Clark, Tom

The Rodent Who Came to Dinner (Four Editions)

Santa Barbara, CA: Am Here Books/ Immediate Editions, 1981. Limited First Editions; First Editions. Stapled Sheets. Hand-lettered edition signed by Tom Clark with original painting on canvas affixed to front cover; hand-numbered edition signed by Clark; first edition signed by Clark with original drawing; first edition. "Cecil Rhodes/ wd. have liked it here/ excellent climate/ plenty of nat. resources/ high prop. value/ & natives nearly as totally subdued/ (&/or supine)/ as their favorite catchphrase indicates" ("Laid Back") A collection of poems by Tom Clark (1941-2018), the great New York School-&-Beyond poet, editor, novelist, biographer & artist who most symbolizes our category of "The Prolific & Underappreciated." Also with front cover & interior section of drawings by Clark; unpaginated & printed on rectos only. Here we offer four first editions of this delightful & exemplary Clark work, all published by Richard Aaron's venerable Am Here Books/ Immediate Editions imprint, in descending order of importance & rarity (in our hopefully not too subjective estimation...): (1) One of 26 copies hand-lettered & signed by Clark in red ink on blank inner back cover. This is copy "E." Bound over front cover is a thick sheet of handmade paper with ragged side-edge to which is affixed an original oil painting on a small piece of canvas depicting a beach scene with palm tree signed by Clark. This copy has a blank, black tape spine. (2) One of fifty copies hand-numbered & signed by Clark in black ink on the title page, this is copy No. 21/50. Stapled sheets including illustrated front & blank back covers without spine, as are the next two editions. (3) First edition, not numbered or lettered, with an original colored drawing of a rodent & palm tree (similar to front cover) signed by Clark in blue ink on title page. (4) First edition, not numbered, lettered or signed. A supremely rare & unique set of this most highly desirable Clark collectible. All of the above editions are in fine condition with only mild rubbing & slight browning to front, back cover sheets; slight wear & a few tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same; staples in varying processes of rusting with very minimal bleeding; several very small circular rust outlines & one small smudge at blank back cover surface of (2); mild spotting to white blank sheet to which is affixed completely unaffected painting of (1); very mild spotting to edges of text block of (1); slightly more pronounced to same of (4). Interiors all very fine with only tiny bumps at corners of some page leaves. Fine. [Item #3816]

Price: $150.00