Item: SHOP SIGN
Date: 1985
Images shown of a hanging shop sign Open and Closed on reverse; 1985 to celebrate 50 year anniversary of Penguin Books
1985
Stickers

Item: STICKERS - ADVERTISING 50 PENGUIN YEARS
Date: 1985
Image shows sheet containing 12 circular peel-off stickers; 1985 to celebrate 50 year anniversary of Penguin Books
1985
Royal Doulton Figure

Item: ROYAL DALTON FIGURE
Date: for July 1985
Dimensions: 114mm height; base 69mm x 48mm

It is said that this item was produced for staff, by way of a 'thank you', as part of the 50th Anniversary celebrations.

Second and third images show views from rear and base.
1985
Booklet

Item: BOOKLET - FIFTY PENGUIN YEARS: CHRONOLOGY
Date: 1985

A four page booklet detailing the 'chronology' of significant events at Penguins covering the period from 30 July 1935 to August 1985, and produced to celebrate 50 year anniversary of Penguin Books.
1991
Puffins

Item: THE STORY OF PUFFIN BOOKS
Author: Sally Gritten
Date: 1991
Published: by Penguin Books
Pages: 32pp.
Second image shows the title page with index. Produced as part of 50th Anniversary of Puffin Books.
1991
Puffins

Item: FIFTY PUFFIN YEARS: A CELEBRATION IN POETRY
Authors: various
Date: 1991
Published: by Penguin Books
Pages: 8pp.
This small poetry booklet was produced together with 'The Story of Puffin Books' as part of 50th Anniversary of Puffin Books.
Picture Puffin
Item: ADVERTISING LEAFLET: FIRST STEPS TO READING WITH PICTURE PUFFIN
Leaflet photography: by Fiona Pragoff
Pages: sheet folded in 3 to give 6 sides
For children age 0-6. Introducing 'first steps', 'books to share', 'books for play' and 'books to learn'.
Picture Puffin
Item: ADVERTISING LEAFLET: GIANT STEPS INTO READING WITH YOUNG PUFFIN
Illustrations: by Elisa Trimby, Margaret Gordon, Jill Murphy and Caroline Crossland
Pages: sheet folded in 3 to give 6 sides
For children Aged 6-8. Introduced new colour coding: yellow for 'read aloud'; blue for 'read alone'; white for 'story book'; and pink for 'poetry'.
1993
Year Planner

Item: PENGUIN CLASSICS - ACADEMIC YEAR PLANNER 1993/4
Produced: by Penguin for Waterstone's Bookseller
The item unfolds to provide on the other side a large academic year planner from September 1993 to September 1994, with illustrations of some Penguin Classics book covers and a list of Waterstone's Bookshops.

Second image of the planner.
1995
Advertising Brochure

Item: ADVERTISING BROCHURE 16 page booklet (plus covers) advertising range of books and other products produced for 60th Anniversary
Date: 1995
Pages: 16pp.
Second image shows page from inside with other anniversary products. Produced as part of 60th Anniversary.
1995
Promotional Leaflet

Item: PROMOTIONAL LEAFLET FOR TRADE advertising display stands and books, 60 authors and books being sold for 60 pence, with a small format of 138mm x 106mm. Produced for 60th Anniversary
Date: for 6 July 1995
Pages: 4pp.
Second and third images show inside pages. Produced as part of 60th Anniversary.
1995
T-Shirt

Item: 100% COTTON T-SHIRT with Green Crime and Mystery design of FAREWELL, MY LOVELY by Raymond Chandler
Produced: for Penguin
Image of T-Shirt in original wrapping. Produced as part of 60th Anniversary.


This item is available from Oakburn Books: Oakburn Books - T-Shirt
1995
Playing Cards

Item: THE PLAYING CARDS: SIXTY PENGUIN YEARS
Date: 1995
Produced: for Penguin
Set of playing cards in original carton with face of cards depicting Penguin Books. Produced as part of 60th Anniversary.


This item can be acquired direct from Amazon using this link: Penguin Playing Cards
1995
Rubber Stamp

Item: RUBBER STAMP - BOOKPLATE SET
Date: 1995
Produced: for Penguin Books by First Class Stamps Ltd
Boxed set contains 1 wood mounted rubber stamp with a Penguin Logo with the words "This book belongs to", 1 black ink pad, and 20 gummed bookplate stickers. Produced as part of 60th Anniversary.
1995
Model Van

Item: 1950 BEDFORD 30CWT DELIVERY VAN - PENGUIN BOOKS SIXTY PENGUIN YEARS
Date: 1995
Produced: by Lledo PLC
Boxed model of 1950 Penguin Delivery Van for 'Vanguards' Days Gone - Fifties and Sixties Classic Collection. Produced as part of 60th Anniversary.
1995
Wristwatch

Item: BLACK PLASTIC WRISTWATCH commemorating 60 Penguin Years
Date: 1995
This is a rare item produced as part of 60th Anniversary. It has the Penguin logo and 60th Anniversary theme on the watchface.
1995
Notebook

Item: NOTEBOOK - depicting cover of John Buchan's THE THIRTY NINE STEPS
Date: 1995
Pages: 32pp. of blank white paper
Produced as part of 60th Anniversary.
1995
Wrapping Paper

Item: WRAPPING PAPER design of Penguin covers
Date: 1995
Sold in roll of 4 sheets, each 700mm x 495mm, and wrpapped in plastic film. Produced as part of 60th Anniversary.
1995
Promotional Postcards

Item: PROMOTIONAL POSTCARDS: Postcards advertising books to be published on 6 July 1995 as part of 60th Anniversary. The cards bear the strap-line "There are paperbacks, and there is Penguin".
Date: for 6 July 1995
Final two images show detail of card advertising 'Signals of Distress' by Jim Grace; photography by Christa Stadtler. Produced as part of 60th Anniversary.
1995
Internal Memo

Item: INTERNAL MEMO: From Trevor Glover 'Most of you will not have had the opportunity to read this article on the history of the "Paperback Revolution", here reproduced by kind permission of The Bookseller'
Date: 13 April 1995
Pages: 16pp.
Contains articles reproduced from 'The Bookseller' of 17 March 1995. Produced as part of 60th Anniversary.
1995
Puffin Promotion

Item: PROMOTIONAL LEAFLET - PICTURE PUFFIN 'PRIVILEGED CUSTOMER' APPLICATION FORM
Date: 1995
With free prize draw closing on 31st December 1995.
1996
75p voucher

Item: GALAXY CHOCOLATE BAR WRAPPER WITH VOUCHER FOR 75p OFF A PENGUIN BOOK
Date: 1996
Promoter: Mars Confectionery
"This wapper will be accepted at participating outlets from 24.4.96 to 31.12.96 as 75p towards purchase of a Penguin paperback or Penguin Audiobook for £4.99 or over."
1997
leaflet

Item: ADVERTISING PROMOTION LEAFLET: "BOOK IN FOR A PERFECT WEEKEND" Spend just £10 on Penguin Paperbacks and/or Audiobooks - claim a free weekend break
Date: early 1997
Advertising Cards
Item: ADVERTISING POSTCARDS: COLOUR POSTCARDS DESIGNED TO ADVERTISE BOOKS OF PETER ACKROYD


Four images shown relate to Peter Ackroyd's books: first - his first novel 'The Great Fire of London'; second - the novel 'The Last Testament of Oscar Wilde'; third - the back of the Oscar Wilde postcard; fourth - his new novel 'English Music'.
1998
Penguin Press

Item: THE PENGUIN PRESS CATALOGUE - January - July 1998
Cover illustration: shows detail from Edward Sackville, 4th Earl of Dorset, 1613, attributed to William Larkin (Ranger's House, Blackheath)
Date published: 1998
Pages: 64pp.
Produced: by Penguin Books
2004
Pencils

Item: PENGUIN PENCILS (contains 6 'completely unsharpened' pencils)
Date produced: 2004
Produced: for Penguin in Taiwan for Arts Meets Matter Ltd.
2007
Classics

Item: OUR FAVOURITE CLASSICS
Introduction: by Adam Freudenheim (Penguin Classics Publisher)
Cover design: by Coralie Bickford-Smith
Layout: by Jon Morgan
Date published: 2007
Produced: by Penguin (this copy for Waterstone)
Pages: 24pp. including covers
Price: free
Contains information on 100 favourite classics.
2008
Notebook

Item: TRI-BAND SMALL NOTEBOOK - depicting cover of Louis Kornitzer's PEARLS AND MEN with spine showing details and main series no. 541
Date: 2008
Produced: for Penguin Books, made in China



This item can be acquired direct from Amazon using this link: Pearls and Men - Penguin Small Notebook
2008
Notebook

Item: 'PENGUIN SPINES'LINED LARGE NOTEBOOK - spine has 'JOURNAL' as title
Date: 2008
Produced: for Penguin Books, made in China



This item can acquired direct from Amazon using this link: Penguin Spines Lined Large Notebook
2010
Boardgame

Item: THE GREAT PENGUIN BOOKCHASE - BOARDGAME
Created: by Tony Davis
Date: 2010
Produced: by Art Meets Matter Ltd
'Specially designed edition of Bookchase® produced with kind permission of Penguin Books Ltd to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the original Penguin paperbacks first published in 1935.' Second image shows board and contents.


This item can be acquired direct from Amazon using this link: The Great Penguin Bookchase - Boardgame
2010
Notebook

Item: 'PENGUIN CLASSIC SPINES' NOTEBOOKS - spine has title, author and Penguin logo
Date: 2010
Produced: for Penguin Books by Wild and Wolf. Size 4.3" x 2.6" x 0.25"
This item usually was sold as a set of 4 notebooks with the covers of 'On the Road' by Jack Kerouac, 'A Room of One's Own' by Virginia Woolf, 'The Big Sleep' by Raymond Chandler, and 'The Importance of Being Earnest' by Oscar Wilde.
Part of 75th Anniversary products


This set can acquired direct from Amazon using this link: Penguin Classic Spines Notebooks
2010
Bookmark

Item: ADVERTISING BOOKMARK - CELEBRATING 75 Years of Penguin Books
Date: 2010
Second image shows reverse side of bookmark
2014
Penguin Mug

Item: PENGUIN MUG showing book cover design of Emily Brontë's WUTHERING HEIGHTS
Date: 2014
Produced: for Penguin



This item can be acquired direct from Amazon using this link: Penguin Mug - Wuthering Heights
Postcards
Item: POSTCARDS FROM PENGUIN - ONE HUNDRED BOOK COVERS IN ONE BOX
Box design: by Jim Stoddart
Produced: for Penguin Books
Price: £14.99
'A collection of 100 postcards, each featuring a different and iconic Penguin book cover. From classics to crime fiction, this is a selection from over seventy years of quintessentially British design in one box.' Second image shows some of the contents.


This item can be acquired direct from Amazon using this link: Postcards from Penguin




image
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: penguinfirsteditions.com gratefully acknowledges the kind permission of PENGUIN BOOKS LTD. (UK) to reproduce its book covers and, where incorporated, its various logos. We would remind users of this site that, as appropriate, Penguin Books Ltd. and its designers retain their copyright and/or intellectual property in the relevant material.


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