Lettered copy of the doubly signed limited first edition of Elliott's debut, with a cover illustration of a burning cruciform box by Edward Gorey.
Near fine.
Price: $1,000.00
"Best about the library was meeting his coworker Richard Elliott, a 'tall, lanky' man of about forty 'with a long, washed out, bland face and a toothy grin.'" (Roffman)
Gorey and Elliott, a writer described by Fagin as "completely off the radar screen" when these prose pieces were published, shared a connection in John Ashbery: Elliott's unhappy former co-worker at the Brooklyn Public Library, who first met Frank O'Hara at an exhibition of Gorey's paintings. Elliott, a close friend of Paul and Jane Bowles and a fellow resident with them in the February House, the short-lived Brooklyn artist's commune, was for Ashbery the best thing about working at the library, introducing the younger poet to Bowles, Mary Butts, and Jean Rhys, among others (Roffman). Elliott died in 1974, only a year after this first book publication; his other works were written variously under his own name and the pseudonyms Richard Fields, Richard Hotchkiss, and David Martin. A great copy, published by Larry Fagin's Adventures in Poetry imprint.
Read more: Roffman, The Songs We Know Best: John Ashbery's Early Life; Toledano, "Book Covers & Design," Goreyography; Clay & Phillips, A Secret Location on the Lower East Side.
(New York): (Adventures in Poetry), (1973). 11'' x 8.5''. Original side-stapled pictorial wrappers by Edward Gorey. Mimeographed text. [60] pages. Edition of 26 lettered copies signed by author and artist; this copy no. U, signed by Elliott and Gorey at colophon. Light soil/toning to wrappers, minor edgewear.
We work hard to meet our ethical responsibility to describe our material accurately. All items are guaranteed as described and may be returned for any reason within 30 days. Please notify us before mailing a return.
We guarantee the authenticity of our items. All materials are original (meaning not facsimiles or reproductions) unless otherwise noted. First editions (meaning first edition, first printing) are explicitly stated. TPM is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America and upholds their Code of Ethics.
All photographs are of the actual item for sale. We're happy to provide additional images on request.
All domestic orders ship gratis. For orders under $250, free USPS media mail shipping is included; orders $250 and over ship USPS Ground Advantage. International orders over $1000 also ship gratis. Expedited, overnight, as well as other carriers (UPS, Fed-Ex, etc.), may carry additional costs beyond quoted rates. All orders receive tracking information and a direct contact in case of any questions.
International buyers are responsible for any customs, taxes, and related import fees. Please note that we are unable to accomodate requests to misrepresent, misdeclare, or otherwise falsify customs documents when shipping internationally. We appreciate your understanding.
We accept all major credit cards, Paypal, Venmo, check, money order, and bank wire. We are happy to bill institutional buyers' needs. Sales tax will be added to applicable purchases. Items subject to prior sale.
If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your purchase, please contact us. We prioritize our long-term relationships far above any individual purchase, and we want you to love your item as much as we loved cataloguing it.
Type Punch Matrix is a Washington D.C.-area rare book firm founded by Rebecca Romney and Brian Cassidy.
Read more about TPM.
![THE STORY OF PETER RABBIT [and] DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT. Beatrix Potter, John R. Neill.](https://typepunchmatrix.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/17729_1.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1736868613)
