Early Mayflower paperback covers

[GuyLawley]

Another retro question – sorry.

I’ve searched the archive and found out about Bob Habberfield / Haberfield (Mayflower books cover artist). So now I know, at last, who did all those great book covers; Corum Swords Trilogy, Castle Brass Trilogy etc. (My huge gratitude once more to Berry and Mike for setting up this amazing site with its invaluable archives!)

But was it also BH who did the earlier Mayflower p/b covers; Jewel In The Skull, Stormbringer etc? They were a different style; photo-collage plus airbrush art.

I’d say they could be the earlier work of the same artist, or could be another person altogether. Like the later paintings they seemed unlike any other artist I’d seen at the time… and still do.

[Marca]

There was a Bob Haberfield original that went up on ebay quite a while ago. I think the early Mayflowers were by someone else, they don't look like the same artist (can you help Mike?)

I really like some of the early Mayflower covers, whoever they are by - Phoenix In Obsidian and The Final Programme are two of my favourites.

Some of the mid-late 70s Mayflower covers were good too like The Winds of Limbo and The Black Corridor.

Possibly my favourite Moorcock covers though were the Fontana originals for the four Cornelius books.

[Michael Moorcock]

Actually I picked Bob Haberfield for the first Mayflower covers and he did my covers for quite a long time until he joined an asram and stopped doing commercial work. You'll note that the covers increasingly use Hindu and Far Eastern imagery and Bob was using his own symbolic language in the books to describe, for instance, his hatred of the English royal family. I remember how he described how a Hawkmoon cover was a commentary on the royals. He understood my books to contain the same elements. He was a visionary rather than a satirist. I used Bob in New Worlds briefly but eventually our paths stopped crossing. For all I know he's still in Wales in his asram. I think it's wrong if someone other than Bob is selling his artwork and making a profit from it.

[Michael Moorcock]

Forgot to add that I loved those Fontana covers, too. Best Cornelius covers ever. Their two volume reissue in trade paperback was something of an abomination. A shame, because the editor involved was a great fan of the books. He didn't pay enough attention to the production of the two volume set.

[Governor of Rowe Island]

I have to say Mr. M, in my humble opinion, you have had some fantastic artwork on most of your books in their many manifestions (sorry, editions.) I am continually drawn to your books by the differing covers. I would love to have all the different editions with all their wonderful covers, but, alas, I can't afford to buy a bigger house to hold them all.
I don't know how much control you have had over the covers, but they have complemented your work very well, in the main.

[Michael Moorcock]

Because of my editorial training and experience I've been in a better position than many writers to choose my covers, often commissioning them directly. There was a bad period when Mayflower started to put poor or inappropriate covers on books and I had to retake control, but generally I've been able to choose most of my own artists. I got Harper Collins (ex-Mayflower etc.) to put that excellent Gould cover on Revenge of the Rose and have had Gould on US covers ever since. I had considerable problems with White Wolf over covers, but generally we arrived at a decent agreement -- Simonson on Count Brass, for instance, and Mignola on Corum. My British covers were done by Mark Reeve and Amano between them and Reeve's cover for Nomad of the Time Streams was copied by White Wolf for their cover! I'm also lucky because artists seem keen to illustrate my books. I have tried to avoid getting generic artwork on my books and in the main have been successful. When in doubt I always suggest Gustav Moreau. He's been on the Savoy Golden Barge, Fontana's Gloriana, Orion's Blood, Fabulous Harbours and The War Amongst the Angels. I got the transparencies myself from the appropriate museums for some of those!

[Governor of Rowe Island]

The Moreau covers are very striking. Fantastically detailed. Forgive my ignorance, but is he well known? He's not an artist I have come across anywhere else.

[Marca]

Forgot to mention that I also like the original New English Library covers for the Michael Kane books. I have a NEL edition of Lord of the Spiders from the mid 70s as well that is very striking. There's been a great deal of superb cover art for your books over the years. Too many to mention, but I'd also include some of the Paperback Library and Lancer US covers in the 60s. In fact, the cover art was part of what first attracted me to your books in the late 70s.

[Michael Moorcock]

Moreau's a very well known French symbolist painter. There used to be quite a few books of his work, both in English and French. I'm sure a google for him will reveal which of those books are currently in print.
My own favourite covers for the Kane books are Cawthorn's for the first editions, perhaps because Cawthorn was a great ERB illustrator, but it's true, there have been some very good covers for those books. I've often said that my cover artists, from Haberfield onward, have contributed a great deal to my sales. It's a shame they don't get royalties, too!

[GuyLawley]

The currently burning question remains, for me: who did the first few Mayflower photocollage covers; the original Stealer of Souls (red & green eye), Stormbringer (gritted teeth in stormy sky), and the first covers of the Runestaff series?

Early work by Bob H or some talented predecessor?

[Anonymous]

I remember being really impressed that you got Amano for some of your omnibus editions.. He must get paid a fortune by the Final Fantasy franchise alone (and I must say, is the best thing about it these days, since number 7) - is he a big fan?

[Michael Moorcock]

All those covers, Guy, were done by Haberfield. You'll find some of his photomontages in New Worlds, as well.
Amano and I have never met but we have a mutual admiration and have exchanged messages. We tried to meet in New York a few years back, when he planned to open a studio there, but I wasn't well enough to go.
All the covers you see on British books are actually covers he did for Japanese editions. There are quite a few more done for Japanese editions which have not appeared on English language books. There are also representations of Elric, either done as interiors or for compediums of his art. The most beautiful realisation of any figurine is the one done in Japan according to Amano's design. It has genuine aesthetic beauty.

[manmiles]

Is there any chance we can see the Cawthrorn art for the Michael Kane books?

Please?

[Michael Moorcock]

Can anyone help ? I don't have a flatbed scanner.

[Governor of Rowe Island]

Here we go manmiles. This will link you to the relevant picture in the gallery for 'Warrior of Mars.' Couldn't find the others, so I want to see them even more!

[expired link]

(If it isn't a Cawthorn cover, let me know and I'll delete this post. I wouldn't want to mislead anyone.)