375  THE LOST AND THE DAMNED - Warren Carrier, nd (1957)  There are 8 Copeland Berkleys in the paperback price guides.  (All of the information on Copeland covers in Holroyd's PAPERBACK PRICES is taken verbatim from Warren's OFFICIAL PRICE GUIDE:  PAPERBACKS, 1991. And Warren's main source was R.C. Holland.)  I think Copeland did a lot more work, much of it uncredited, for Berkley.  I have 38 of them on our checklist so far, starting here.

377  TWIST OF THE KNIFE - Victor Canning, nd (1957).

G-61  ANDREWS' HARVEST - John Evans, nd (1957).

G-69  AFFAIR IN CAPRI - Mario Soldati, nd (1957).  This unsigned cover is credited to Copeland in the price guides.  It is unquestionably his work, and it is a brilliant and evocative paperback cover.

G-83  MARTHA CRANE - Charles Gorham, nd (1957).  Not to be confused with a different Berkley edition of MARTHA CRANE, the 1960 second printing D2022, which has a cover by Rudy Nappi.

G-85  THREE OF A KIND - P.J. Wolfson, nd (1957).     What are we to make of the later printing with a photo cover shown below?  Was this the photograph the art director at Berkley gave Copeland, with instructions to turn it into a painting?  Or did Copeland take the photo himself first, as some cover artists did?  Whatever the real story, comparing this to the Copeland version confirms how he turned any image into his own unique view of beauty.

G-103  FORBID ME NOT - Blair Fuller, nd (1958).  This uncredited art was previously unattributed, but I thought it looked like a Copeland.  That hunch was verified by the painting below, Charles Copeland's original art for FORBID ME NOT. The slatted shadows - as the sun bleeds through the blinds onto her body - are a remarkable touch.

G-119  THE ENORMOUS RADIO - John Cheever, 1958.

Uncredited but reminiscent of Copeland's work for SWANK.

G-126  NAOMI MARTIN - Clarkson Crane, 1958.  Stylistically different enough to lead one collector to suggest this is not Copeland, this unsigned cover has been attributed to Copeland by the price guides, and by Charles Copeland's sister, who at age 90 still knows her brother's work when she sees it.

G-133  TROPIC MOON - Georges Simenon, 1958.  Copeland?  I suspect this unsigned and previously unattributed cover art is Copeland.  The setting, a man and a woman in a tropical room with palm trees outside, reminds me of his cover for Berkley G-103, FORBID ME NOT.  The woman's face, in profile above a nude shoulder, reminds me of the woman on his cover ANDREWS' HARVEST (Berkley G-61).

I see several subtle similarities that lead me to believe ANDREWS' HARVEST and TROPIC MOON are the work of the same artist.

G-146  THE MAN WITHIN - Graham Greene, 1958.  Copeland? Just a guess, based first on those swooping eyebrows. (See THE ASSASSIN, Berkley Diamond D2027, below.)  The only times you are going to see eyebrows like those are on a Charles Copeland painting or in 1950s science fiction movies about women from Venus.

G-161  THE WICKED AND THE WARPED - Max Alth, nd (1958). The Pulpcards postcard reprint of this cover credits the art to Charles Copeland.  I asked Pulpcards' Jeff Luther where he got that information and he answered, "R.C. Holland."  Holland was a master paperback seller, a good friend and the editor of the BOOKS ARE EVERYTHING fanzine.  He had a great eye for cover artists and when he wasn't sure, he guessed.  He was right on the money with THE WICKED AND THE WARPED.  I found a magazine illustration credited to Copeland in the April 1957 issue of ADVENTURE LIFE that looks like another version of this pose. See below.

Detail from an illustration for ADVENTURE LIFE, April 1957.

G-167  ADAM AND EVIL - John Carlova, 1958. 

G-184  THE SHAMELESS ONES - Uberto Quintavalle, 1958.  Copeland's signature is faintly visible to the left of the man's knee.

Another beautiful, colorful, passionate cover and, oh look, her shoe is open to you.

This cover is credited to Copeland in the price guides, and got recycled in a pose he used in MALE, August 1962:

G-187  THE BIG WHEEL - John Brooks, 1958.

G-199  MAKE ME AN OFFER - Charles Gorham, 1959. Previously unattributed.  But the man on the striped furniture with a drink and a cigarette matches a man in Copeland's illustration for MALE in April 1958.  And the woman opening her dress for him first appeared with him in a Copeland illustration for STAG, July 1957. Both are shown below.

A Copeland illustration in MALE April 1958.

Copeland art in STAG July 1957

BG-212  PRETTIEST GIRL IN TOWN - Thomas Fall, 1959.  In the price guides.

BG238  THE LESSONS OF LOVE - W. Carroll Munro, 1959.  Previously unattributed.  Copeland recycled the bearded man in the chair as part of his illustration for the Dec 1961 issue of MAN'S WORLD. It was reprinted in the November 1964 issue of SPORTSMAN, a detail of which is shown below. 

SPORTSMAN Nov 1964 (detail)

G248  THREE OF A KIND - Wolfson, 2nd printing 1959.  Uses same cover art as the first printing, G-85.  (not shown)

G256  THE INCREDIBLE TRUTH - Chris Massie, 1959. 

Berkley Diamond D2019  MARRIED TO MURDER - Harry Whittington, 1959.  The signature "C. Copeland" appears under the corpse. This brilliant hardboiled mystery paperback cover is credited to Copeland in the price guides.

There are only 43 books in the brief Berkley Diamond set (1959-1960), but with cover artists like Robert Maguire, Robert McGinnis, Darcy, Rudy Nappi, Milo - and Charles Copeland - they are a beautiful set of collectibles.  Nothing at all like the mid-1960s, when Berkley had a different art department, used none of those artists, and produced a bleak series of some of the least attractive  paperbacks in American publishing history

Berkley Diamond D2027  THE ASSASSIN - E.M. Harper, 1960.  Copeland's printed "c copeland" signature is under the dead man's face.  A classic example of "the sideways glance" - and the Venusian eyebrows.  This is credited to Charles Copeland in the price guides.

.

Berkley Diamond D2032  THE NAKED HUNTER, William Woolfolk, 1960.

Uncredited.

G460  ON EASY TERMS - Kay Martin, 1960.  Signature.  In the price guides.

Taller format, now called Berkley Medallion.

G470  THE VERY WICKED - Nick Hudson, 1960. Uncredited.

G483  NINE TO FIVE - W.H. Prosser, 1960.

Y641  HELL ON WHEELS - W.E. Butterworth, 1962.  For more information on this writer, see "The Curious Case of the Missing Berkley Butterworths" below.  

Y650  VENUS IN MINK - Philippe Massart, 1962.  Although uncredited, this cover art echoes Copeland's simultaneous illustration for the February 1962 issue of FOR MEN ONLY (detail shown below). He would return to similar poses again among the hundreds of illustrations he did for the men's adventure magazines.

FOR MEN ONLY, Feb 1962 (detail)

Y658  ONE FOR THE MONEY - Elliott Chaze, 1962.  The eighth Copeland Berkley in the price guides. Perhaps Copeland's most desired cover, this one appears in Gary Lovisi's COLLECTIBLE PAPERBACK PRICE GUIDE (2008), where a fine copy is priced at $275.

BLACK WINGS HAS MY ANGEL was originally published by Gold Medal in 1953.  Although the book between the covers is unforgettable, the Gold Medal cover art is rather unexciting.  When Chaze had the book reprinted by Berkley as ONE FOR THE MONEY in 1962, Charles Copeland supplied a painting that illustrated the perfect scene in the story for its cover.  It made for a delicious combination of author and artist.  This one deserves its reputation as a big money book.

Y698  THE GIRL IN THE BLACK BIKINI - W.E. Butterworth, 1962.  Even though the cover art is signed by Copeland, THE GIRL IN THE BLACK BIKINI remains a scarce, elusive paperback that has never been credited to him anywhere that I have seen and is not listed in any of the price guides.  Copeland painted a lot of covers, but he was on some kind of a roll in 1962 when he followed ONE FOR THE MONEY with this.

Author also writes as W.E.B. Griffin. See HELL ON WHEELS, above.

Y708  LOVE IN THE SUN - Gerald Gohier, 1962. 

Z2880  REQUIEM FOR MIGNON - Catherine Malherbe, 1975.  Thirteen years after his previous Berkley, Charles Copeland appears again on Berkley Medallions with some Gothic Romance covers.

N2978  THE MALICIOUS MADONNA - Dallas Romaine, 1975.

N3005  THE BLACK SWAN - Rachel Cosgrove Payes, 1975.

Z3092 HOUSE OF THE TWELVE CAESARS - Phyllis Hastings, 1975.

"Berkley Large-Type Gothic". 

Z3185  THE SAPPHIRE LEGACY - Rachel Cosgrove Payes, 1976.

0-425-03191-8  MEG MILLER - Margaret SeBastian, 1976.  THE SAPPHIRE LEGACY (Z3185) and MEG MILLER were published in the same month, August 1976, but show the shift in Berkley's numbering system as the price goes from $1.25 to $1.50.  "Berkley Large-Type Romance".

0-425-03391-0  THE HAUNTING OF CLIFFSIDE by Letton, 1977.  
Thanks to Ruben from paperbackart.com

plus one hardcover:

SWEET'S FOLLY - Fiona Hill, 1977. Berkley Putnam hardcover in dust jacket.

There is a Berkley paperback edition of SWEET'S FOLLY, but the cover, depicting this same scene from the book, is painted by a different artist.

51921-0  THE MAN WHO SOLD DEATH - Nick Carter, nd.  Reprints Award AO1297 with same Copeland cover art.

BEIRUT INCIDENT, Ace Charter 05381-5 - Carter, 1975.

423ZK  MADE IN JAPAN - Glen Chase, nd.  Most of the Cherry Delight series have photo covers, but this one has cover art by an uncredited Charles Copeland

427KK  THE SAN PATRICIOS - Ralph Hayes, 1977.  Copeland's original cover art for this paperback was auctioned several years ago as "paperback cover".  The auctioneer did not know this obscure 1977 Leisure Book.

441DK  THE CHALLONERS OF BRISTOL - Leal Hayes, nd. Signature.

450KK  THE GOLD AND THE GLORY - Chet Cunningham, 1977. Signature.

466KK  THE EICHMANN SYNDROME - Uri Dan & Edward Radley, 1977.

478KK  SLAVE SHIP - Harold Calin, 1977.

501TK  THAT COLLISON WOMAN - Deirdre Stiles, 1977.

527TK  THE GATHERING PASSION - Julie Davis, 1978.

533RK  OUTBACK - Aaron Fletcher, 1978. Signature.  Wraparound cover art.

541TK  RAKEHELL - Deirdre Stiles, 1978.

551KK  PENELOPE DEVEREUX - Sheila Bishop, nd.

568KK  THE WOMAN IN THE WOODS - Charity Blackstock, nd.  The tree trunk is reprinted in reverse on the back cover, creating a wraparound effect.  Copeland's signature is backwards on the back also.

LL18 THE LOST MEN – Benedict Thielen, 1955.

This is probably Charles Copeland’s first paperback cover. If not it is one of his first and the earliest I’ve seen.

Scan courtesy of Ruben at paperbackart.com

LL51  HUNGRY MEN - Edward Anderson, 1955.  Reprints Lion 8 with new cover art.  Lions often credit the artist on the copyright page.  All of the Lions shown here have copyright page credit for Copeland.  As far as I know, this is Charles Copeland's first paperback cover.

LL64  KILL THE BELOVED - Lane Kauffmann, 1956

Back cover LL64

LB77  TOUGH KID - William Attaway, 1955.  Reprints Lion 86 with new Copeland cover.

LL96  KISS HER GOODBYE - Wade Miller, 1956.  When this novel was reprinted in the July 1957 issue of MEN Magazine, this cover art was reused as an illustration.  The artist is miscredited here as Richard Copeland, that error is corrected in MEN.

LL96 back cover.

LL118  THE CHEAT - Don Tracy, 1956. Reprints Lion 69 with new Copeland cover.  This is the same story that was filmed as CRISS CROSS in 1949.  Cover art reused for the Banner UK edition. 

LL128  THE TROUBLED MIDNIGHT - Rodney Garland, 1956.

LB153  VALERIE - Jordan Park, 1957.  Reprints Lion 176 with new Copeland cover.

52-233  TWO HOT TO HANDLE - Ed Lacy, 1963.  The "C. Copeland" signature with its long lines for the letters "p", "l" and "d", is easy to spot on this white background.  But it is not credited to him in the price guides, or anywhere else.  It was realizing that this cover was painted by the same unfairly underappreciated paperback artist who did ONE FOR THE MONEY and KISS HER GOODBYE that inspired me to create this first Copeland checklist.

52-272  HOW DID A NICE GIRL LIKE YOU GET INTO THIS BUSINESS? - Lynn Keefe, 1964.  Signature.  This one is the price guides.  There are 3 printings of this title, the later two have photo covers.

52-297  THREE TO MAKE MERRY - Dee Hill, 1964.  Previously unattributed. Copeland's signature is almost hidden, written sideways on the rim of the chair. Covers by Robert McGinnis were much-loved in 1964, and it looks like the editors at Paperback Library wanted covers in the McGinnis mode.  Many 1960s illustrators do a pale imitation of McGinnis.  Only a handful - Ron Lesser and Charles Copeland come to mind - could handle this assignment so well.

54-702  NOBODY HIDES FOREVER - Allan Nixon, 1964.

40-025  LOVE SONG - Janet Louise Roberts, 1977. Second printing of the 1971 Pinnacle with new Copeland cover.  Pinnacle gave cover artist credit on the copyright page.

40-040  THE ONLY SIN - Anne Powers, 1977. Second printing with new Copeland cover art.

40-066  THE PROMISE AND THE PASSION - Anne Powers, 1977.  Reprints NO KING BUT CAESAR, a 1974 Pinnacle, with new title and new cover art. 

40-188-4  ROYAL BONDAGE - Anne Powers, 1977.  Reprints NO WALL SO HIGH, a 1973 Pinnacle, with new title and new cover art.

40-219-8  THE ROYAL CONSORTS - Anne Powers, 1978. 

40-253-8  THE QUEEN WHO NEVER WAS - Maureen Peters, 1978.  Reprints the 1972 Pinnacle with new Copeland cover.  Pinnacle did a series of books by Maureen Peters, each one on a different famous woman of history, with uniform covers by an uncredited artist.  When they did the second printings in 1978 & 1979, Charles Copeland provided new covers.

40-275-9  PRINCESS OF DESIRE - Maureen Peters, 1978.  Second printing of a 1973 Pinnacle with new cover.

40-367-4  DESTINY'S LADY - Maureen Peters, 1978.  Reprints a 1972 Pinnacle, (also published in the UK as JEWEL OF THE GREYS) with new cover.

40-510-3  THE VIRGIN QUEEN - Sept 1979.  Reprints the 1972 Pinnacle with new cover.  I believe this might have been Charles Copeland's last paperback cover.  He died in November 1979.

445-00261-125  FOOL'S PROOF - Alberta Simpson Carter, 1975.  Late in his career, Charles Copeland did a series of Gothic romance covers, about one each month, for Popular Library.  Many of them make these Queen-Size Gothics even more collectible.

445-00264-125  GRENENCOURT - Iona Charles, 1975.

445-00284-125  KEYS OF HELL - Louise Osborne, 1975.

445-00287-125  SOMEWHERE WITHIN THIS HOUSE - Jean Francis Webb, nd.  First paperback edition of a 1973 hardcover. 

445-00311-125  STORM'S END - Rebecca James, nd.  First paperback edition of a 1974 hardcover.

445-00330-125  A SHRIEK IN THE MIDNIGHT TOWER - Katheryn Kimbrough, 1975.  The original art for this book was auctioned off several years ago.  The artist's name was noted (Copeland's signature is visible) but the book title was not identified at that time.

445-00355-125  STRANGER NO MORE - Marga Joerden, March 1976.

445-00364-125  BRIDE OF TERROR - Jeanne Hines, April 1976.

445-00372-125  SWEET AND BITTER FANCY - Barbara Bonham, May 1976.  Nobody bats a thousand.  The head (which appears untwisted and is firmly facing southeast) and torso (pointed due west) of this frightening woman seem to belong to two different bodies.  Her head reminds me of a doll you'd find in a dumpster with the hair coming loose.

445-08474-X  THE COUNT OF VAN RHEEDEN CASTLE by Annjeanette Scott,, 1976.
 

445-08475-125  PHANTOM WEDDING - Marilyn Ross, June 1976.  This is more like it, with swirling mists and fog and dread all in complimentary colors

445-08486-125  TO THE DARK TOWER CAME - Kit O'Brien Jones, July 1976.

On some of Copeland's later Gothic covers the women have skinny little stick forearms. Not sure why, it's just one of his techniques.

445-00396-125  CURSE OF BLACK CHARLIE - Marilyn Ross - August, 1976.
The Stewarts of Stormhaven Saga #1.  Copeland's signature is almost impossible to see, a faint tiny name on her red cloak.

445-00407-125  THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOWS - Diane Stevens, September 1976. A study in shades of gray.

445-00410-125  CELLARS OF THE DEAD - Marilyn Ross, October 1976.  The Stewarts of Stormhaven Saga #2.  Copeland does not appear to be the cover artist on the remaining books in this series.

445-03178-150   THE DEVIL'S GATE - Arlene J. Fitzgerald, February 1977.

Copeland? Uncredited and hard to tell, but those stick forearms look familiar.  Please contact me if you know this is a different artist.

445-03194-150  AULDEARN HOUSE by Barbara Riefe, 1977.

F-858  THE ISLAND OF  FU MANCHU - Sax Rohmer, 1963.  Vintage paperback collectors love Pyramids because on many of their books they credit the cover artist on the back cover.  This is the only Pyramid with back cover credit for Charles Copeland.

42-607  SPELLBOUND - Claire Vincent, 1966

43-862  MISTRESS OF THE SHADOWS - Ruth MacLeod, 1967.

0-89083-375-3  DAUGHTER OF THE DESERT - Chloe Gartner, August 1978. 

The evolution of a paperback cover: Copeland's design for DAUGHTER OF THE DESERT is shown coming to life on these two preliminary rough drafts from the Copeland family collection.  Elements of the finished art appear in both.

Berkley Y619 - THE LOVE-GO-ROUND - W.E. Butterworth., 1962. Cover by Barye Phillips.

Not shown: Signet S1882 - COMFORT ME WITH LOVE, 1960. Cover by Barye.

Signet S1918 - HOT SEAT, 1961. Cover by Barye.

Monarch 279 - THE LOVED AND THE LOST, as by Walker E. Blake, 1962. Cover by Engel.

Cover by Bob Stanley, 1962.

Cover by Bob Stanley, 1964.

Cover by Rafael M. DeSoto, 1965.

Photo cover, 1967.