Today is National Moonshine Day, which is observed on the first Thursday of June.  Even if you can’t get your hands on any Tennessee White Whiskey, you can still celebrate with the four covers of Speakeasy Stories.

One of the many pulp magazines published by Harold Hersey, Speakeasy Stories had a brief run in 1931.  At the time, a speakeasy was a secret club where people could get a drink and violate prohibition.  Speakeasies were associated with gangsters and good times and that’s what the covers of Speakeasy Stories promised their readers.

Here are the four covers of Speakeasy Stories:

Though there does appear to be a signature on the first cover of Speakeasy Stories, it’s not legible.  It doesn’t look like the signature of Walter Baumhofer, who did the next two covers.

The W.B. by the gangster’s elbow indicated that this is the work of Walter Baumhofer.

Again, Walter Baumhofer’s signature is easy to spot on this cover.

I think this cover was also done by Walter Baumhofer but I’m not sure.  His signature is not readily apparent but it does look like Baumhofer’s work.

Only four issues were published but they have subsequently become eagerly sought after by collectors.