Various (Stettner, Irving (Editor); Davis, Bob; Du Main, Kenny; Joyce, William; Miller, Henry; Roberts, Jean A.; Trantino, Charlee et al.)

Stroker No. 51 (1992) with: Ephemera

Shavertown, PA: Stroker Magazine, 1992. First Edition. Stapled Wrappers. Though dead for over a decade at the time of publication, this number of the literary-art-cultural journal edited by NYC St. Marks Place underground denizen Irving Stettner (1922-2004) continues Stroker’s connection to Henry Miller (1891-1980), the great American author & artist whose earlier works were an influence & inspiration to the Beat Generation, through a personal story by longtime extra actor Kenny Du Main. An avid collector of Miller’s work, Du Main recalls how his direct encounters with the always hustling artist and his fifth wife in his piece ‘The Day Henry Miller Stopped Thinking of Me as Just Another Crazy, Mixed-up Fan and Began Considering me as a Friend!’: “Hoki cut in immediately without waiting for him to reply, ‘Oh yes, we have that on picture postcards…for sale…Henry can quote you a price on those.’ Henry turned from me and glanced in her direction. ‘No—No, Hoki. There’s no price to be quoted. This is a friend of mine. Give me your address again, in case I’ve misplaced it, and I’ll make a point of sending one to you,” (pg. 26). Also in this issue are contributions by Stroker-regular Joseph Resnick, (“We Played Hardball”); a prose piece by Stettner called “On an International Seesaw”; a memorial piece for her mother by Charlee Trantino, presumably the sister of convicted murderer Thomas "Tommy" Trantino (b. 1938), who spent four decades in prison & who exhibited talent in art & writing & frequently was published in Stroker. We have found and retained inside back cover an original order form for four pieces from Stroker Press: “Thumbing Down to the Riviera” by Stettner; “An Open Letter to Stroker!” by Miller; “Boy’s Dream: The Watercolors of Shuji Takami” by Hiroshi Okura; and “Beggars in Paradise, Vol. 1” by Stettner. Ephemera is in fine condition, folded horizontally. Stapled wrappers: First edition & first-&-only printing. In fine condition with very minor creasing to top corners of front and back covers; minor creasing of top corners. Interior in very fine condition with only tiny bumps, faint creases at upper corners of some page leaves. A quintessential exemplar of the later Mimeograph Revolution NYC Lower East Side Zine era; an essential collectible from this scarce & significant series in its singularly rarest contemporary form. Fine. [Item #7825]

Price: $50.00