Although this essay doesn't discuss Clark Ashton Smith, I thought it might still be of interest:

[www.nybooks.com]

Mike

We owe you for taking the time to post this link.

Really worth it.

Thank you.

You're welcome!

Buyers (spendthrifts like me) beware: if you click on the illustration of Lovecraft by David Levine, the NYRB website will try to sell you a nicely matted and framed version. _Then_ they hit you with the price!

Mike

If you want to blow off money, try buying Lovecraft's and related volumes from Arkham House press. They are handsome, beautifully bound books.

But they will darn near put you in the poorhouse.

Example: August Derleth's collected detective stories, in two vol's. Price: $125.00

It is almost worth it since they are the "standard" publishers of Lovecraft, Derleth, and other "macabre" masters.

Pat

The AH Lovecraft books seem pretty reasonably priced to me. And some of the other books are quite cheap.

Juha-Matti Rajala

Stating the obvious, the only reason that fancy Solar Pons Omnibus is $125 (and that's low for really good condition copies) is because it was a limited edition, is out of print, and in the collector's market now. This was a beautifully produced prestige edition, slipcased, two volumes, 1306 pages -- not meant for the casual fan. Obviously books like this rise in value, sometimes astronomically, when they go out of print. The Solar Pons paperbacks from Pinnacle Books are fairly easy to find and not expensive at a few bucks each. Ebay often has them.