Dunsyre: Wild Hawthorn Press, n.d. (1963)
29.4 x 20.4cm, 1pp offset lithographic price list for the Press. Mentions the early publications from the Press and some such as Jonathan William's Lullabies Twisters Gibbers Drags which the Press was the distributor for in the UK. Former fold else VG+....
N.p. (Gloucester?): n.p., n.d. (c. 1962)
33 x 20cm, b/w offset lithograph. A single sheet with Finlay's ‘Semi-idiotic poem’' printed near the bottom Such "coded" works were invented by Décio Pignatari and Luiz Pinto and categorised as being part of a semiotic or code-poem genre. This poem was printed in Poor. Old. Tired. Horse. Nr 13 but also as part of a John Furnival published portfolio of Finlay's works. This appears to be an early and unused proof copy of the work and any further background is not clear. This example has a significant paper lack bottom right only just missing the image. Any information on this image would be welcome.
...
Edinburgh: Allan Donaldson, 1962
21 x 14cm, 16pp plus card covers. This was Hugh MacDiarmid's "reply to charges made by Ian Hamilton Finlay and others".
A public dispute had taken place after MacDiarmid said that some poets were not worthy to be included in an anthology of new poems dedicated to Burns - this must have stung Finlay and his circle and a war of words took place following a personal meeting with Jessie McGuffie who MacDiarmid claims told him his work was boring and out of touch with contemporary life.
Because Jessie McGuffie was involved centrally with the Wild Flounder Press (the forerunner in name to the Wild Hawthorn Press) and Poor, Old, Tired Horse (sic) the dispute widened to include Finlay. MacDiarmid claims they accused him of failing to help younger Scottish writers and using his prominence in the field of Scottish letters to exclude others.
The book makes MacDiarmid's case against this (as one might expect) and then attacks Finlay directly - given MacDiarmid was Finlay's best man at his wedding then this is somewhat remarkable. MacDiarmid says that Finlay's published works (at this point mostly Glasgow Beasts a more traditional form of poetry) is 'all "old hat"'. The two poets have by now clearly fallen out badly.
This is one of 50 signed and numbered copies denoted as a "special edition". In a text at the front of the book inside the covers is found:
"HUGH MACDIARMID is undoubtedly great. And alike all great men before him, he has had the unpleasant experience of meeting the unreasonable and artless criticisms of the nonentities who surround art."
JOINT WITH
A letter dated 31 - 7 - 62 from a rare bookseller to one of his clients enclosing the book and inviting his client to a party for the publication of MacDiarmid's A Festschrift.
Both are VG+ and this is a major rarity with insight into the reaction of a literary bun-fight between poets.
...
Ventura: Migrant Press, 1960 27 x 21cm, 3pp (two stapled sheets top left), mimeographed. A 2pp text in English about Finlay's poetry (which is not overwhelmingly positive) distributed by the Press who published the poet's first book. The second sheet is a promotional leaflet for "The Dancers Inherit the Party" which a short biographical text about Finlay and promoting "The Seabed and Other Stories" published by the Alna Press. There is also a short bio for the illustrator Zeljko Kujundzie. Both sheets with some browning to the paper but else VG+. Rare early document. ...
Edinburgh: Wild Hawthorn Press, n.d. (1960?) 33 x 21cm, 1pp mimeograph with a text announcing the Wild Hawthorn Press based at this time in Fettes Row Edinburgh. Some quotes by other writers such as Edwin Morgan, Robert Duncan and Hugh Kenner on Finlay's poetry and mention of 'My Friend The Tree' by Lorine Niedecker (published in 1961) and 'Whistling in the Dark' by Finlay, 'Poems and Verses' by Robert Garloch and 'A Very Particular Hill' by Gael Turnbull. The Finlay and Garloch were not published by the Press unless Finlay changed the name of his own collection? The leaflet appears to have been distributed by Migrant Press along with copies of Finlay's second book 'The Dancers Inherit the Party' and to clients. Paper damage to top left and bottom corners and a brown stain on the left. Previously folded but this is a very rare early piee of ephemera relating to the Press. ...