Bethlehem Collection - 2000

The Bethlehem Collection was found in 1991 by Joe Rainone and Philip Weiss. It was dubbed the Bethlehem Collection because a large percentage of the books, particularly, those from the 1950's were imprinted on the back covers with an arrival date and a store stamp which read "E.J. Kery, Kodak-Film-Magazine Shop 703 E. 4th Street, Bethlehem, PA". (see scan below)

While others from this era revealed only a lower case "b" stamped on the front or back covers. In some, but not all cases the lower case "b" marking seemed to be indicative of a second or third copy of the same book. Some doubles and triples did not have any authenticity markings of any kind.

The issues from the 1960's were imprinted on the front or back cover with a small typed arrival date, for example, "Dec 14 1967". (see scan below) This prestigious collection consisted of approx. 18,000 pieces of printed materials including magazines and pulps and ranged between the years 1949 - 1969.

The Bethlehem Collection comic books contain some notable identifiable characteristics; Most books have incredible gloss, revealing brilliant ink reflectivity and bright colors. Structurally most books were near perfect save for a front or back cover chip out. Lesser page quality and more prominent dust or sun shadows were likely to be seen on Bethlehem books from the 1960's, due to improper storage.

Most importantly, what makes the Bethlehem Collection one of the most famous "pedigree" collections was that it was all purchased by an original owner, a gentleman named Stanley Pachon. Mr. Pachon was a nationally recognized collector of Horatio Alger books. After he passed away, an estate sales revealed a home filled with printed material stacked from floor to ceiling, from the basement to the attic. The complete story of this collection was first reported in local central Pennsylvania newspapers and in the Comic Book Market Place #7.

ComicCollectors.net is pleased to be a part of this history making collection by offering this group of 1950's Pre and Post Code Monster, Horror, Science Fiction, Fantasy, War and Crime Bethlehem books to the general public for the first time ever. Go to the Collectors Inventory where many superb books from the Bethlehem Collection are still available! 

When all is said and done, ComicCollectors.net / Collectors Assemble! will have proudly purchased almost one quarter of the entire Bethlehem Collection with 500 High Grade Horror, Sci-Fi and Crime Pulps along with 2000 Dell and Gold Key movie and TV picture cover comics to follow later in 2000.

Marnin Rosenberg
ComicCollectors.net / Collectors Assemble!

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Remaining Bethlehem Pedigree books surface!

New York - The remaining high grade comic books from the "Bethlehem Collection" (central Pennsylvania collector Stanley Pachon) have surfaced, thanks to dealer / collector Marnin Rosenberg. The original portion of the Bethlehem Collection - named as a result of a store stamp from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania on the back of the 1950's comics - was uncovered in 1991 (as first reported way back in CBM #7). Pachon's 18,000 books from 1940-1969 were an amazing find and featured an enormous number of NM Silver Age books including one of the best known copies of ASM #1. Marnin Rosenberg explained that the individuals who originally discovered the collection repaid their financial backer in comics rather than cash, specifically with titles that they considered less desirable. Interestingly, the backer was pleased with the material he received because they were the titles which he liked the most. He felt the deal was very fair. This last-to-surface portion of the Bethlehem Collection includes mainly sci fi, pre-Code horror, fantasy, crime, and war... many of the most in-demand genres. For collectors, the occasion marks the first time such a large group of "Atom Age" Bethlehem books will become publically available. Rosenberg commented," Unlike so many major deals involving high-grade pedigree comics, this one involved a particularly friendly person who was a pleasure to work with. The transaction took place over nearly a decade... and the owner really cherished these comics. " Many of the Bethlehem books are purported to be the nicest copies in existence.

Collectors Assemble will be offering an amazing 4,000 Bethlehem comics. The books will become available for sale via website at ComicCollectors.net and via advertisement in CBM. Marnin Rosenberg can be reached at (516) 466-8147. As the local newspaper reported upon discovering the Bethlehem comics: "Mr. Pachon, a nationally recognized collector of Horatio Alger books, had printed materials of every kind stacked to the ceilings of his house, from the basement to the attic... (he had) a love for those items which preserved modern Americana in a rare tribute."

© 1999 Comic Book Marketplace
Reprinted with permission from
Comic Book Marketplace.

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1,800 Bethlehem Collection comics found!

Comics dealer Marnin Rosenberg of Collectors Assemble! in Great Neck, N.Y., has announced the acquisition of approximately 1,800 comics from the Bethlehem Collection. "About eight years ago, I met a wonderful gentleman at a comics convention in New York City," Rosenberg said, "who had some Atlas comics at his booth". "At that time, being as much a collector as a dealer, he told me he had a stash of comics at home which he planned to sell someday. " Over the next eight years, the collector sent Rosenberg small groups of comics from the Bethlehem Collection, and the two developed a friendship. "I would bug him every few months about his large group of comics," Rosenberg added. "He promised he would give me first shot at his stash and he kept his word." Rosenberg described the lot as containing both pre- and post- Code horror, science fiction, fantasy, war, and crime comics from the 1950s. "About 80-85% are Very Fine or better and consist of many rare treasures from the era, which, if found at all, are usually discovered in lower grades," he said. "It is the first time that this group of Bethlehem comics are being made available to the general public." Rosenberg's plans are to offer the comics for sale near the end of November on his website at ComicCollectors.net.

© 1999 Krause Publications, Inc.
Reprinted with permission
from Comics Buyer's Guide
CBG #1357, page 10
700 East State Street, Iola, WI 54945