#1 "Death Has a Small Voice"
This image was from the cover of the June 1953 edition of Mystery Guild Clues. These four-page inserts were included with books that were sent out as part of the Dollar Mystery Guild book club, which was based in Garden City, New York.
The illustration is for "Death Has a Small Voice," a mystery by Frances and Richard Lockridge. The novel is part of the Mr. and Mrs. North series by the authors. The book was available to Mystery Guild members for just $1.
Also highlighted within the four-page insert is the second selection of the month — "The Singing Sands" by Josephine Tey.
#2 An (Arrow) Escape
This lad is having extreme archery issues on this old Victorian trade card (which was trimmed at the edges before it came into my hands).
I have, in my brilliance, managed to temporarily misplace the card, so I can't tell you what was printed on the reverse side. It was a 19th century company from Maryland, but that's all I recall. So I'll have to come back to that one later.
Suffice to say, don't try this at home!
#3 An authentic dungeon master
This cloaked dude appears in an advertisement for Grenadier Models on the back cover of the June 1982 issue of Dragon magazine.
Grenadier Models made fantasy miniatures and was based in Springfield, Pennsylvania. It was in business from 1975 to 1996.
#4 Illustration from "Prince Lindworm"
Perhaps you recognized the work of Robin Jacques when you saw this?
If you did, you probably won't be surprised by the comic-looking monster that appears on the left side of the illustration.
It's from the Swedish tale "Prince Lindworm," which is retold by Ruth Manning-Sanders in "A Book of Monsters." (The monster, in case you're wondering, is holding one of his own skins, which he has just shed. You'll have to read the story to learn why.)
#5 "The Terrible Tiger"
This awkward-looking boy is petting his toy tiger, of course. "The Terrible Tiger" is an illustration in "Enchanting Stories," which was published in 1940 by The John C. Winston Company. The book is the "Third Reader Level Two" in the Easy Growth in Reading series.
The book was illustrated by Jacob Bates Abbott and Henry C. Pitz, one of whom must have drawn this colorful piece.