Last week I had several emails that I need to follow up and should provide great material for later blogs including tracking down Sue, the widow of Hans Helweg.

Back in October last year I had an email from journalist Stuart Webb who was looking to write an article with a PAN slant. He asked several questions and looking back I’m not sure how many, if any, I actually answered but that hasn’t stopped him writing a very informative piece about someone, whom I feel I should have known but didn’t, Louis Shabner.
A couple of weeks ago Stuart contacted me again to say his article had been published and in his excellent piece  explains Louis will probably be better know to PAN Fans as cover artist  ‘SHELDON’ and not to be confused with another PAN cover artist H. Harry Sheldon.  Louis, as Sheldon, painted at least 23 covers for PAN in the early 60’s, 21 of which are shown in the article which appears in ‘VE’ magazine Issue 41 and can be purchased on line at their website www.vintagexplorer.co.uk

The article gives a detailed account of his life and features several other evocative examples of Shabner’s work. It tells how the family tried to sell some of the originals back in 2017 using on line sites and an auction house with mixed results. The family are left with 17 they are going to keep. Stuart finishes by asks where others works may be and I’m wondering how many other PAN covers Louis may have painted that are unattributed? As usual if anyone can help by adding further information please let us know.

I experienced one of those weird coincidences while I was typing this as I got an email from Gordon Young whom I’ve mentioned before and who now lives in Milford on Sea. Gordon was emailing to say he had just heard that George Bath, who joined PAN the year he left in 1964, was now actually living a half a mile away! Seems like Milford was and is a popular place with the publishing trade as I’m sure the name has come up before.

…. and finally “HOW MUCH!!!!!”