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Some backstory: So just recently I have been getting back into the Warhammer 40k universe, mainly due in part to me trying to relearn/teach BFG to a board game group I play with. This in due part also led me to the "discovery" (Discovery in that I now know who actually draws the stuff instead of saying, "Gee that looks nice") of my now favorite Warhammer artist, John Blanche, who drew the cover of Battlefleet Gothic.



So, while perusing over his wiki I found that he had done a few sketch books, so I was interested in look to get one. I decided I would try to get one of his oldest books, Ratspike, due in part to already seeing a lot of his newer work in The Emperor's Will, Might, Etc.



I was then off to ebay, to see if any copies of it were being sold. There were.



But at the very bottom of the page of Ratspikes, there was a book that stood out.


A nondescript black book with that was only titled "Warhammer 40,000". Intrigued, I began researching the book and discovered this, on a page for an already sold copy of it. (The only other copy of it I saw that had been sold, I might add)

As I remember, while the DESIGN STUDIO was working on the the 2nd EDITION OF 40K during 1992/3 several of the artists - Mark Gibbons, Adrian Smith etc. left the company and JOHN was asked to personally complete all of the artwork and illustrations for the rulebook and sourcebook that would go in the box. He worked non-stop for a couple of months and developed a loose pen and ink-wash style that enabled him to deliver the work in record time, meeting the print deadline - and in many ways saved the project. As a personal thank you to JOHN, an artbook was secretly produced by GW in a highly limited edtion, without text or descriptions, but with colour plates of all these pieces and simply titled: WARHAMMER 40,000 - JOHN BLANCHE.

THIS BOOK WAS NEVER SOLD, but a copy was given to each member of the DESIGN STUDIO STAFF and people directly involved in the project

Needless to say, I was already in the process of buying it by the time I finished reading it.

Hopefully I will be able to show pictures of it once I get it (its not supposed to get here till the 29th, As I bought it from the UK), but here are some pagesof it that were shown in the meantime.













And my person favorite thus far,



Of course, this still hasn't stopped me from getting Ratspike, just maybe delayed it a bit.

Nice find! How many arms/legs will you have left after this?

BladeSwinga wrote:
Nice find! How many arms/legs will you have left after this?

Funny enough, it only cost me around 50 quid. That other one I talked about went for 122! (Of course that one was owned by Andy Chambers, but still. )

Edit: And the reason why I trust what the other seller said was because he actually worked at White Dwarf for a number of years. (And worked on the first failed attempt at Warhammer Online.) Robin Dews, I think, is his name.

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing! May I suggest getting the Visions of Heresy book from Black Library? I got it and it contains lots of nice 'old' artwork as well. and primarch drawings from Blanche

I am so incredibly, incredibly envious of you for having this book. God dang.

wufai wrote:
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing! May I suggest getting the Visions of Heresy book from Black Library? I got it and it contains lots of nice 'old' artwork as well. and primarch drawings from Blanche

I'm probably going to buy the old books first, seeing as i can always buy one of the newer ones later. Funny thing is, this is the newest Warhammer item I've gotten in while. Last thing thing I remember getting was an SSL Warhammer game collection about a year ago.

 Brother SRM wrote:
I am so incredibly, incredibly envious of you for having this book. God dang.

I don't have it yet. Who knows what'll happen to it on the way here.

Very nice find. Gotta love that classical ink and watercolour style.

If you want one yourself there is this currently available:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Warhammer-Black-Library-Fantasy-40000-Art-Background-Book-model-Select-1-/251609140700?pt=UK_Toys_Wargames_RL&var=&hash=item3a9512cddc

£80

Wow, one hell of a find. This is just brilliant!

Weeelll... here's some mild disappointment for you.

While the book was never sold, it was offered as part of the Skulz promotion, as shown here on Stuff of Legends.

There's a pic of it in the third image, and in the first one you can just about make out "John Blanche Art book (only 450(?) available)". So it's still pretty rare and exclusive, if not that much so.

I was offered one of these at my FLGS when I picked up Inquis Exterminatus back in the day. Didn't have the cash to buy it then and kicked myself later. Though I did pick one up from eBay for €30 (+€10 shipping) earlier this year, so that worked out okay in the end.

It's a nice little book, although it's probably my least favourite period of Blanche's work.

 Fabio Bile wrote:
Weeelll... here's some mild disappointment for you.

While the book was never sold, it was offered as part of the Skulz promotion, as shown here on Stuff of Legends.

There's a pic of it in the third image, and in the first one you can just about make out "John Blanche Art book (only 450(?) available)". So it's still pretty rare and exclusive, if not that much so.

I was offered one of these at my FLGS when I picked up Inquis Exterminatus back in the day. Didn't have the cash to buy it then and kicked myself later. Though I did pick one up from eBay for €30 (+€10 shipping) earlier this year, so that worked out okay in the end.

It's a nice little book, although it's probably my least favourite period of Blanche's work.

Ah well, at least it has some level of rarity. Would have been hell of a lot more pissed if he lied about the "Never Been Sold" part.

Wait, now I'm confused. Why is it the copyright is for 1993? If the Skulz program was going on from 1999-2000, and this was made for it, then why doesn't it have a copyright from then? I know that 2nd edition came out in 1993, but that still doesn't explain the missing year.

I have no reason to disbelieve the account of the book's origin in Robin Dews' eBay listing. I assume they had some hundreds printed up in '93 and gave a bunch to the people involved in making 2nd edition 40K. Then the rest would've sat around in a box somewhere, until they decided to offer them as a Skulz reward.

 Fabio Bile wrote:
I have no reason to disbelieve the account of the book's origin in Robin Dews' eBay listing. I assume they had some hundreds printed up in '93 and gave a bunch to the people involved in making 2nd edition 40K. Then the rest would've sat around in a box somewhere, until they decided to offer them as a Skulz reward.

That would explain a lot, seeing as the logo is for that of 2nd edition, not third. On the bright side, at least I got it for less than it was going when they did the giveaway. It cost 25 Skulz, which would equate to about 250 pounds!

And while I have to admit that while this isn't his best work, if Robin Dews story is true, then these helped to influence his style over the years.

I mean, just look at this piece of his from Rouge Trader...



... and this one from the Inquisitor Sketch Book