Dunsyre: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1974.
8.7 x 11.7cm, 4pp. Artist's card with a painting by Karl Torok of a Finlay cotton-reel (also known as a bobbin) tank (a well known way of children to make such toys). The title also refers to the Churchill Bobbins tanks (the bobbin from the reel that was found at the front of these tanks which laid tracks or bridges) although the model here is not accurate to the latter's design. VG+.
...
Dunsyre: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1974.
12.6 x 4.7cm, 1pp. Black on blue bookmark with a drawing by Laurie Clark - at the top a ship with seven sails ( a schooner) which despite all of the masts is still only a "Lone Sail" and then an illustration of a double sundial which has been also denoted here as a "schooner" because similarity of the multiple gnomons to multiple sails. VG+
...
Dunsyre: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1974.
6.5 x 1.7cm, 6pp. Black on white printed on one side only. The folded card shows on the front an elevation (drawn by Michael Harvey) of a U-Boat conning tower which when the card is opened is additionally shown in end elevation to be a sculpture on grass (a cow is standing next to the structure) and on the final panel a title text and the sub-heading - "Plan for projected U-boat sculpture". VG+.
...
Dunsyre: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1974.
9.5 x 5cm, 12pp (single folded sheet). Black on cheap green card with the text: "Who owned the last Norfolk Wherry" and if the card is turned ninety degrees the answer is given as "Messrs. Woods, Sadd & Moore". and a repeated drawing by Michael Harvey. The card (the least attractive, or interesting that Finlay made to our opinion) regards the loss of the wherry boats that used to be found on the Norwich Broads. Messrs. Woods, Sadd & Moore were barley and seed merchants and Finlay finds the partners' names to be evocative of the countryside and a lost past. VG+.
...
Dunsyre: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1974.
9.9 x 9.9cm, 2pp. A diamond pattern is reproduced in pink and grey. The title refers to the brightly patched or patterned character from commedia dell'arte and Finlay was interested in the paintings of Picasso where such characters were portrayed. Finlay in other works such as La Belle Hollondaise (itself a Picasso painting) displays patches as the main elements in the work: a patch is a repair to save something from being destroyed and in the poet's works is an icon of love or care. VG+.
...
Dunsyre: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1974.
10.5 x 15cm, 2pp. Artist postcard with two drawings by Martin Fidler) which are similar to those jokes often seen in children's comics. The first is "The Mexican Navy - and the image could be seen as both a carrier with circling aircraft and wave AND a sombrero. the second drawing is similar and entitled Sombraero (an alternative spelling of the hat) where the planes appear to be crashing onto the carrier. VG+.
...
N.p. (Nailsworth): Moschatel Press, 1975
10.2 x 5.7cm, 4pp green outer cover and bound in (string) is a folded white sheet with the vertical four word text "SNOW SAIL DROP FLAKE". A visual poem with the double meaning of the fall of a sail (a Snow is also a type of boat) and the fall of a snow flake. VG+ . Rather scarce.
JOINT:
Original printed envelope.
...
Dunsyre: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1974.
12.7 x 77cm, 8pp. Artist card which opens out to show a calligraphic design using the German word for ship (Schiff) which is printed black and blue in reflection to give the impression of a boat on water (with the fold being the water level). A lovely graphic by Ron Costley who was one of Britain's greatest typographers and one of Finlay's longest lasting collaborators. One of 350 signed and numbered copies. VG+.
...
Dunsyre: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1973.
16.5 x 13.5cm, 4pp. Artist card which shows a painting by Richard Demarco after a well known and loved slightly kitsch painting by Kate Greenaway of the same title that shows two young women cavorting in a tea cup. Finlay has had Demarco replace the women with a sailing boat (a calm). The Greenaway is a joke based on the saying "storm in a tea cup". This is a hugely popular card by Finlay which appeals to many who have no idea of any other work by the poet. VG+.
BR>...
Dunsyre: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1974
25.5 x 10.5cm, 12pp plus card covers and printed dustjacket. Artist's book after Robert Lax's style and typography - each page has a group of descending words (often hyphenated) - in order RICHT-HOFEN (in red) /REIN-HART (in black)/CRIM-SON/BLACK/then RICHT-HOFEN and REIN-HART then CRIM-SON and BLACK - the colours reflect the nickname of the Red Baron, and the minimalist black paintings of Reinhart, The combinations of the words changes the meaning of each page as subtle alterations to the word order infers new imagined images.
One the 5th page Finlay has noted that this proof has missed out a hyphen and he has written on that page thus, On the last colophon page has the word Proof written by Finlay in blue ink and the page is signed. VG+. An unique copy.
...
Dunsyre: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1973.
8.8 x 19.3cm, 2pp. Artist card with two drawings by Torok which consists of a pink and blue rectangle with horizontal lines denoted as landscape. The second square has the same colouring but has vertical stripes and is labelled Interior. The latter being an image of wallpaper and the former horizons and fields. VG+.
...
Exeter: The Rougemont Press, 1974
27 x 20cm, 16pp. Original pictorial card covers. Artist's book comprising three orange and brown offset designs for sundials (one is a centre-fold double page) and brown divider pages. Each is also a visual/concrete poem - for example the double page sheet has four boats - a clipper, a barque, a mumble bee (name of the boat rather than the type) and Snow - again a type of boat. The four sides of the sundial therefore has one each of these boats and represents the four seasons (Spring- clipper/Summer Mumble Bee/Autumn - wood barque and winter - wood snow) hence adding time passing through the year to the daily cycle of hours. This is one of only 150 signed by numbered copies. Near Fine.
...