In 1951 Hugh Hefner was working as a copywriter for Esquire Magazine a job he would soon quit after being denied a $5 raise. Shortly thereafter Hefner would go on to start the magazine that would later make him wealthy. Hugh Hefner though was certainly not always wealthy. Hefner now the embodiment of riches and luxury was only able to start Playboy thanks to a $1000 loan from his mother. It didn’t take long though for this small investment to pay dividends. The very first issue of Playboy was published in December of 1953 (see Lot 512) and featured a centerfold nude image of none other than Marilyn Monroe. The magazine was an instant success with the first edition selling all of its near 54000 copies in just a few weeks.

This lot features the subsequent 12 issues of Playboy: Vol. 1 Issues 2 through 12 and Vol. 2 Issue 1. The issues averaged 52 pages deep including the four covers: front inside front inside back and back cover. The Dec. 1954 edition is entitled the “Anniversary Issue” and shows the trademark rabbit in a bowtie on the cover. Just a few months later the novel that would reach international fame Fahrenheit 451 was serialized in the March April and May of 1954 issues. This trend of featuring high-profile names and works such as Marilyn Monroe and Fahrenheit 451 is one that Playboy would continue from that point forward. Women who would go on to pose for the magazine would include celebrity actresses such as Farrah Fawcett and Margot Kidder sports stars such as Amy Acuff and Amanda Beard and musicians such as Samantha Fox and Debbie Gibson just to name a few. The magazine would also continue to publish high-profile interviews serialized novels and original comics. Hefner himself the consummate playboy passed away last year on Sept. 27 2017. He was 91 years young. Each of the magazines is in good condition with their original covers and spine staples intact. Some pages are slightly ripped and/or creased but all pages are accounted for. Truly a literary collection fit for a Playboy aficionado. Bid on the inaugural December 1953 Playboy issue in Lot 512 to complete a run of the first 13.