Vintage 1930s Curley Harper Tijuana Bible...

Updated September 26, 2026

Lot number147
Estimate30.00 - 60.00 USD
AuctionSale 260929
DateSeptember 29, 2026 at 10:00 PM EDT
Auction housePeriod Americana
LocationBoston, Massachusetts

Eight-Pager Comic Booklet Ephemera. This scarce vintage 1930s "Tijuana Bible" (eight-pager) features a satirical adult parody of the popular newspaper adventure strip character Curley Harper. Produced illicitly and distributed underground during the Great Depression, these pocket-sized graphic booklets lampooned mainstream comic strip heroes, pop-culture icons, and celebrities, remaining highly collectible today as historical artifacts of American underground press, censorship, and vintage comic ephemera. Publisher anonymous/unattributed (underground printing), estimated c. 1930s, black line illustration printed on pulp newsprint paper with single side-wire staple binding, featuring a stylized portrait medallion titled "Curley HARPER" on the cover, measures standard pocket size approximately 2.5 x 4 inches. Displays expected signs of age including age-toning to the pulp paper, visible reddish ink smudging/staining along the upper left corner and left margin, light edge wear, corner softening, and minor oxidation to the staple, though the portrait art and title remain distinct and fully legible; no major tears, missing pages, or severe structural defects observed. See photos for close-up details.

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Vintage 1930s Curley Harper Tijuana Bible...

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