Two part, very large, original paper letter - each 100 x 34.5cm on gold shaped paper where the top of the paper resembles a dome. Both sheets are folded many times for posting down to 13.5 x 18cm). An original letter from Byars to Paul Jolle congratulating the latter on some unspecified (perhaps spurious) promotion. The text is written in Byar’s handwriting. The text says: “DEAR GREAT MR J. THE POWER OF THE GR.(?) PLEASE DON'T YOU THINK ONE OF MY XXXXX WOULD LOOK FINE HIGH UP IN SOME PARLIAMENT ROOM I'M HAVING EXHIBITION (sic) AT GERBERS AND AND THIS AFTERNOON / I'D LOVE TO SEE YOU. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT CH'D LET IT'S POETIC FLAG GET SO RENEWED. I'M HOPING FOR A VERY GREAT CREATIVE RESP. FROM THE BERN INTELLECTUALS? HELP? I DO HOPE YOU LIKE LITTLE SHORT GOLD SUMMER FLAG TOO? REGARDS AND THANK YOU B." The words are hard to read in places but as usual Byars is being both flattering and hinting at a possible commission from the reader at the same time. The "little short gold summer flag" may well refer to the two shaped gold pieces of paper the letter is written on. Byars was always very admiring of the simplicity of the Swiss flag. Both folded parts of the letter are housed in an original 13 x 17.7cm white enveleope on which Byars has drawn a large letter "J" in his starry handwriting style. Paul Jolles was a Swiss diplomat who Byars befriended after he met the artist at the Toni Gerber Gallery in Bern. Apart from being heavily folded and the odd tiny tear at the indexes of folds this is in very good condition and is a typical brief from the romantic minimalist (if with an air of self interest about it)....

Very large original paper letter on two pieces of conjoined crepe paper - opens to 246 x 33.5cm (folded many times for posting down to 13.5 x 18cm). An original letter from Byars to Paul Jolle congratulating the latter on some unspecified (perhaps spurious) promotion. The text is written in Byar’s handwriting. The text says: “DEAR MR J. CONGRATULATIONS. ON YR NEWEST INVENTED POSITION, SEC OF ST. CH. DON'T YOU LOVE ABBREVIATIONS AND NOW AS CHIEF OF CH. WHERE’S YR POET LAUREATE? SUPPOSE AFTER THE FIRST WORD OF THE P.L. IS PERFECT THAT CH. EVEN GETS OFFICIALLY ENGLISH. HOW VERY EXCELLENT TO BE AN OFFIC. POLYGLOT COUNTRY WITH A WHITE POETIC FLAG. I DO HOPE YOU’VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE GREAT ONLY BY NOW. IF NOT CALL JURGEN CH. AT THE KUNST-MUSEUM FOR A VERY CAREFUL EXAMINATION. ALSO YOU SHOULD ASK FOR A SPECIAL PERFORMANCE OF THE PERFECT WHISPER FOR YOU. AWAITING YOUR RPLY. SINCERELY JAMES LEE BYARS BERN.” Paul Jolles was a Swiss diplomat who Byars befriended after he met the artist at the Toni Gerber Gallery in Bern. Apart from being heavily folded this is in very good condition and is a typical and early brief from the romantic minimalist (with an air of appealing for a commission about it)....

Lund: Propexus, 1990 28 x 29.5 x 8.5 cm box with printed bandeau. Internal a book with metal board covers and 320pp. The deluxe edition consisting of a handmade (rough sphere) clay multiple by James Lee Byars, titled “The Sphere of Generosity,” and a blue steel covered book by Eric Orr and Byars. The book contains “The Matter of O,” a rubber-stamped stain of Orr’s blood; “Skull Page,” made of handmade paper using Kozo fibers and a powdered mummy skull with red screenprinting. Pages 25 / 26 were hand-torn by the artist. The book, a monograph / catalogue raisonné by Orr with interventions by Byars, and multiple are housed in a large polystyrene box and slipcased in a screenprinted cardboard box. An overwhelmingly well produced project that sets a high standard for both artists’ publications and artist designed monographs. This is one of the very small number of signed examples. Fine...

Houston: Contemporary Arts Museum, 1990 27.5 x 21cm, 156pp plus red cloth boards and pictorial dust jacket. First edition of this well-researched monograph issued on the occasion of the large scale Texan exhibition which was planned to bring Byars to a wider American audience. The essays and introductions are good and the entire book is illustrated in b/w and full colour plates (mostly of Byar's classically formed sculptures although paper works and performances are well represented too) but Elliott's "Notes towards an autobiography" is an extensive timeline of Byar's career and life and still unsurpassed in empathy. This example has some closed tears on the back and the front of the dustjacket near the spine and some wear and tear along the foldlines of the dj but internally fine. Scarce....

Milano: British Council, 1990
30 x 21cm, 32 pp plus card covers. Exhibition catalogue for an Italian solo show - twelve works reproduced in full colour and texts in English and Italian by Giovanni Damiani. Staples slightly rusty else VG+.

...

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, n.d.
9.5 x 6.cm, 4pp, Artist's card with a drawing of a boat on the front.

Internally there is a list of names:

Elegy
Elizabeth Campbell
Isa Wilson
Charlotte Chambers
Yvonne Risager
George R. Wood
Mary Robinson
William Risager
These appear to be names of boats (the Yvonne Risager and William Risager being built in 1955 according to Fishing News, a publication Finlay often read) . On the back of the card are the boat registrations numbers:

PL56, D, NI20, SD50, A465, BH32, BA110

One presumes the elegy is for lost or ruined boats - but this is the author's speculation. VG+.

...

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1990 11.0 x 7.7cm, 24pp plus card covers and printed dust jacket. One of Finlay's proposals for a public work in Nordhorn in Germany. The proposal is for a large but low lying rusting Cort-en steel sundial near the Vechte river with a latin inscription (to reflect the monastery nearby) that reads "Ex Templo" which means "from the Temple" (ie the sky) as well as "from the moment", there is a proposed viewing point on the opposite side of the water which Finlay intends to stress the inaccessibility of the promontory. The drawings and plans are by Kathleen Lindsley and Malcolm Fraser.
Finlay also appends to the book several of his Detached Sentences on Sundials such as "Clocks scold, sundials preach.". One of only 250 copies published. VG+. ...

35 x 25cm, 4pp (folded single sheet of black card) with A the hand-written letter which reads “Brandon ****** standing up is ideal" in gold ink. Date unknown but early 1990s. The work was given by Byars in this form (by hand to Krall). The writing is so hard to read with the embellishments that this is almost an abstract work. VG condition (some minor edge damage to the card not affecting text) and unique. If you can decipher the text then do contact us! ...

Two folded black pieces of hand edged paper - 30 x 32cm, and 32.5 x 29cmm. Both with handwritten text in gold ink with Byars’ unmistakable starry stylings. The first seems to read “B I **** luck try that on yr modest group (the ***** of Godess??) you I hope you have a very creative” And the second: " time. Have call’d S 7 - I made it all official SEV times (??) Ate 8 - mouthfuls of **** yeats (years?). You keeping him here?? 9 - Make me some luck please. How material is a work 10 - make me some faith?? What is a work?? 11 Thank ytou for yr letter Let’s meet up soon Yrs JLB.” Bother are hard to read. We understand these were sent to Brandon Krall (the B is for Brandon) from who we purchased the letters. The introduction of the numbering in the second letter from 9 is curious - but the two clearly related to each other and one text continues from the previous one. The letters were delivered by hand to Krall by Byars. Fine condition. Unique....

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