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HORWITZ PENGUIN BOOKS (Australia)




THIS PAGE 'Horwitz' 33 volumes


For other Australasian Penguins see:
Penguins in Australia (AUS) 1940-46
Australian Penguins (AU1 - AU28) 1963-1970
and
Penguins in New Zealand (NZ) 1941-1945





This series of books produced for the Australian market might be considered by some as not truly Penguin. It does not bear the Penguin colophon nor the traditional Penguin cover designs - with the front cover garish and not to Allen Lane's expressed tastes. This unlikely joint venture between Horwitz and Penguin took place over the period 1961 to 1963 and involved the publication of 33 books.

Horwitz began publishing in Australia in 1920 and was already successful as a publisher and also as a bookseller through its conventional bookstores as well as through local cornershops and newsagents. They reached agreement with Allen Lane to issue a selected range of Penguin titles, a number of which had been prompted by recent film successes.

While these books may have looked like 'pulp' fiction, their content certainly was not. They had covers which were attractive to the public and sold in large numbers. That may also have been the attraction to Allen Lane, to boost his income stream. The art work was undertaken by the Horwitz Art Department in Australia and was approved by Penguin before they were produced by the regular Penguin printers in Great Britain, and for two books by Penguin's printer in the Netherlands, NV Drukkerij Bosch. Basically, these were standard Penguin books with different covers. However, the title page stated 'Horwitz Publications Inc. Melbourne and Sydney' and facing opposite there was often an advert for other books by the same author published by Penguin, and how to obtain them from Penguin Books Pty in Australia. The verso title page gave the date of that edition, that it was published by both companies, and the name of the British (or Dutch) printer. Examples are shown at H14, H1560 and H1868 below.

NUMBERING: Unlike other series produced by Horwitz, these books were numbered with the Penguin main series number preceded by an 'H'. Thus the first was H14 and the last H1899.

In an article Andrew Nette states: "The unusual nature of the deal was highlighted by the fact that Penguin felt the need to put out a statement explaining it in an issue of the local trade magazine, Ideas About Books and Bookselling. The statement labelled the arrangement 'a marketing experiment being carried out by Penguin with the assistance of Horwitz Publications', which aimed to reach 'the mass market which regards reading as light entertainment, along with films, magazines, television and so on' ('The Paperback Front'). Penguin's choice to make the pulp publisher its partner was recognition that Horwitz had distribution networks and marketing that were ideally suited to the new environment." ¹

Although the venture was a financial success, Allen Lane's brother Richard, who moved to Australia to establish Penguin Books Pty there, had not been consulted over the deal and thought it was 'possibly the worst single move the firm had made in twenty-five years'. In a letter to his brother he wrote "I have always regarded our own imprint as being the best in the paperback field and to share an imprint with Horwitz is sheer prostitution. The only possible reason for this joint enterprise must be money ..."²

We would like to thank Chris Holland (Australia) for suggesting this page. We are grateful to him for his ideas and providing content from his personal collection.

1. An Explosive Novel of Strange Passions': Horwitz Publications and Australia's Pulp Modernism, Andrew Nette (2019) Australian Literary Studies, vol. 34, no. 2.

2. Quoted in Penguin and the Lane Brothers by Stuart Kells, (2015) Black Inc., Australia.


Information and cover photographs of Horwitz Penguin Books Series:

H14



Series No.: H14
Title: THE THIN MAN
Author: Dashiell Hammett
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 192pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: Richard Clay and Co Ltd
Price: 5/-
Original publication date by Penguin: 18 October 1935

The second and third images show advertising of other Penguin Books, the publisher as Horwitz, the joint publication venture, date of this edition and printer in Great Britain.

Images and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H442
Series No.: H442
Title: BRIGHTON ROCK
Author: Graham Greene
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 192pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: Hazell, Watson and Viney Ltd
Price: 5/6
Original publication date by Penguin: August 1943

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H851
Series No.: H851
Title: THE HIGH WINDOW
Author: Raymond Chandler
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 224pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: Hunt, Barnard and Co Ltd
Price: 5/-
Original publication date by Penguin: May 1951

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H880
Series No.: H880
Title: THE WOMAN OF ROME - A Novel
Author: Albert Moravia
Translated: from the Italian by Lydia Holland
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 382pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: Wyman and Sons Ltd
Price: 6/6
Original publication date by Penguin: July 1952

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H933
Series No.: H933
Title: THE INIMITABLE JEEVES
Author: P. G. Wodehouse
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 224pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: The Whitefriars Press Ltd
Price: 5/6
Original publication date by Penguin: 24 April 1953

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H939
Series No.: H939
Title: THE CASE OF THE STUTTERING BISHOP
Author: Erle Stanley Gardner
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 192pp.
Printed by: NV Drukkerij Bosch
Price: 4/6
Original publication date by Penguin: 25 September 1953

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H952
Series No.: H952
Title: THE CASE OF THE COUNTERFEIT EYE
Author: Erle Stanley Gardner
Date Published by Horwitz: 1962
Pages: 192pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: C. Nicholls and Co Ltd
Price: 4/6
Original publication date by Penguin: 21 August 1953

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H965
Series No.: H965
Title: THE CASE OF THE DROWSY MOSQUITO
Author: Erle Stanley Gardner
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 224pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: Hazell, Watson and Viney Ltd
Price: 5/-
Original publication date by Penguin: 22 January 1954

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H993
Series No.: H993
Title: DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS
Author: John Wyndham
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 272pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: Hunt, Barnard and Co Ltd
Price: 5/6
Original publication date by Penguin: 22 January 1954

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H1074
Series No.: H1074
Title: THE CASE OF THE CARETAKER'S CAT
Author: Erle Stanley Gardner
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 224pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: C. Nicholls and Co Ltd
Price: 5/-
Original publication date by Penguin: 30 June 1955

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H1256
Series No.: H1256
Title: TEN LITTLE NIGGERS
Author: Agatha Christie
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 208pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: Hunt, Barnard and Co Ltd
Price: 5/-
Original publication date by Penguin: 9 January 1958

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H1261
Series No.: H1261
Title: FINAL CURTAIN
Author: Ngaio Marsh
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 256pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: Hazell, Watson and Viney Ltd
Price: 5/-
Original publication date by Penguin: 9 January 1958

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H1308
Series No.: H1308
Title: THE CHRYSALIDS
Author: John Wyndham
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 200pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: Cox and Wyman Ltd
Price: 5/-
Original publication date by Penguin: 28 August 1958

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H1313
Series No.: H1313
Title: GIGI AND THE CAT
Author: Colette
Translated: from the French by Roger Senhouse
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 160pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: Hazell, Watson and Viney Ltd
Price: 4/6
Original publication date by Penguin: 25 September 1958
1958 film starring Leslie Caron, Maurice Chevalier, Hermione Gingold and Eva Gabor, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H1361
Series No.: H1361
Title: ROOM AT THE TOP
Author: John Braine
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 240pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: Hazell, Watson and Viney Ltd
Price: 3/9
Original publication date by Penguin: 19 February 1959
1959 film starring Laurence Harvey, Simone Signoret and Donald Wolfit, British Lion Films

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H1376
Series No.: H1376
Title: THE CASE OF THE GOLD-DIGGER'S PURSE
Author: Erle Stanley Gardner
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 224pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: Cox and Wyman Ltd
Price: 5/-
Original publication date by Penguin: 25 June 1959

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H1385
Series No.: H1385
Title: THE SEEDS OF TIME
Author: John Wyndham
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 224pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: Hazell, Watson and Viney Ltd
Price: 5/-
Original publication date by Penguin: 23 July 1959

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H1447
Series No.: H1447
Title: THE ANGEL IN THE CORNER
Author: Monica Dickens
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 304pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: Hazell, Watson and Viney Ltd
Price: 6/-
Original publication date by Penguin: 26 May 1960

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H1455
Series No.: H1455
Title: THE CASE OF THE CURIOUS BRIDE
Author: Erle Stanley Gardner
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 208pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: Cox and Wyman Ltd
Price: 5/-
Original publication date by Penguin: 28 April 1960

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H1479
Series No.: H1479
Title: ANATOMY OF A MURDER
Author: Robert Traver
Cover: shows still from the 1959 film with James Stewart and Ben Gazzara, Columbia Pictures
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 396pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: C. Nicholls and Co Ltd
Price: 6/6
Original publication date by Penguin: 29 September 1960

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H1519
Series No.: H1519
Title: BITTER HONEYMOON AND OTHER STORIES
Author: Albert Moravia
Translated: by Baptista Gilliat Smith, Frances Frenaye and mostly by Bernard Wall, who also made the selection in consultation with the author
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 208pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: C. Nicholls and Co Ltd
Price: 5/-
Original publication date by Penguin: 12 January 1961

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H1560





Series No.: H1560
Title: DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE
Author: Richard Gordon
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 192pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: Cox and Wyman Ltd
Price: 5/6
Original publication date by Penguin: 29 June 1961
1954 comedy film starring Dirk Bogarde, Kenneth More and James Roberstson Justice, Rank Film Organisation

The other 4 images show advertising of other Penguin Books, the publisher as Horwitz, the joint publication venture, date of this edition and printer in Great Britain.

Images and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H1561
Series No.: H1561
Title: DOCTOR AT SEA
Author: Richard Gordon
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 224pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: C. Nicholls and Co Ltd
Price: 5/6
Original publication date by Penguin: 29 June 1961
1955 comedy film starring Dirk Bogarde, Brigitte Bardot and James Roberstson Justice, Rank Film Organisation

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H1562
Series No.: H1562
Title: DOCTOR AT LARGE
Author: Richard Gordon
Cover: illustration by Frank Benier
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 208pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: Hunt, Barnard and Co Ltd
Price: 5/6
Original publication date by Penguin: 29 June 1961
1957 comedy film starring Dirk Bogarde and James Roberstson Justice, Rank Film Organisation

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H1563
Series No.: H1563
Title: DOCTOR IN LOVE
Author: Richard Gordon
Cover: illustration by Frank Benier
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 192pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: Hazell, Watson and Viney Ltd
Price: 5/6
Original publication date by Penguin: 29 June 1961
1960 comedy film starring Michael Craig, Leslie Phillips and James Roberstson Justice, Rank Film Organisation

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H1602
Series No.: H1602
Title: DARLING BUDS OF MAY
Author: H. E. Bates
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 160pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: Richard Clay and Co Ltd
Price: 4/6
Original publication date by Penguin: 27 July 1961
1959 film starring Debbie Reynolds and Paul Douglas, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H1608
Series No.: H1608
Title: PLAYBACK
Author: Raymond Chandler
Date Published by Horwitz: 1961
Pages: 160pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: Cox and Wyman Ltd
Price: 4/6
Original publication date by Penguin: 27 July 1961

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H1685
Series No.: H1685
Title: A BREATH OF FRENCH AIR
Author: H. E. Bates
Date Published by Horwitz: 1962
Pages: 160pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: C. Nicholls and Co Ltd
Price: 4/6
Original publication date by Penguin: 22 February 1962

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H1727
Series No.: H1727
Title: BRIDGE TO THE SUN
Author: Gwen Terasaki
Date Published by Horwitz: 1962
Pages: 256pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: C. Nicholls and Co Ltd
Price: 6/-
Original publication date by Penguin: 22 February 1962
1961 film starring James Shigeta, Carroll Baker and James Yagi, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H1750
Series No.: H1750
Title: GIDGET
Author: Frederick Kohner
Date Published by Horwitz: 1963
Pages: 144pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: Hazell, Watson and Viney Ltd
Price: 5/-
Original publication date by Penguin: 25 April 1963
1959 film starring Sandra Dee and Cliff Robertson, Columbia Pictures

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H1868


Series No.: H1868
Title: THE CASE OF THE SMOKING CHIMNEY
Author: Erle Stanley Gardner
Date Published by Horwitz: 1963
Pages: 176pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: Hunt, Barnard and Co Ltd
Price: 5/-
Original publication date by Penguin: 10 January 1963

The additional image shows advertising (for Penguin) of other Erle Stanley Gardner books as "also published in the Penguin standard edition".

Images and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H1869
Series No.: H1869
Title: THE CASE OF THE EMPTY TIN
Author: Erle Stanley Gardner
Date Published by Horwitz: 1963
Pages: 224pp.
Printed in Great Britain by: Hunt, Barnard and Co Ltd
Price: 5/-
Original publication date by Penguin: 10 January 1963

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland
H1899
Series No.: H1899
Title: THE CASE OF THE TURNING TIDE
Author: Erle Stanley Gardner
Date Published by Horwitz: 1963
Pages: 208pp.
Printed by: NV Drukkerij Bosch
Price: 5/-
Original publication date by Penguin: 10 January 1963

Image and additional information courtesy of Chris Holland




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This page was last modified on 26 June 2022
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