Nottingham: Tarasque Press, 1970
26 x 20cm, 1pp. Small broadside issued by The Trent Bookshop/Tarasque Press (formed by Stuart Mills and Martin Parnel in 1964) which had a different poet in each issue. This number consists of one line poems by Finlay although he is not credited.
Faint grease stains else VG+.
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Paris: Chorus, 1970
24 X 18cm, 80pp plus pictorial covers. A single number of the art journal which alongside Boltanski are original contributions and articles on Arman, Jean Le Gac, Henri Calet and others.
Notable here are four pages by Boltanski - a b/w photograph of the artist lying on the ground of a back garden as if he has died. The same photograph is shown four times but each time showing more and more of the body in close up.
Thematically this touches on the same interest in accidents and death that the artist had explored in some of his earliest works (which described false accounts of a fatal accident). VG+. Scarce publication.
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Berlin: n.p., 1970.
10.3 x 15cm, 2pp commercial postcard with an image of the Berlin Kongresshalle and on the reverse greetings and best wishes from both Boltanski and his partner Annette Messager. VG+.
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Paris: s.p. Boltanski, n.d. (1970)
21 x 13.5cm, 12pp (self cover). The second of the artist's books created by Boltanski by writing false narratives from six b/w found images. The book has an alternative title: "Tout ce que je sais d’une femme qui est morte et que je n’ai pas connue". Sadly the poor quality staples used have rusted over 50 years but otherwise this is in VG+ condition.
This is the true first edition from M. Berg's collection which was sent by Boltanski to the collector in 1970. Rare.
It is referenced in Flay Christian Boltanski Catalogue 1992, Page 30.
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Sunderland: Coelfrith Bookshop, 1970
21 x 21cm, 1pp offset lithographic leaflet announcing the publication of Coelfrith 5 which is entirely dedicated to the work of Ian Hamilton Finlay. The price of the signed and numbered copies was £2, unsigned 10/-. VG+.
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Edinburgh: Scottish Arts Council, 1970
33.5 × 30.7 × 7.5cm (when assembled) - etched glass, wood and aluminium gnomon in original custom made wooden box (with postal labels still attached) with 15.1 x 28.8cm, 1pp instruction/commentary leaflet by Stephen Bann. A significant early work which is similar in intent to the print LAND / SEA of 1967. The sundial's hour, declination lines and equinox line etched on the glass dial plate are all practical parts of a normal sundial but they serve to also remind one of the sea and a boat's journey across the lines of longitude and latitude as well as a visual pun of a net being cast from the boat and, finally, that of a sail billowing out from the mast.
The number twelve, which is 10˚ East of South according to the instructions, is etched in the glass such that if wished the sundial can work.
The number of these sundials made is not clear - probably not too many - and they are scarce indeed. This example is in VG+ condition and with all the original shipping materials and packing box.
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Sunderland: Ceolfrith Press, 1970
Printed three part folder - 24.8 x 20.5cm content of 18 separate inserts consisting of essays, photographs, cards and publications. Photographs by Dianne Tammes.
Alongside a 1pp sheet of catalogue contents printed green on cream stock, the portfolio contains:
'Sailing Drifters' - envelope containing single sheet of quotations printed red and black letterpress on cream stock, folded twice inwards / folded bibliography for the poet, printed brown on cream stock
Wild Hawthorn Press bibliography, with an introduction by Douglas Eadie printed dark blue on brown stock, folded once
An essay by Simon Cutts, 2pp sheet, printed black on blue on both sides
'IAN HAMILTON FINLAY: Engineer and Bricoleur' by Stephen Bann - a 23 x 18.9 mm, stapled booklet with b/w illustrated covers reproducing a photograph of the stone poem 'Rose Bench', containing 7 page essay on Finlay's work
illustrations to Bann's essay and contained in separate printed envelope include: 'The Little Seamstress' colour facsimile printed brown and blue on cream stock
'Skylarks' - small folded b&w poem card in envelope
a b/w photograph of 'Pond Excerpt'
two b/w photographs of 'Model Boats'
a 21.5 x 16.5cm b/w photograph of the poet flying one of his model gliders
a 22 x 14cm, b&w photograph of a work 'Frogbit'
a 20.1 x 16.2cm, b/w photograph of a work 'KY'
a 21.9 x 17.3 b/w photograph of 'Water Weathercock'
A booklet, folded twice, printed silver on black stock of the exhibition items.
This is a very hard to find and important exhibition catalogue with extensive documentation of early Finlay activities. One of only 25 signed and numbered copies within the larger edition of 350 copies. Very good condition. Murray has this as 3.36.
We also own the original paste up/maquette/photgraphs for this publication - see listing in "unique works".
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35.5 X 31.5cm, b/w offset lithographic offset reproduction of an original photograph of the first version of Finlay's perhaps most famous work. The lithogrpah is tipped on to thick board and with a title card above the image. A exhibition print more than likely.
This image is an important one because the sculpture (a carved wooden work) is installed in the ground in Little Sparta and the last time I saw it was beginning to rot away. I brought that to Finlay's attention and he told me "let it return to nature".
The work is the first version of "EVENING WILL COME. THEY WILL SEW THE BLUE SAIL" and shows the text next to a "sil" which is also a gnomon for a sun dial. This gives the work a different meaning from the later famous print (see separate listing here in prints for a long discussion of that work). The use of a sun dial visual pun emphasises the role of time in this work much more than in the later evolution of the idea. The photograph was taken by Jim Styes
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Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1970
46 × 58.9cm, blue and brown silkscreen on white paper with a drawing by Richard Demarco of a homeward bound boat . The title of the work refers to the way a boat's engine (which was oen the method used to propel the boat at the end of the fishing trip to port) caused a rhythmic splash of white foam. The even spacing of the "put put" meant that the white specks against the blue water looked like a continuous stitch of white cotton. VG.
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Paris: s.p. (Paul-Armand Gette) 1970 10.5 x 13.5cm, 1pp b/w photographic image (taken by Gette) of a bag or some paper blowing past trees and part of the stonework in the Parc Buttes-Chaumont. This was from the second Promenade which took place around May 1970 when Gette joined Christian Boltanski and Jean Le Gac for a dérive (which had previously been used as means to creativity by both the surrealists and the situationists). During the walk, Boltanski placed some balls of dried earth in an alleyway, PA Gette hung some crystals and Le Gac documented part of the journey by taking photographs. On the back of the card there is a message hand-written by Turid (wife of Paul-Armand Gette)in black ink to Paule Léon Bisson-Millet. VG+. Very rare. ...
Dunsyre: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1970
7.2 x 10.2cm, 14pp. Concertina folded single sheet printed on both sides. Each image is an appropriated headline from the trade journal Fishing News - the headlines are more poetic when isolated from their origins. For example "Fishermen turn to mackerel" alters the story from a decision to change fishing strategy to that of a sea myth. Some of the works show here were published as individual artist's postcards also by the Wild Hawthorn Press. VG. There is a line drawing by Margot Sandeman at the second page of the publication.
One could make the case that this is a folded card rather than an artist's book but traditionally Murray has it in the artist's books section of his catalogue raisonee and we have decided to accept that catagorising with some reservations.
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N.p. (Copenhague): Berg, 13 juillet 1970
21 x 15cm, 1pp original vintage carbon copy of a signed letter from M. Berg to Boltanski thanking the latter for the photographs sent to Berg by Boltansk that Berg found after his return from Venice. Berg notes he includes documents about some Danish young artists.
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