The publishing house that survived on passion, not profit
In short: Arkham House was born from a desperate gamble to rescue H.P. Lovecraft's work from the obscurity of pulp magazines. Despite never turning a profit in its history, the press survived for decades through personal subsidies and a singular devotion to the 'weird' and the strange.
Founded in 1939 in Sauk City, Wisconsin, by August Derleth and Donald Wandrei, Arkham House was created specifically to produce high-quality hardcover editions of H.P. Lovecraft's fiction. The name itself was a nod to the fictional New England city of Arkham. The first project, 'The Outsider and Others,' faced a bleak start; despite a bargain price of $3.50, only 150 advance orders were received before its 1939 release. However, Derleth's personal success as a writer allowed him to subsidize the company's operations, ensuring the press could prioritize artistic integrity over immediate financial gain.
The house navigated several eras of crisis. In 1948, it faced a potential bankruptcy due to cash flow problems, only surviving thanks to a generous loan from Dr. David H. Keller. While the press expanded into science fiction and fantasy—even hitting a commercial peak with A.E. Van Vogt's 'Slan' in the 1940s—it remained a precarious financial endeavor. Derleth noted in 1970 that the house's earnings had never met its expenses in any single year since its founding, requiring him to constantly shore up the finances with his own personal earnings.
The press saw a resurgence in the late 1960s when a spike in interest in Robert E. Howard and Lovecraft created a new market. It continued to evolve through different editorial visions, from the expansion of the 1970s to a return to 'classic weird fiction' in the 2000s. Today, it remains active under the leadership of April Derleth's children, continuing to manage a backlist that serves as a cornerstone for the preservation of weird fiction.
Beyond its primary mission, the house utilized specialized imprints like Mycroft & Moran for mystery stories and Stanton & Lee for poetry and regional writings. This multi-faceted approach allowed it to maintain a diverse catalog of contemporary and classic authors while remaining anchored to its roots in the macabre.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Arkham House
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