Search Results: Literature from W. C. Baker Rare Books & Ephemera

[New York]: Angel Hair Books, 1970. First Edition. Softcover. Near fine. 11 inches tall. [12] pp. Pictorial wrappers, saddle-stapled. Inscribed, "For Jon," and signed by Brownstein on the publisher's page. Light wear, near fine. One of 737 unnumbered copies (of 750 total), printed for Angel Hair Books by Chapel Press in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Michael Brownstein's first collection of prose poems, three "tantrums" - expressions of rage alluding to (and contrasting with) the Hindo-Buddhist practices of Tantra. The first, "Monkey Blues," addresses the anguish of a circus monkey named Julian, who must work extra hours in humiliating jobs away from the big top to support his self-absorbed cynical junkie owner. In the ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE NEW YORK SCHOOL POETS, Terence Diggory describes Michael Brownstein (born 1943) as 'convey[ing] Beat vision with New York School speed." After moving to New York in 1965, Brownstein quickly became involved with the Lower East Side poetry scene, becoming a… Read More

[New York]: [Boke Press], [1965]. 11 inches. [37] leaves, of which 36 are illustrated, plus colophon printed on recto of rear cover. Stiff pictorial covers, side-stapled and backed in black cloth. Numbered and signed by Elmslie and Brainard. Minor soiling to rear cover, else fine. Numbered 27 of 500 copies (of which 1-50 were signed by the author and illustrator and 1-10 were specially bound and included a piece of the original manuscript). The first published collaboration exclusively between Joe Brainard and Kenward Elmslie. Clay and Phiillips, p. 266.

[Cincinnati: Little Man Press], 1942. First Edition. Approximately 6 1/4 x 5 inches. [16] pp. Original pink pictorial wrappers, saddle stapled, in matching dust jacket. Some wear to jacket, with small abrasion in front panel (not affecting cover image), soft crease at upper edge. Very good to near fine. One of 300 copies printed from handset New Caslon type by Robert Lowry at The Little Man Press, with wood and linoleum designs by James Flora.

Moscow: Pravda, 1967. 16.5 x 12.5 cm. 61,[3] pp. Original pictorial wrappers, saddle-stapled. Moderate wear and light stains in wrappers. Very good. The first collection of stories by Truman Capote published in the Soviet Union, in a special book supplement to OGONIOK, the popular illustrated Russian magazine founded in 1899. The stories were translated by the famous Soviet translator Sulamif Mitina (1922-2000), who had also rendered Graham Greene, Arthur Miller, J. D. Salinger, Tennessee Williams, and very other modern English-language writers into Russian. The book contains a short biographical sketch of Capote, the title story, and three additional stories: "Jug of Silver," A Christmas Memory," and "Children on Their Birthdays." With an interesting illustrated Soviet advertisement on the back encouraging pedestrians at train stations to "Use bridges for crossing!"

[Denver]: Bowery Press, [1970]. First Edition. Broadside. Very good. [ca. 1970]. Broadsheet, 17 x 11 inches. Illustration of a bottle of "Moon Juice" and three shot glasses on recto. Horizontal fold, as issued. Some toning. Very good. Bowery Press broadsheet containing poems by latter-day Beat poets Frank Rios, James Ryan Morris, and Tony Scibella.

New York: Boke Press, [1966]. 11 inches. [108] pp. plus both covers printed recto and verso, all illustrated. Stiff pictorial wrappers, stapled. Mild wear and light toning in covers, small marginal stain on rear cover. Near fine. The second and final issue of the comics mimeo publication bridging the work of the first and second generations of the New York School poets, with art by Joe Brainard (except, it is noted, "Pat" : "Pat is totally a collaboration."). Clay and Phillips, p. 164.

Brooklyn: Clown War, 1980. 5 1/2 x 8 3/8 inches. [16] pp., containing four illustrations. Original pictorial wrappers, saddle-stapled. Fine. Nine poems by leading member of the second generation of the New York School of poets, Ted Berrigan (134-1983), published in Bob Heman's CLOWN WAR series. The cover and contents contain five illustrations reproduced from Jan Vredeman de Vries's architectural work, PERSPECTIVE, first published in Leiden in 1604 and 1605. One of 500 copies. Clay & Phillips, p. 269 (CLOWN WAR series). Fischer, p. 25.

New York: Adventures in Poetry, Coach House South, 1977. First Edition. Softcover. Near fine. 135,[6] pp.Original pictorial wrappers. Wrappers moderately rubbed, light creasing in upper-outer corner of front wrapper, else near fine. Published in a limited edition of 750 copies. "Larry Fagin notes that he published this book with David Rosenberg, who was then an editor at Coach House Press (Toronto). Rosenberg was living in New York at the time, hence the listing for Coach House Presss on the colophon. Compiler's collection inicludes the manuscript for this book, a paperback cowboy novel that Berrigan altered by 'writing through' in different-colored inks. According to Fagin, Berrigan used a copy of TWENTY NOTCHES by Max Brand. The front cover ... is a self-portrait of Berrigan ... the rear cover is a picture of a cheeseburger that has been cut out of a magazine and pasted down. Alice Notley adds, Ted liked the idea of 'the range' being a stove and proceeded from there" - Aaron Fischer, TED BERRIGAN… Read More

[New York?]: Poetry on Films, Inc., 1970. First Edition. 11 inches. [2],61,[1] pp. Photographic covers, side-stapled. Pink and blue tissue endpapers. Light wear to covers and minor soiling to rear cover. Very good to near fine. One of 474 copies in the trade edition (of 500 copies total). A series of 61 "poemworks" Gerard Malanga composed chiefly on May 10, 1970 at Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, in the presence of Cristina. The final eight poems were written on May 11 and 12, en route to and upon arrival in New York City. When Malanga published the work two months later, he dedicated it "to cristina who continues to make everything possible." But, Cristina remains a mystery - she appears to be Cristina Miller of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, home of Andrew Wyeth, but beyond this and her dazzling effect on Malanga little is known. One poem in the series, "the world #19," records Malangas ecstatic reaction to the latest issue of the mimeo associated with St. Marks Poetry Project as he lay in bed with… Read More

Brooklyn: Richard Fulani, 1973 (first two volumes), 1974 (third volume). Three volumes. 35; [4],31; 41,[1] pp. plus author's portrait and biography on recto of rear wrapper of third volume. Original stiff printed wrappers, stapled. Wrappers lightly worn and rubbed, else fine. The first three books of poetry by Richard Fulani, with covers printed, respectively, the pan-African colors of green, yellow, and red. The trilogy begins with Fulani's early poems, composed between 1968 and 1971, with the first part, DARK REFLECTIONS, considering on the breakthrough of new consciousness in the wake of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the second part, SOULDIERS, being a tribute to contemporary African American leaders, "a few of the millions who have made it possible for us to be able to say such things as 'Black is Beautiful' and 'I'm Black and I'm Proud.'" DISCOVERY, REVOLUTION & UNDERSTANDING contains poems "dedicated to the 'endarkenment' needed to see through the blinding, white light,"… Read More

[New York]: The Fantod Press, 1994. First Edition. Softcover. Fine. 4 1/2 inches. [40] ff., printed rectos only, including [3] text and [37] pictorial pages. Original stiff pictorial wrappers. Numbered and signed by the artist in anagrammatic pseudonym on the colophon. Fine. Number 473 of the first edition, limited to 526 copies (500 numbered copies for sale, 26 lettered copies reserved for the use of the artist and the publisher). A combination flip book and alphabet/numbers book (showing the letters A-Z, numerals 0-10, and the ampersand symbol), choreographed by the Franco-Anglo-Saxon artist Ædwyrd Goré, dedicated to Mme. Edwyge Rroda, and performed by Figbash. Toledano A110b.

Venice, California: Jeffrey Reiss Publications, 1964. Very good. [3],42,[1] pp. Original pictorial wrappers, stapled. Inscribed to Kenward Elmslie and signed by the author in the flyleaf. Wrappers lightly rubbed and edgeworn, with a few small creases and two small chips at heads of wrappers. Very good. Third printing of Taylor Mead's first book (after the first printing of 1961) and first volume of his four-part series of poetical memoirs, warmly inscribed, "To Kenward (sweetie-pie) from Taylor Meadie." "This is all I could afford to print right now from my fabulous main book but watch for it in all gleeming 6 or 800 pages. And anyone knowing the whereabouts of the many hundreds of pages that have been conned or stolen from me please tell me. Taylor Mead | genius" (from the preface). OCLC locates no copies of this printing. From the library of Kenward Elmslie.

Rockport, Massachusetts, 1960. First Edition. Softcover. Very good. Gorey, Edward. 86,[2] pp., containing numerous in-text and full-page illustrations. Pictorial wrappers. Wrappers lightly shelf-worn. Very good. First issue of a short-run literary magazine, including the first (partial) publication of Edward Gorey's story-without-words, LEAVES FROM A MISLAID ALBUM. LEAVES here contains eight full-pages illustrations of 17 that would later be published by Gotham Book Mart in 1972.

New York: Lines, 1966. 11 inches. 3,22,[1] leaves, printed recto only. Pictorial covers, side-stapled. 1966 ownership signature of Michael Silveitz in title page. Some wear and uneven toning in covers, else very good. Clark Coolidge's first book of poetry, published by Aram Saroyan under the LINES imprint. Cover by Coolidge. Clay and Phillips, p. 210.

New York: The Albondocani Press, 1978. First Edition. Softcover. Fine. 5 inches. [35] pp., including 14 full-page illustrations. Original pictorial wrappers, stitched. Prospectus card laid in. Numbered by the published and signed by the artist on the colophon. Fine. From a stated edition of 426 signed copies (400 numbered and for sale, 26 lettered and not for sale); the present copy is signed by artist and numbered, "out of series 3/4," by the publisher (it was one of four additional copies beyond the order sent to Albondocani Press owner George Bixby by the printer). A story in which an impoverished Little Tancred comes to the aid of "a disturbed person whose sex was unclear." The person is revealed to be the Baroness von Rettig, who had been presumed lost at sea. Toledano A71. From the collection of George Bixby.

Downpatrick, Northern Ireland: Dissident Editions, 1999. First Edition. Softcover. Near fine. Anthony Weir. [32] pp., including two full-page illustrations. Original printed wrappers. Minor abrasion in verso of front wrapper, else fine. Anthony Weir's 28-part poem, "Millennium Maggot," published "in honour of U.G. Krishnamurti / in memory of Vasko Popa (1922-1991) / and the canids of Kosova," with an epigram by Walter Benjamin, appears on versos. Individual poems by Tom Baer, including the title poem concerning his astonishment at the romantic attentions of "a madwoman" and two poems on the Glory Storefront Tabernacle in Edgewater, Florida, face Weir's work on rectos. Illustrated with two photographic illustrations by Weir.

New York: Interim Books, 1973. Small quarto. [4] pp. Original printed wrappers, stitched. Light creasing in upper margin and some wear to yapped edges of wrappers, else near fine. Numbered 34 of 250 copies. The first publication of Ukrainian-American poet Christine Zawadiwsky (born 1950) and the first of five "broadsides" published by Kirby Congdon's Interim Press.

New York: Midmarch Arts Press, 1991. Oriole Farb Feshbach. Quarto. x,86 pp. Publisher's pictorial wrappers. Signed by Oriole Farb Feshbach on title page. Corners lightly bumped, else near fine.

New York: Adventures in Poetry, 1971. 11 inches. [7]/[6] leaves, printed recto only. Pictorial covers, two sections side-stapled dos-à-dos. Quarter-inch hole in lower panel of first leaf of SUFFERIN' SUCCOTASH, very light dust-soiling to wrappers, else near fine. Lettered "R" of 26 copies signed by Joe Brainard, Michael Brownstein, and Ron Padgett (of a larger first edition of 300). Two works in cartoon style, drawn by Brainard and written by Brownstein and Padgett. Clay and Phillips, p. 195.

[Detroit]: The Glass Bell Press, 1974. First Separate Edition. Broadside. Fine. Broadside, 11 x 8 inches, printed on pale green paper. Fine. First separate edition of this portion of Ellen Bass's longer poem, "Japanese Notebooks," which was published a year earlier in her first collection of poetry, I'M NOT YOUR LAUGHING DAUGHTER. In 1973, Bass also co-published (with Florence Howe) NO MORE MASKS!, one of the first major anthologies of 20th-century women's poetry. Detroit's Glass Bell Press published poems by women from 1974 to 1979, largely in broadside form. In 1975, Glass Bell printed 10 broadsides for the portfolio collection, TEN MICHIGAN WOMEN POETS. The present broadside is one of nine Glass Bell printed in 1974 for which we have found records, but it remains unclear whether the 1974 broadsides were also intended to be issued as a collection. Scarce, with OCLC locating one copy, at Brown University.