Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1979 DM Screen: Teenage wish list Fulfilled

 

Back in the early 80's we wanted every TSR product we could get our hands on. High on that list was the DM Screen.

If you're a "gen-X" kid like me you remember the halcyon days of TSR. New D&D products appearing at the local store on a regular basis.

I grew up in a small town...rural even. We had to head to the larger small town to find D&D stuff. Even then...it was a crap shoot.

You'd better have the money on you or the new product might be gone...never to be seen again!

We'll...we all lusted after a DM Screen. Great art work by Dave Trampier & all.

Well...in my "Middle Age"...I've been lucky enough to aquire a couple of copies.

The 1st is an actual 1st print 1979 DM screen. It's in mint condition...and I paid a pretty penny for it.

4 panel cardboard. Front side (with he art work) is laminated, the inside is not. Have to love the Player's Handbook art. The other...with the Dragon, Lizardmen, and adventurers is my absolute favorite work by Trampier.

The 2nd DM screen is own is a 5th printing from 1981.

This edition adds the cover art by Erol Otus. I was able to identify this as a "5th printing" with the help of the great "The Acaeum" website. Check out Acaeum.com is you have any D&D items you need to identify or your wondering their worth.

 The 5th printing is in good shape. No where as clean, or pristine, as the 1st printing. Yellowing of pages, bends & folds. Still...a nice copy to have!

My inner teenager is always jazzed to look upon this gems. Takes me back to great times discovering the game with friends.

I'll leave you with a bonus...here's a better look at the covers of the 1st print...with the art in perfect condition! Excelsior!!

 

Dungeons and Dragons: Dave Trampier print

 

Back in 2022 I had the good fortune of purchasing this brilliant print of a Dave Trampier painting from none other than Tim Kask himself. It's taken me a while to blog about it...

July of '22 I noticed a sale on FB, posted by Jim Wampler. Yup...he of Dungeon Crawl Classic, Mutant Crawl Classic, fantastic artist & best bud of the "Curmudgeon in the Cellar" Tim Kask. 

FOR SALE: This is a 2/2 print made from a Dave Trampier painting originally done for The Dragon #11 in 1976. The painting includes caricatures of the TSR Periodicals staff, including Gary Gygax, Tim Kask, Jake Jaquet, Rob Kuntz, Dave Trampier, David Sutherland, Tom Wham, and Joe Orlowski.

The image was used on the back cover of The Dragon #11, and by TSR as a Christmas card that same year. The original painting hung in Tim’s basement for decades, and was sold to a collector a few years ago on the condition that Tim could make two prints of it first. The 1/2 print now resides in the same spot on Tim’s basement wall the painting once occupied, and with this auction the 2/2 print could hang on your wall.

The long & short of it? Bought the print from Tim. Hangs on my wall & makes me smile everytime I walk into the room! 

Tramp's my far and away favorite D&D artist. Thanks to Tim & Jim I own a bit of D&D history.

Here's some pics...

My copy The Dragon magazine #11 from December of 1977. The original TRAMP painting was on the back cover.

I was so jazzed the day it arrived.

TRAMP's initials in the lower right corner.

 The print after having it professionally framed.

That's not where the awesomeness ends, people! Tim sent along a note commemorating the sale. I almost flip my whig whenI realized the note was written on Tim's original letterhead from his time as THE editor of The Dragon magazine!

I still can't controll my fan boy enthusiasm! Thanks again Tim & Jim!

'Till next time.

EXCELSIOR