#2 The Mystery of the Stuttering Parrot
By Robert Arthur, 1964
Back to the Original Series page.
First Printed: September 24, 1964
Cover Art: Ed Vebell
Internal Illustrations: Harry Kane
ISBN's: Trade Ed. 0-394-81243-3; GLB 0-394-91243-8
Trade Edition First Printing Identifiers:
1.) No list on the back cover.
2.) On the title page the illustrations are credited to Ed Vebell (he actually
painted the cover art only) and there is no mention of the author, Robert
Arthur! All subsequent printings remedied this situation by correctly
crediting Harry Kane as the illustrator and Robert Arthur as the author.
3.) A stitched text block consisting of 6 signatures.
4.) Uncut blue graveyard endpapers (not slit down the center at the hinges).
Other Trade Edition First Printing Traits:
- Full wrap-around cover art (see notes)
- No ISBN
Notes:
1.) Corrected First Printings of this title have been found. The incorrect title page was neatly razored out and a corrected title page expertly tipped in by the publisher. You'll have to examine your copy closely to see this fix.
2.) The earliest printings of both the Trade and GLB Editions of this title have the wrap-around cover art. Like the First Printing, Second Printings have the wrap-around cover art, but the author and illustrator credits have been corrected. Later hardbound printings of this title (early 1966 and thereafter) have a solid, yellow-colored spine and titles are listed on the back cover. The scan below is a comparison of the two spines.
Random House/Windward Books First Paperback Edition
"Windward Silverback"
First Printed: October 1973
Cover Art: Ed Vebell
Internal Illustrations: Harry Kane
ISBN: 0-394-82200-5
Earliest Printing Identifier: Price on front cover of 95 cents.
Notes: The earliest printings of this edition have the reflective shiny covers and a printed price on the front cover of 95 cents. A slightly later printing can be found with a $1.25 price printed on the front cover. Shown below is the final printing with white covers and a printed price of $1.45 on the cover.
"Windward White Cover"
First Printed: circa 1975/1976
Cover Art: Ed Vebell
Internal Illustrations: Harry Kane
ISBN: Same as the Silverback above.
Notes: The Windward White Cover books (both Terror Castle and Stuttering Parrot) are quite scarce. They are certainly the most uncommon of the various U.S. Three Investigators editions/printings. There was most likely only one print run for each and they must have been very small ones at that. Click HERE for more information.
Random House Second Paperback Edition
First Printed: 1978
Cover Art: Stephen Marchesi
Internal Illustrations: Harry Kane
ISBN: 0-394-83767-3
First Printing Identifier: 1234567890 number line on the copyright page.
Notes: There were 6 Printings of this title with the Marchesi cover art in this edition. With the 7th Printing, below, the new Adragna cover art was used.
First Printed: circa 1981/82 (7th Printing)
Cover Art: Robert Adragna
Internal Illustrations: Harry Kane
ISBN: 0-394-83767-3 (Same as Marchesi Cover above)
Earliest Printing Identifier: 7890 number line on the copyright page.
Random House Revised Paperback Edition
"Keyhole Cover"
First Printed: 1985
Cover Art: Robert Adragna
Internal Illustrations: None
ISBN: 0-394-86402-6
First Printing Identifier: 1234567890 number line on the copyright page.
A "Bullseye" Book
First Printed: June 1991
Cover Art: Roger Loveless
Internal Illustrations: None
ISBN: 0-679-81171-0
First Printing Identifier: 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 number line on the copyright page.
Notes: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. is a subsidiary of Random House.
Random House "Dodge" Paperback Edition
"Dodge Cover"
First Printed: 1998
Cover Art: Bill Dodge
Internal Illustrations: None
ISBN: 0-679-81171-0
First Printing Identifier: 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 number line on the copyright page.
Notes:
1.) Confusion Alert! This title is a continuation of the Knopf "Bullseye Edition" paperback with new cover art and a new set of printings. Although there has been a change in the publisher, the ISBN's are the same and most of this book utilizes the printing plates from the Bullseye Edition.
2.) Confusion Alert! Random House also issued a hardbound library edition with the Dodge Covers. The ISBN found inside the hardbound edition is the same as that found in the paperback edition but the ISBN on the back cover is different: 0-613-08415-2.
Hollow Tree Press Paperback Edition (Print on Demand)
First Printed: June 10, 2024, Amazon; July 20, 2024, Barnes & Noble
Jacket Design: Elizabeth Arthur
Internal Illustrations: None
ISBN: 979-8-322-79457-8 Amazon; 979-8-331-43369-7 B&N
First Printing Identifier: None. However, the books printed by Amazon will have the city and the date that the book was manufactured printed on one of the last blank pages of the book.
Notes:
1.) This edition utilizes the 1985 Revised Text.
2.) This book features a 2-page "About the Author" section and 9 pages of Endnotes covering Puzzles and Word Games, Parrots, and Sherlock Holmes, penned by Liz Arthur.
