Edinburgh: Ronald Gunn, n.d. (1969) 38 x 30.5cm, b/w silver gelatine photographic print displaying a Ian Hamilton Finlay sculpture installed in Pittencrieff Park, Dunfermline, in 1969. This is one of a number of editioned photographs Finlay issued with Gunn. The back of the print has the photographer's copyright stamp. Some soft creases to the large sheet and one small diagonal crease bottom right (not affecting image) else VG. Scarce. ...
Exeter: Form Magazine, 1969 24 x 24cm, 36pp (self cover). This single number from series of magazines edited by Philip Steadman, Mike Weaver and Stephen Bann - here the tenth number which contains an article by Bann - "The Aesthetic of Ian Hamilton Finlay" which reproduces 6 b/w images by Ronald Gunn and two b/w lithogr[ahs. The number also has an article on Jiri Valoch. VG+. ...
Dunsyre: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1969
12.5 x 10.2cm, single sheet of dark blue card accordion folded six times to make 14 panels. Each panel has a line drawing which is unusually not credited so perhaps appropriated from another publication. Each boat is dedicated to a friend or enemy such that one can discern Finlay's opinion of them or a wry comment on their character.
A Boat, for Bob Cobbing*
Barking Fish-Carrier
Cobbing as Finlay notes here with the * was a sound poet in the London poetry scene. Of course the entire literary scene might well be a "boatyard" of ever moving figures b(c)obbing here and there.
Murray has placed this item as an artist's book but it could easily be re-catagorised as a folding card but for ease of reference we have decided to keep in as an "artist's book" in our listings.
...
Woodchester: Openings Press, n.d. 1969
48 x 48cm, blue and brown on thin card - a proof copy of a concrete poetry work which offers a made up headline which is more or less a joke. The text being set on a round baseline reflects the fictitious race being "round the bay".
Possibly unique in form on this paper, this was an early text proof of a page created with John Furnival as part of his later published Portfolio (see listing elsewhere). VG+.
...
Dunsyre: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1969
16.5 x 12cm, 2pp. The card has a reproduced drawing by Margot Sandeman of boats and overlaid is a text which lists nine names of boats. The names are all middle class girl's names and Finlay has designated them as an "Homage to John Betjeman" a poet who often muses on unrequited love affairs with pretty girls . (Betjemin reputedly also said on this death bed: "I wish I'd had more sex." but that could be untrue but it does hint at the longing after flesh that these names infer.
POINT-TO-POINT is a form of racing in both horse racing and sailing. It hints at competition, young women on horseback and love as a competition.
Murray has this as Card 4.19. ...
Woodchester: Openings Press, 1969
21.5 x 15.2cm, 4pp. A small broadside published by John Furnival's press. The poem by Finlay is illustrated by Furnvial. The poem is made up of eleven groups of three words telling a story: the quay is silent and only covered in snow - then a Russian ship arrives, there are hats, footsteps and songs from the sailors and then the ship leaves port. The final words are Silence. Silence. Snow.
It is after the Russian.
The work was previously published in London Magazine January 1969.
...
Munchen: Akzente 1969
22.3 x 14.4cm, 120pp plus card covers. Original contribution by Finlay ( diary entries) translated into German. Four b/w plates of installations from Stoneypath and 3 other works in b/w. The entire number of this journal was dedicated to experimental poetry in the UK and includes others such as Bob Cobbing. Stevie Smith, Sylvia Plath, Adrian Mitchell and others. Slight stains to wrappers else VG.
...
Munchen: Carl Hanser, 1969 22.5 x 14cm, 22pp (numbered 481 to 497) plus card covers. This is an off-print from a single number of this long running poetry and art magazine - here entirely dedicated to the work of Finlay with translated text in German of letters from Finlay. The cover was later added by the publisher. The text explains a number of early concrete poetry works from the 60s and there are 4 b/w photographic plates (with images by Ronald Gunn of Finlay works), and three b/w lithographs of printed works. Scarce. VG+. ...
Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1969
43.5 x 56.3cm, dark blue on white silkscreen print. The word SEAMS descends repeated vertically but there is a space between the SEA and MS. A concrete poem - the space between the parts of the word create a form of negative seam where the two parts of the word are joined. Additionally the first part of the word SEA places this work as a maritime piece - and the splitting of the word is much like the way water is parted by a vessel passing through. Further MS is often an abbreviation of manuscript - and this piece of paper might be seen as such a document.
Like much of Finlay this is a deceptively simple looking construction but on consideration is much much more than just a visual pun.
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.
...
Edinburgh: Student, 1969
42 x 31cm, 8pp (self cover) - a tabloid newspaper published by students at the University of Edinburgh for students, which has a reasonably long double page article on Finlay and own work - "By persevering I have managed to get some things done". Two sculptural works and a print are reproduced in b/w. Manages to misspell Paolozzi (oh student journalists) but it's a reasonable article that recognises the artist and pet for what he is. VG although heavily browned and some minor rippling on the edges.
...
n.p. (London): Fulcrum Press, 1969
21.5 x 14.5cm, 48pp. Boards with printed dust-jacket. The third edition of this Finlay's second book of poems - traditional in format mostly and usually in Scots/Doric. However this was published by Fulcrum who claimed it as the "first edition" on the colophon much to Finlay's annoyance. The original linocuts in the earlier publications have gone and the design is typographic only. Some marks and evidence of past adhesive labels on the front of the dustjacket (which has an image of a Giacometti maquette as its illustration) else VG. Scarce.
...
N.p. (Dunfermline): Carnegie Festival of Music and the Arts, 1969
20.5 x 106.cm, 12pp exhibition catalogue for an early show as party of the Dunfermline festival. Mimeograph. There are lists of the 16 works displayed and interesting short notes (by Finlay?) which are insightful for later themes in the poet's work. VG+. Very rare.
...