Any course collectors out there?
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2017 12:36 am
I believe I have assembled the greatest collection in the world of all the classic bodybuilding/martial arts courses advertised in the comic books of yesteryear... The Universal Bodybuilding Course, Joe Weider Course, National Sports Council, World's Deadliest Fighting Secrets by Count Dante... and, of course, the Charles Atlas Course.
Most of these books are beyond rare. What sets my collection apart, is the extent I went through to obtain the related ephemera - order forms, letters, envelopes, brochures, membership cards... This is one massive collection! The courses all seemed to follow a similar sales procedure - in return for a self-addressed stamped envelope, or $.25, it was implied that you would receive the course. In actuality, you received information describing the course, with the sales pitch that, if you sent in $40, you would receive the actual course. If you failed to respond, you would periodically receive additional information regarding purchasing the course, with a lower price increment each time. These information packets advertising the course, are many times more rare than the courses themselves. In the case of the Charles Atlas Course, you would typically receive a booklet (Secrets of Muscular Power & Beauty/Everlasting Health and Strength/You, Too, Can Be a New Man/How Dynamic Tension Makes You a New Man), a brochure, an Analysis chart and order form. The rarest part of this package would be a letter enclosed with the booklet ("In sending for my book, Everlasting Health and Strength...") further detailing the course.
Some rare aspects of the original course:
When you placed your order, you specified whether you wished to gain or lose weight. The single letter entitled "How to Gain Weight" is rare, due to the fact that it was a single page not stapled to anything. Not many of these survived. For those who desired to lose weight, they were presumably sent three or four pages detailing aerobic exercise. I say "presumably" because I have only ever seen two examples, and although they were included with Charles Atlas courses sold on eBay, I am still not 100% certain that they are, in fact, officially part of the Charles Atlas Course.
Some other items included or advertised to be purchased seperately over the years: A set of 10 hygenics books; money belt; "Charles Atlas" inscribed pen; tape measure; tanning lamp; sports watch... not to mention the Charles Atlas medal and trophy.
There have been slight variations in the course over the years. If anyone has any specific questions, I can dig through my collection and try to find an answer for you.
I am impressed with the new addition of the course sold on this site. Updated just enough in style as to not deviate too much from the flavor of the original course. I have the new course right alongside my classic collection.
So, are there any other course collectors out there?
Most of these books are beyond rare. What sets my collection apart, is the extent I went through to obtain the related ephemera - order forms, letters, envelopes, brochures, membership cards... This is one massive collection! The courses all seemed to follow a similar sales procedure - in return for a self-addressed stamped envelope, or $.25, it was implied that you would receive the course. In actuality, you received information describing the course, with the sales pitch that, if you sent in $40, you would receive the actual course. If you failed to respond, you would periodically receive additional information regarding purchasing the course, with a lower price increment each time. These information packets advertising the course, are many times more rare than the courses themselves. In the case of the Charles Atlas Course, you would typically receive a booklet (Secrets of Muscular Power & Beauty/Everlasting Health and Strength/You, Too, Can Be a New Man/How Dynamic Tension Makes You a New Man), a brochure, an Analysis chart and order form. The rarest part of this package would be a letter enclosed with the booklet ("In sending for my book, Everlasting Health and Strength...") further detailing the course.
Some rare aspects of the original course:
When you placed your order, you specified whether you wished to gain or lose weight. The single letter entitled "How to Gain Weight" is rare, due to the fact that it was a single page not stapled to anything. Not many of these survived. For those who desired to lose weight, they were presumably sent three or four pages detailing aerobic exercise. I say "presumably" because I have only ever seen two examples, and although they were included with Charles Atlas courses sold on eBay, I am still not 100% certain that they are, in fact, officially part of the Charles Atlas Course.
Some other items included or advertised to be purchased seperately over the years: A set of 10 hygenics books; money belt; "Charles Atlas" inscribed pen; tape measure; tanning lamp; sports watch... not to mention the Charles Atlas medal and trophy.
There have been slight variations in the course over the years. If anyone has any specific questions, I can dig through my collection and try to find an answer for you.
I am impressed with the new addition of the course sold on this site. Updated just enough in style as to not deviate too much from the flavor of the original course. I have the new course right alongside my classic collection.
So, are there any other course collectors out there?