IAN HAMILTON FINLAY

ARTIST’S POSTCARDS

LITTLE SPARTA CHRISTMAS CARD. 1983. WITH A HANDWRITTEN GREETING FROM FINLAY.

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1983
11 x 15cm , 1pp black on cream card. The text tells of a "Football Match" between Little Sparta and Strathclyde Region at the Middle Gate ("Checkpoint Sandy") and listing the respective captains as Sue Finlay and Councillor "own goal" Sanderson. The ball persons: Councillor Allison, Councillor Lawson, J.N. Young, W. Taylor and Referee: "Tim" Mason of the Scottish Arts Council. "The game will be kicked off by Dame Judith Hart."
The design of the card is somewhat basic - and this is noted as because it was "produced in conformity with Little Spartan Wartime Economy Standards".
This card has a handwritten greeting in blue ink by Finlay and dated. VG+.

HE SPOKE LIKE AN AXE. 1984.

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, (1984) 6.4 x 20.9cm, 4pp artist's card with a drawing of an axe by Richard Healy with the title text on the "handle". The words "He spoke like an axe" came from his rival Barere and reference the surety that the young revolutionary brought to the debating chamber but also his reputation where he was the "Angel of death" announcing the condemned to the gathered representatives. VG+.

RICHARD HEALY

CHARM. 1984.

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1984 15.2 x 11.8cm , 1pp light blue on white card. The card with a drawing of a floral bundle with ribbons by Laurie Clark above a "definition" work:
CHARM, n. a something pleasing in a person or thing; it came in with the Revolution and went out with the War.
There is also a quote from Michelet's History of the French revolution discussing the major public festivals that were organised during the later years of the uprising. Finlay's definition of Charm is heavily related to the actions of the French revolution - placing it on a footing equal to Virtue. VG+.

LAURIE CLARK

ARROSOIR. A REGENERATION: THE GARDEN AND GARDEN TEMPLE, LITTLE SPARTA…. 1984.

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1984 23 x 18cm, 4pp card with 1pp 30 x 21cm insert. The announcement and artist's card for the re-opening of the Little Sparta Temple and Garden after Finlay closed it. The front of the card displays a painting by Gary Hincks of a watering can and a reference to the guillotining of the Robespierrists during the "month of Heat" (Arrosoir being the symbol of that month in the new revolutionary calendar).
The insert is A NOTE ON THE PRESENT SITUATION IN THE LITTLE SPARTAN WAR. An update by Finlay on the ongoing fight with the Strath=clyde region and that they had been granted a new summary warrant against the Garden Temple. Folded else VG+.

Gary Hincks

THE MARBLE ARROW. 1985.

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1984
21 x 21cm (unfolded size) , two-sided folding paper which turns into a paper dart - with a marbled pattern on one side.
The inner message is "THE MARBLE ARROW ALWAYS HITS ITS MARK!". Finlay has made this into a paper dart which is a weapon of sorts in the Little Spartan Wars. VG+.

NEOCLASSICISM NEEDS YOU. 1984.

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1984
16 x 14cm , 1pp black on white card.
The card appropriates Lord Kitchener first world war recruitment image with the slogan altered to "NEOCLASSICISM NEEDS YOU". A clarion call. VG+.

DADDY WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE LITTLE SPARTAN WAR? 1984.

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1984 18.3 x 12.4cm , 1pp black on white card. The card appropriates a first world war recruitment poster with the original question "What did you do in the Great War Daddy?" replaced with a question about the Little Spartan War.
This card was sent to Harry Warschauer by Finlay and is hand addressed but also has two rubber stamp impressions one in red: "LITTLE SPARTA IS A LUCID MOMENT IN STRATHCLYDE REGION" and in blue "CONVERSE BY TOOM-TOM IN STRATHCLYDE REGION". VG+ although some ink smears caused by the postal system and the franking.

TEMPLE. 1984.

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1984
10 x 10.5cm, 1pp artist's card with a drawing of a marble temple in a landscape by Mark Stewart below which Finlay has added a definition work:
TEMPLE, n, a marble edifice, a veined edifice; the sear or summit of reason.
and two quotations from Ovid's Metamorphses and Finlay's own Despatches from the Little Spartan War. In the former quote Philemon and Baucis have their hut turned into a Temple - which Finlay clearly regards as a similar process to his own renaming of a building on the estate as the Garden Temple. The second quote notes how Strathclyde raided the Garden Temple to take away artworks in lieu of what they claimed was unpaid rates. Clearly Finlay saw the second events as sacrilegious. VG+.

Mark Stewart

NAMES ON TREES. 1984.

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1984
8.8 x 10.2cm , 1pp black and red on white card.
The card has an illustration by Mark Stewart after a painting by Jacques Blanchard of Paris and Oenone. Oenone was Paris' first wife who he dumped for Helen of Troy. The card has a cut-out which creates a small version of a tree plaque in three dimensions. The card refers to five oval plaques having been made each with the names of classical lovers and five rectangular plaques with tree names. They were exhibited in the "English Garden: in Merian Park, Basel". VG+.

MONTH OF THE POCKET BATTLESHIP. 1984. WITH EXTENSIVE HANDWRITTEN NOTE FROM FINLAY.

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1984
8.8 x 10.2cm , 4pp black and red on white card.
The card lists twelve new names of the months of the year (much like the way the French Revolutionary calendar renamed the year. The names "Month of the Hurricane", "Month of the Snowman" mostly reflect the weather but there are also references to the events of 1793 but one line is printed in festive red "Month of the Pocket Battleship" which one may assume is the month around Christmas (this being a Christmas card). December is hence now the 4th month and a pocket battleship being a toy may be seen as a children's gift.,BR> This example of the card has a relatively long (for a small card) message from Finlay to Stuart (Mills?) "doesn't this card remind you a wee line of Old Times, even if it is not printed in 60's sepia? I thinkI made it especially for you. How are you? That rotten firm never answered my letter about their rotten clockwork boat. Love to all, your chum, Ian. 12.12.84". An insightful short missive. VG+.

ON PAPER FRANCIS PICABIA WAS WICKEDLY WITTY….. 1985?

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, n.d. (1985)
15 x 10.5cm, 2pp, a leaflet/card on glossy paper with a text:

On paper Francis Picabia was wickedly witty; in paint he was restless, stylish and shameless. Thirty five years after his death, one of the most provocative voices in modern art shouts louder than ever."

The text has been appropriated by the Saint-Just Vigilantes. VG+.

THE PERFECT SENTENCE.

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, n.d.
7.4 x 10cm, 10pp accordion fold with a text:

The perfect sentence/primly holding its proper content/like a plain little jug. With a drawing of such a jug byKathleen Lindsley.

Finlay creates a metaphor for good writing - simplicity and function. VG+