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delve
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D&D Basic Advert
« Thread Started on Oct 4, 2010, 10:20am »

Hiya Folks!

I came across this Holmes Basic advert for sale on ebay and I was wondering where it is from. Pehaps an old retailers catalogue?

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350353420142&ssPageName=STRK

« Last Edit: Oct 5, 2010, 12:57pm by delve »

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Zenopus
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Re: D&D Basic Advert
« Reply #1 on Oct 6, 2010, 8:14pm »

Oct 4, 2010, 10:20am, delve wrote:

Thanks for posting that link. I don't believe that I have seen that particular ad before. I grabbed a copy of the auction image, for future reference. Here it is:

[image]

Here's a similar but not identical one from the November 1979 Model Retailer:
[image]

This is courtesy Alexander1968 of the Acaeum, who posted a bunch of scans from Model Retailer in this thread (and other threads):
http://www.acaeum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6646&highlight=model+retailer

These ads both have the same photo, which is also the same photo found on the bottom of the "Fourth Print" of the Basic Set:
http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/setpages/basic.html

That photo shows a weird combination of the original printing of the Basic Set (Lizard Logo, Box with F115-R code, Rulebook with F116-R code) and a "pre-production" B1 module that was never published:
http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/modpages/b1.html

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Zenopus
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Re: D&D Basic Advert
« Reply #2 on Oct 24, 2010, 9:06am »

Here's another ad for the Basic Set (and Dungeon!):

[image]

YOU'LL BE AMAZED

THE SWORD AND SORCERY GAME OF ROLE PLAYING FOR THREE OR MORE ADULTS * THE BASIC SET CONTAINS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO BEGIN PLAYING THE GREATEST FANTASY GAME EVER!

I really like the artwork for this one - looks like Trampier to me.

This ad was posted on the Acaeum back in 2006 by jasonw1239. He found in the first issue of Asimov's SF Adventure Magazine (Fall 1978).

Here are some notes I posted there at the time:

I looked through Dragon magazines from 77 and 78 and didn't see this ad.

Although it appeared in a Fall 1978 magazine, it was probably created earlier than that, due to:
(1) Having a Lizard Logo; the July 1978 Dragon (#16) has Gamma World/Players Handbook ad with Lizard Logo; the August 1978 (#17) has full-page PH ad with Wizard Logo
(2) "T.M. REG. APP. FOR"; according to the Acaeum, the 3rd print Basic set rulebook (May 1978) still had the Lizard Logo but was missing the 'TM applied for' notice. The next printing of the rulebook (2nd edition) in Nov 78 had Wizard Logo.

(Also interesting they were advertising DUNGEON! as a solo game. Never saw that anywhere else).

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delve
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Re: D&D Basic Advert
« Reply #3 on Oct 24, 2010, 11:57am »

That is pretty cool!, do you know of there is higher res scan of this? I do recall seeing this in a magazine but in a small box on the corner of a page.

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Zenopus
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Re: D&D Basic Advert
« Reply #4 on Oct 25, 2010, 9:09am »

Oct 24, 2010, 11:57am, delve wrote:

That is pretty cool!, do you know of there is higher res scan of this? I do recall seeing this in a magazine but in a small box on the corner of a page.

The image above is the only one I have - it's a copy of the original scan posted on the Acaeum back in 2006. I don't have the original magazine, but there are four or so copies up on Ebay right now.

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coffee
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Re: D&D Basic Advert
« Reply #5 on Oct 25, 2010, 10:43am »

The "You'll Be Amazed!" ad looks like one I saw on digest-sized Science Fiction magazines back in the day. So I'm not sure if a higher res scan would do you much good.

(I may even have one or two of those magazines lying around somewhere...)

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Zenopus
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Re: D&D Basic Advert
« Reply #6 on Nov 5, 2010, 12:01am »

This trade ad shows a very early version of the Basic Set:

[image]

This image is from an Ebay auction that I spotted years ago. The page appears to have been ripped out of trade magazine. The ad features a Lizard Logo, and the advertised Basic set includes the Geomorphs and M&TA. Furthermore, the basic rulebook appears to have a triangle in the upper left corner, which may indicate a pre-production mock-up (as has been spotted for other products such as B2).

Edit: The same photo from this ad was also used on the bottom of the box for the first printing(s) of the Holmes Basic Set (Lizard Logo versions) - confirmed by a recent auction I spotted showing the bottom of the box.

The same photo, but in color, is also used on page 4 of an early TSR catalog titled "Games for Imaginative People" (presumably from 1977 or 1978):
[image]

A full scan of this eight page catalog can be found here at Tome of Treasures.

« Last Edit: Mar 10, 2011, 12:06pm by Zenopus »

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kesher
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Re: D&D Basic Advert
« Reply #7 on Nov 8, 2010, 10:09am »

I think it's interesting that the first advert calls out "Superheroes" as a main component of interest, especially since the Basic set only goes up to 3rd level...

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Zenopus
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Re: D&D Basic Advert
« Reply #8 on Mar 4, 2011, 7:37pm »

Here's another D&D ad featuring the Holmes Basic rulebook:

[image]

This was recently posted on the Acaeum. I've seen it before, but it was small and I didn't notice he was holding a Holmes Basic rulebook.

There's also a B2 on the table. The ad has the Wizard Logo, and may be from around the time of the last version of Holmes Basic set that contained B2 (~late 1979 - 1980). The Acaeum lists B2 as coming out in Dec 79.

« Last Edit: Mar 4, 2011, 7:43pm by Zenopus »

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grodog
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Re: D&D Basic Advert
« Reply #9 on Mar 5, 2011, 3:05pm »

Good stuff, thanks for the info Zach.

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Zenopus
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Re: D&D Basic Advert
« Reply #10 on Mar 10, 2011, 12:11pm »

Thanks, Allan!

Here's another ad, titled "Enter the Gateway to Adventure", for a later version (Wizard Logo) with B2 and chits. The B2 looks like the same pre-production version noted on the Acaeum that appeared on the bottom box cover of some Basic Sets. It doesn't seem to be the same photo since the pic on the Acaeum is cut-off in the lower left corner, and doesn't have any chits on the cover. This ad is from an old auction, so it's probably a page clipped from a magazine:

[image]

I also added a picture of a Holmes Basic set ad from a 77/78 catalog to one of my posts above.

« Last Edit: Mar 10, 2011, 12:21pm by Zenopus »

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delve
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Re: D&D Basic Advert
« Reply #11 on Apr 4, 2011, 11:23am »

Just found this Holmes D&D Basic Set ad for sale on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Odd-1980-DUNGEONS-DRA....item3cb5b32 f98

« Last Edit: Apr 4, 2011, 11:23am by delve »

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Zenopus
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Re: D&D Basic Advert
« Reply #12 on Apr 6, 2011, 10:23pm »

Thanks for posting that, Delve. I haven't seen that particular ad before. The copy in that Ebay auction was probably torn from a magazine.

Here it is, for posterity:
[image]

It's clearly an earlier version of the "Enter the Gateway" ad I posted above. Same set-up but with B1 in place of B2. Interesting to see the combination of B1 and chits - not a combination I've seen very often, but it corresponds to the Fifth or Sixth printing of the Basic Set according to the Acaeum page.

I like the line that "three or more people, dwarves, sorcerors, elves, fighters, clerics, or thieves can play."

« Last Edit: Apr 6, 2011, 10:30pm by Zenopus »

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arcadayn
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Re: D&D Basic Advert
« Reply #13 on Apr 7, 2011, 8:55am »

My original version of Holmes had both B1 and B2 with chits. Man, I wish I didn't return it to the store!

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Zenopus
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Re: D&D Basic Advert
« Reply #14 on Aug 21, 2011, 10:07pm »

Here's the listing from the 1980 Gateway to Adventure Catalog ("demon" cover, pg 3, early 1980):

[image]

This one is interesting because it strongly implies that the Basic set is part of the OD&D line. AD&D is listed separately on pages 4-5. B1 is listed on page 4 under 'Beginner's "B" Series - For use with Basic DUNGEONS & DRAGONS'.

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