Recently, Lyle Blackburn, author of The Beast of Boggy Creek and Lizard Man, told me an associate of his made an amazing find.

Do you remember Warren Smith’s paperback book, Strange Abominable Snowmen? It had an intriguing illustration for the cover. Do you recall he is one half of who “Eric Norman” was and then totally became “Eric Norman”? See here.

Blackburn tells me the original painting of the cover recently surfaced in a yard sale, and was apparently obtained by one of his associates. What a remarkable find. Of course, I’d love to see a historical piece like this in the International Cryptozoology Museum. But, nevertheless, I’m just happy about the discovery.

Perhaps there is hope for the rediscovery of other lost vintage paperback covers’ cryptoart?

Some of my favorites from that era include the following. What are your favorites?

My friend David Pescovitz over at Boing Boing decided to go with this as one of their stories today. See here. Thanks, David.