PJF ESOTERICA
We have had several (ok three) requests to verify that a signature in a book is actually that of Philip José Farmer. While we are not experts in handwriting, Farmer's signature is fairly distinctive.
Fellow PJF fan Craig Kimber pointed out that Farmer's earlier signatures had a printed capital J while the later signatures use a cursive capital J. A check through our books show the books signed in 1995 had the cursive J. While some older items had the printed capital J.
Chris Schendel has told us he went to two different Farmer autograph parties in Los Angeles, and that the books Farmer signed for him in 1977 had the printed J, while books he signed in 1980 had the cursive J.
Click on any pic to view a larger version.
1977 and older signature
1980 and newer signature
As Kilgore Trout
Farmer's most famous, if not infamous, pen name is Kilgore Trout. Don't buy that signed copy of VENUS ON THE HALF-SHELL unless the signature looks like this. We have two magazines and four books signed "Kilgore Trout" and all have the distinctive K and T:
Do you have a book signed by Phil with an interesting inscription like these below? If so, please send it in to share with our readers.
Phil's longtime friend Bob Barrett shares these three inscriptions:
In DOC SAVAGE
In A FEAST UNKNOWN
In THE ADVENTURE OF THE PEERLESS PEER
Farmer collector Russell Wright shares his collection of humorously inscribed books:
An association copy of THE GREEN ODDYSEY inscribed to Forrest J Ackerman.
An inscription about the publisher in TONGUES OF THE MOON.
An inscription about the publisher in A PRIVATE COSMOS.
An association copy of DOC SAVAGE: HIS APOCALYPTIC LIFE inscribed to editor David Hartwell.
Autograph and inscription in DOWN IN THE BLACK GANG.
Two more inscriptions in the same copy of DOWN IN THE BLACK GANG.
An association copy of THE GRAND ADVENTURE inscribed to Robert Block.
A postcard and an inscribed copy of THE ADVENTURE OF THE PEERLESS PEER.
An association copy of ESCAPE FROM LOKI inscribed to science fiction bibliographer Sheldon Jaffery.
An inscribed copy of NOTHING BURNS IN HELL with a reference to Y2K.
Mitch West shares items from his collection, a book, a magazine, and even a manuscript:
An Essex House printing of IMAGE OF THE BEAST.
"The Jungle Rot Kid on the Nod" from the adult magazine Broadside (with a literary story in the midst of trash).
Manuscript copy of "The Henry Miller Dawn Patrol
(This is one of my favorite stories, also of the Playboy editors).
Mark Abrahamson shares this terrific sample which includes a sketch of a trout:
VENUS ON THE HALF-SHELL.