When editors were gods

Ebony founder John H. Johnson gets stamp of approval

The U.S. Postal Service has announced that John H. Johnson, who built a magazine empire (Ebony, Jet, etc.) by borrowing $500 against his mother's new furniture, will be honored with a commemorative postage stamp next year. Not coincidentally, Johnson used that $500 to buy stamps. He died in 2005.

How John Lennon changed the rules for magazine covers

"Young is better than old, pretty is better than ugly, rich is better than poor, TV is better than music, music is better than movies, movies are better than sports, and anything is better than politics." — Stolley's Law for successful magazine covers, as devised by People magazine's founding editor, Richard Stolley. According to the 1994 book "Inside People," by Judy Kessler, "And nothing is better than the celebrity dead" was added to this formula after People's tribute to the recently murdered John Lennon became the magazine's bestselling issue up to that time. That issue was cover-dated 30 years ago today, December 22, 1980.

Collier's magazine: Coming back from the grave after 54 years?

The name of the once-mighty magazine Collier's was auctioned off yesterday for $2,000, according to a piece by Stuart Elliott in today's New York Times. (Technically, what the buyer got, according to Elliott, is a trademark application to use the name.)  Collier's ceased publication in 1956.

More Reader's Digest treasures go on the block

On December 13, the Manhattan auction house Christie's is auctioning off some photographs that apparently once belonged to The Reader's Digest Association, including this one by the wonderful Elliott Erwitt. Though the little magazine was never known for photography, its owners apparently had an eye for it. The Digest sold off many of its most valuable pieces a dozen years ago last month.

Your chance to play with Malcolm Forbes's toys

On December 17, Sotheby's is auctioning the Malcolm Forbes Toy Collection, consisting of toy boats, soldiers, board games, and other childish things the late editor never quite put away. This auction e-calalog has the details.

Forbes was also a collector of quotations and produced a few memorable ones of his own. Among my favorites was his self-effacing announcement that he was taking over Forbes magazine from his famous father, Bertie: "Through sheer ability (spelled i-n-h-e-r-i-t-a-n-c-e) I have become Editor-in-Chief of Forbes magazine..."