Dunsyre: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1970
58 x 51cm, black and silver on white silkscreen. The ship drawn by Ron Costley has elaborate rigging and sails - hence reflecting Mozart's highly complex musical forms. A visual poem.
The image we have used here is from a publication - the print we hold is framed in wood and glass and hard to image without reflections - but the work is in VG+ condition.
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A collection of original papers, gallery proofs and the original photographs used for the production of the Ceolfrith Nr 65 publication which was the first major monograph on the poet and Stoneypath (later Little Sparta). The groop consists of:
The outer folder address by Finlay to Christopher Carrell at Ceofrith Bookshop;
A hand drawn design for the poster for the exhibition with texts by Finlay in his own handwriting - we have never seen this poster and do not know if it was ever printed;
A text handwritten by Finlay for the blurb promotion the book;
A biography of Diane Tammes the photographer whose images were used in the book written by Finlay in his own hand;
The original typescript unused galley sheets reproducing the texts Finlay sent;
Eight original b/w photographs by Tammes used in the production showing Finlay sailing in his boat, flying toy gliders, sailing his model boats, in situ large sculptures and a kite. These were all taken in Stoneypath for the intent of publishing this book. Possibly unique and certainly vintage prints.
All in all an unique and important collection which shows the methods of production of one of Finlay's most important publications.
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Dunsyre: Sue Finlay, n.d.
5.5 x 8.5cm, b/w business card for Sue Finlay offering her services as a garden consultant. VG+.
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Paris: Sand Project Press, 1970
27 x 20.5cm, 36pp (printed recto only) plus card covers. A poetry magazine by Tysh which is entirely in English despite being printed in France. Notable for a cover photograph by Boltanski of one of his multiples of hand-made mud shapes on the floor of his studio illuminated by a single bulb.
Fine condition. This book is not found in any Boltanski catalogue raisonne and is very rare.
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53 x 53 cm, blue ink on light blue paper. A unique handwritten letter from Byars to Isy Fiszman (a patron of the arts who supported a number of artists including Marcel Broodthaers, Joseph Beuys, Panamarenko, Hanne Darboven and others as well as Byars. The text of the letter is hinting (as always with Byars) for money. it reads: "Isi after all the Antwerp excitement I've lauded on cool circumstance, finding as I guess happened at Dusseldorf few details considered well done and compromise without informing me beforehand whereby I could have made adjustments so it is not good for me to ask for support for A at this time. I do hope it goes on and I will tell everybody about it - could you fly a young artist over? Later on? Of course I'll be looking for correspondence type works - the tape record didn't arrive not did the autobiography?? 1000s of messages are here - I'm editing for an eatable (sic) book - I look forward to more of you and Antwerp if all goes well. Love J'. Folded for storage/sending else VG+. ...
Koln: Schirmer Verlag, 1970
15 x 10.5cm, 4pp promotional card for one of Beuys very first monographs - here displaying drawings from the earliest period of his artistic output. One work reproduced on the front of the card, internally subscription card and details. VG+.
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Antwerpen, Wide White Space, 1970 25 x 18.5cm, 4pp announcement leaflet for the cassette edition (with cassette recorder) of Ich versuche dich freizulassen (machen) which translates to "I am trying to set (make) you free). The recording is of the title Fluxus concert by Beuys and Christiansen at the opening of the Blockade ’69’ group exhibition at Galerie René Block in Berlin. During the action, Beuys and Christiansen covered a music stand with sauerkraut. One wrap around image of Beuys during the performance in b/w on the outside, inside edition details. VG+. Scarce. This announcement leaflet is not found in the Wide White Space catalogue raisonne....
Dunsyre: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1970
35.5 x 44.5cm silkscreen in two colours on paper: a visual pun on a cat's paws, a boat and a tea-time cake. Drawing after Finlay's instruction by Peter Grant. One of 350 released. Slight mark on left else VG.
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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 has the Weed Boat Masters (sic) Ticket Preliminary test (Part One) - a faux examination where all of the questions appear to be about boats and fishing but have a humorous twist eg
6. Comment on the statement' (sic) "A ship is not a shoe sealed for seafaring'.
The "part two" of the test was published by Finlay's Wild Hawthorn Press as an artist's book in 1971 but this "first part" is an extremely rare item in VG+ condition.
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Dunsyre: Wild Hawthorn Press, Spring 1970
5.5 x 20.4cm, 1pp offset lithographic leaflet with an hilarious text pretending to promote "several first editions" of the Dancers Inherit The Party. This may be Finlay's first 'attack" artwork (later they were usually cards) where he calls out in an amusing manner Fulcrum Press and the Arts Council for the former's reprinting of his book and their mislabelling of it as a "first edition". Having asked the Arts Council to help in stopping this bad practice and receiving scant attention from them, Finlay also uses this leaflet to seek some revenge. The text sarcastically suggests that the new multiple "first editions" might include photographs of members of the Arts Council as additional material and include an essay "in which the author tries to show that it is possible to write on the subject of the Arts Council without resorting to obscenities. The edition will be limited to 15 copies, dedicated to Lord Goodman."
We had this in our hands for years, thought it just a leaflet promoting the original book and shamefully did not look in detail at it until now for this cataloguing. It is quite a find - probably, as we say, the first time Finlay used a publicly available publication to hit back at his enemies and those who slighted him or failed to live up to his opinion of how they should act.VG+.
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London: Angela Flowers, 1970 16 x 10.2cm, 2pp. Limited edition postcard with an image of Beuys on the front "explaining art to a dead hare" by Ute Klophaus from the action "Eurasia, 32. Satz der Sibirischen Symphonie" in 1963 printed in bright yellow (other colours were also published and similar images used in announcement cards such as for the Fluxus Hauptstrom Fluxus Fettraum with Henning Christiansen in 1967). This example is one of a small number signed by Beuys on the front in red pen. VG+. Scarce especially signed....
Berlin: Edition Hundertmark, 1970 8 x 11.3cm, 3pp (recto only). Announcement leaflet released by Armin Hundertmark to promote editions by Beuys (including the artist's book "1a gebratene fischgrate"), Eric Andersen, Ben Vautier, Ken Friedman and others. Various images in b/w of the works and some newspaper clippings. VG+. JOINT: A hand addressed printed Hundertmark envelope sent to Joe Tilson. Somewhat worn....