Aliens, Androids, & Unicorns: The Hal Salive Science Fiction and Fantasy Collection. Online exhibition

2nd March, 2015

In 1952, Harold Terrence Salive (1939-2012) read one of Groff Conklin’s Science Fiction (SF) anthologies and he was hooked. Two years later, aged 15, he started ‘hoarding’ copies of Astounding Stories, which first appeared in January 1930. A stint in the army (1957) and study at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, where in 1972 he graduated with a PhD in experimental psychology, solidified his passion for collecting. Salive’s collecting got serious in 1967. He began attending SF Fairs; he corresponded with various SF book dealers; received numerous catalogues from which he could buy books and magazines; and he joined fan groups such as the National Fantasy Fan Federation (N3F), and Science Fiction Newsletter. In 1972 Salive moved to Auckland, New Zealand, where he worked as a lecturer (non-medical) in Psychiatry at Auckland Medical School. He was also a consultant for Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) and started developing graphic programmes for Commodore 64 personal computers under his own company, Kiwisoft Programs Ltd. In 1977 he had married his second wife, Rachel. Salive continued to attend SF Fairs, and extended collecting interests to include gaming, writing SF stories, and teaching courses on the history of SF. In 2005, he moved to Waikanae, built purpose-made bookshelves to house his collection of 2500 items, and started to catalogue them. The Salive Collection consists of both SF and Fantasy. Van Vogt was a favourite, as was Samuel Delany. He collected early issues of Astounding Stories, and the continuance Analog Science Fiction and Fact. Fantasy authors who feature include C.J Cherryh, Jack L. Chalker, Poul Anderson, and Piers Anthony. There is no Tolkien, and only one Ray Bradbury title. In March 2013 Rachel Salive donated the Hal Salive Science Fiction and Fantasy Collection to Special Collections, University of Otago. It is a lasting legacy to a fine collector.

Special Collections - University of Otago