City Lights Books (Ferlinghetti, Lawrence)

Collection of Postcards & Ephemera

San Francisco, CA: City Lights Books/(Various), Circa 1960's-1988. First Edition. Single Sheet. Offered here is an eclectic collection of 13 rare vintage postcards & ephemera from the famed HQ of all-things-Beat, the immortal City Lights Bookstore. Spanning a wide range of years, these postcards contain images of the bookshop inn the late 50's-early 60's, the 1970's, and the latest dated postcards among them are from 1988 (as stated). Also included are postcards specific to Ferlinghetti--one from 1988 with one of Ferlinghetti's best paintings, "Portrait of Rosa," another with an excerpt from his excellent translations of celebrated French poet Jacques Prevert printed for the 1988 Moscow Summit, another of an 1988 Ferlinghetti painting of male nudes entitled "C'est la Guerre," and a promotional postcard advertising a locally-presented Ferlinghetti exhibition from 1985. Also included are two of the poet donning a priest's robes in jest, and two black & white postcards featuring a map of old North Beach & the area surrounding the fabled mecca of avant-garde American literature.


(1) “Portrait of Rosa” (1988) – In very fine condition with only less than 1/16” bump to top-right hand corner of recto.


(2) “The Discourse on Peace” (A Stark Press, 1988 [Albuquerque, NM]) – In very fine condition with only less than 1/16” bump to top left-corner of recto when viewing from poem-facing side.


(3) “Symbolism: Ferlinghetti: Recent Paintings” – In very fine condition with minute rubbing near top fine-edge of recto and horizontal crease running through at same; similar rubbing & crease near right fine-edge of same.


(4) “C’est La Guerre” – (1988) In very fine condition with only smallest bump-crease at bottom right, bottom left of recto.


(5) – “Lawrence Ferlinghetti at the One World Poetry Festival, Amsterdam, 1981” – In very fine condition with only slight spot on outer border of photograph near bottom-right fine-edge.


(6) – 1973 Walter Chapel Family & Friends Photograph – Postcard in very fine condition with only smallest bump to top-left corner of recto (when viewing horizontally).


(7) – “Lawrence Ferlinghetti at the One World Poetry Festival, Amsterdam, 1981” (#2) – Postcard in very condition with only barely visible 2 cm (at largest) crescent-crease near top-right fine edge of recto.


(8) – 1973 Walter Chapel Family & Friends Photograph – Postcard immaculate. As new.


(9) – Untitled (Photography of Bookstore in 1970’s from other side of Columbus Ave.) – Very fine with only slightest uniform bumps (less than 1/16”) at all corners.


(10) – Untitled (Bookstore in late 50’s/early 60’s) – In fine condition with only slight rubbing to front, back of postcard and bump-crease at top-left corner of verso.


(11) – Map of San Francisco/North Beach Postcard – In fine condition with minute bump-crease to top-right corner of recto; uniform minute shelf-wear bumps to all corners. Slight rubbing at fine-edges, esp. top-left corner of verso.


(12) – Untitled (Bookstore in late 50’s/early 60’s) (#2) – In fine condition with only slight rubbing near top fine-edge of recto, bottom-left fine-edge of same; similar slightest rubbing at bottom-right corner of verso.


(13) – Map of San Francisco/North Beach Postcard (#2) – Fine -- Bump-crease to top-right corner of recto; rubbing on right-hand side of same. Fine-As New. [Item #2624]

Price: $50.00