That's a piece of artwork associated with a rather obscure bit of D&D-related merchandise from the early 1980s, about which I'll probably talk more in the days to come. As I recall, this piece, along with several others by the same illustrator, were sold as posters through one of the catalog stores (Sears?). Does anyone else remember this?
Friday, February 18, 2011
Open Friday: Anyone Remember This?
That's a piece of artwork associated with a rather obscure bit of D&D-related merchandise from the early 1980s, about which I'll probably talk more in the days to come. As I recall, this piece, along with several others by the same illustrator, were sold as posters through one of the catalog stores (Sears?). Does anyone else remember this?
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If my memory serves me correctly, this (and others) were on various school supplies. I had several pocket folders with this on them. I convinced my parents to buy me several during one of our late summer shopping for school trips. Ironically, I thought they were SO cool that I ended up just keeping them for the art and never used them for either school or gaming.
ReplyDeleteYup, it's from the St. Regis Dungeons & Dragons/Advanced Dungeons & Dragons portfolio line. I still use one of those folders, very beaten up, torn, and taped together, to hold my old characters. The folders (and three-ring binders) still show up occasionally on eBay.
ReplyDeleteNever knew that they released them as posters, though! Would love to find one of those!
I think you're on to something there. I remember those folders, too, having had a few of them. I don't recall the artwork, but I do remember that they where done in browns & tans.
ReplyDeleteAlex Nuckols is the artist. He illustrated most of the 1981-82 line of AD&D-licensed St. Regis products (folder, notebooks, quadrille graph paper). Beautiful artwork - they should've used him for some actual D&D products.
ReplyDeleteTome of Treasures has a forum showing cover scans for many of these:
http://tomeoftreasures.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=2063
The first one in the forum is a binder with the pic you posted, titled "Goblin Ambush". I don't specifically remember this picture, but I do remember kids in my elementary school with folders/notebooks with some of the others. I may have even had one myself (?).
I had the binder and the notebooks back when - got them from my grandmother for Christmas. The art from that collection now graces my TWGS DM's Screen.
ReplyDeleteI suspect these to be ghouls, although they amazingly look like a band of Gollums. I like this illustration very much!
ReplyDeleteI bitch and moan about how shabby so much of the old-school art was, but DAMN, that is a fantastic and evocative illustration. Zork-worthy, and that's a high compliment.
ReplyDeleteWow, I had completely forgotten that one! But yeah, I had it too, and it was one of my favorite images ever.
ReplyDeleteI'd never heard of Alex Nuckols before or seen any of his art...but wow! I especially like Sea Beast and Oriental Dragon. Very evocative stuff.
ReplyDeleteI wonder why TSR didn't use him for any modules or books? It actually has a Jon Hodgson feel to it...or, rather, Jon Hodgson's work has an Alex Nuckols feel to it...and that's a good thing!
I discovered these a couple of weeks ago while surfing around looking for the D&D candies I ate as a teen. Never owned any...
ReplyDeleteTotally forgot about these. Excellent find! I had the griffon/dragon folder as well as goblin ambush. Absolutely fantastic art, and I have to say that I'm a big fan of how the red dragon is depicted.
ReplyDeleteWow. Even better than the AD&D Coloring Album artwork.
ReplyDeleteAwesome piece. Very much how I envision D&D. Especially Goblins being scrawny greenish dudes not short-furred orange ones.
ReplyDeleteI actually don't remember this at all, which is sad considering it's right from the era that I started gaming and I totally used to scour the "Wish Book" catalogs for D&D/gaming stuff.
ReplyDeleteGuess the old memory isn't as good as it used to be. :)
It's a great piece of art - you get a good sense of decaying architecture. Have you tried running through one those art recognition search engines? (forgets the URL -wonders if he's dreamt it)
ReplyDeleteI got a zero search result on
ReplyDeletewww. tineye. com/
This reminds me quite a bit of art from the pre-Angus McBride days of MERP. I wonder if Nuckols did work for ICE?
ReplyDeleteWow, I don't think I ever saw ANY of the stationary products mentioned. '80-'81 was my first year of university, and a time when I was paying weekly visits to any/all of three dedicated gaming stores near the campus. I would definitely have snapped these up if any of the stores had carried them: D&D meets school supplies - that would have been a no-brainer.
ReplyDeleteVery nice illustration but I have no memory of ever seeing it before.
ReplyDeleteI barely recall the stationary and related supplies. If I have seen this I do not remember it.
@Anthony I love that McBride MERP stuff!
ReplyDelete@Doug n'Dragons:
ReplyDeleteOh, so do I. I just happened to have some older MERP products on my desk at the time and noted the similarity in style to what James posted here.
There were religious conflicts. If your store stocked Mead folders, it probably wouldn't stock St. Regis.
ReplyDeleteI have the AD&D Dragon Master binder. I currently use it to keep my Pathfinder Society characters in. I would give my right foot to have the rest of these folders.
ReplyDeleteWow, okay, a little further research reveals that Alex Nuckols, the artist, was from right here in my hometown of Birmingham, AL. Add that the the fact that Allen Hammack is from this neck of the woods, and it makes me feel a little better about this little corner of the world.
ReplyDeletethat's amazing stuff :)
ReplyDelete