BEWARE #12 * CGC 5.5 * Ravaged by Radium

Author:
Title: BEWARE No. 12
Place Published:
Publisher:Youthful [Indicia: Youthful Magazines, Inc.]
Date Published: October, 1952
Description: CGC certified: Fine (5.5). Off-white to white pages. Grader notes: Chews left bottom of cover; readers crease front cover; light creasing to cover; light staining to cover.

CGC Census: 30 graded copies (29 Universal, 1 Restored).

GPAnalysis: A 5.5 sold for $299 in 12/20; a 5.0 sold for $159 in 4/23.

Credits: Cover: Joseph Sokoli. Art: Harry Harrison, Vince Napoli, Bill Fraccio. Ravaged by Radium: Features Art Gates' "The Voice from Beyond," in which a watchmaker marries his employee, only for her to die of radiation poisoning from the radium she uses to decorate her hubby's watch dials – a plot twist derived from the real-life case of the "Radium Girls," who hand-painted luminous watch dials for military use during WWI, with lethal consequences.

"The women hired to paint dials came to be known as 'ghost girls' because the radium dust to which they were exposed daily made their clothes, hair, and skin literally glow. Many of the women wore their best dresses on the job so the fabric would shine brilliantly when they went dancing after work. Some even applied the paint to their teeth because it gave them radiant smiles.... When they asked about radium's safety, they were assured by their managers that they had nothing to worry about. Of course, that wasn't true. Radium can be extremely dangerous, especially with repeated exposure.... It wasn't long before the 'Radium Girls' began to experience the physical ravages of their exposure." – Don Vaughan, "Radium Girls: The Women Who Fought for Their Lives in a Killer Workplace." Brittanica.com.______________________________________________________________

A limited edition of ten hardcover catalogues is available, in addition to a few dozen softcovers. Fun reference, great keepsake, fully illustrated, chockablock with obscure facts, gags, bon mots. Softcovers are $40, deluxe hardcovers with dust jackets and limitation plates are $200. These books always go fast so don't delay. To order, contact ivan@pbagalleries.com.

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