Interior of the first Games Workshop store, Dalling Road, Hammersmith, 1978.
It's hard to see, but there is a Holmes Basic set (US cover, not UK) next to the PHBs on the top shelf of the center bookcase. From an article in the Londonist about the early years of GW with lots of other great photos -
https://londonist.com/london/features/the-gaming-dynasty-that-began-in-a-west-london-flat
That is great. 1e phb released summer 78
ReplyDeleteThe Acaeum says Jun '78 for the PHB first printing, so this pic would have to be summer or later in '78, unless it's dated wrong. But no DMG visible, so before summer '79 at the latest.
ReplyDeleteThe UK version of the Holmes set was available as early as Dec '77 (based on a photo in White Dwarf from Games Day III), so I'm not sure why they were still selling the imported US version.
ReplyDeleteLooking again, I can see the Holmes UK cover there too. It's next to the bottom shelf on the book shelf to the right of the center one. It's facing in an odd direction, towards the center bookshelf. Not sure if it's boxed set or just the rulebook.
ReplyDeleteThose PHB are first-printings
ReplyDelete"...so I'm not sure why they were still selling the imported US version"
ReplyDeleteProbably as simple as they hadn't sold out of them yet. Just like people in some places in the US still getting sets with dice, well after the chits had taken over.
David Welborn true, good spot!
ReplyDeleteJon Wilson good point, plus the import was probably more expensive
ReplyDeleteTrue, good point. Higher price, slower selling...
ReplyDelete