Eigner, Larry

Another Time in Fragments

London, England, UK: Fulcrum Press, 1967. Limited First Edition. Hardcover. Signed by Larry Eigner. "into my face | among the masses | When does he go to sleep | I forget he's irregular | Is there any sleeps,at all,for him, | before his death?" (excerpt, "The wandering mosquito," poem 56). A collection of poems by Larry Eigner (1927-1996), a major American poet of the Black Mountain School who was closely associated with and published by fellow Black Mountaineer Robert Creeley (1926-2005). Eigner’s poems contain everyday images clearly observed and presented in stripped-down lines, somewhat reminiscent of the poetry of American modernist poet William Carlos Williams (1883-1963). His work has been recognized for its innovative approach to poetry and its exploration of the ordinary and everyday experiences. "Concrete" (pgs. 85-86) is a prime example of his writing style and really set the stage for his future contributions to poetry. From the collection of Richard Cupidi (b. 1945), our esteemed mate in the UK who managed the fabled Unicorn Bookshop in Brighton, England for founder Bill Butler (1934-1977, the famed American-expatriate bookseller & publisher). From the late 1960s through the early 1970s, Unicorn proffered & published many outstanding productions by William S. Burroughs (1914-1997), J.G. Ballard (1930-2009) et al., some of which have become the scarcest, all-but-unobtainable Beat-&-Beyond collectibles (see for example our Item No.s 8217 & 8366). After prevailing against censorious harassment efforts, Unicorn closed & Butler died in short order. Cupidi went on to found the Public House Bookshop in Brighton, which had a long & successful run but is also now closed, & he still resides there. We have been honored to obtain what Cupidi has termed "The Last Hurrah," all the remaining treasures of Unicorn & Public House, some of which have become the stuff of myth. At bottom right side near spine of Acknowledgments page, Eigner has handwritten his signature in pencil: "Larry Eigner." Hardcover in Dust Jacket: First Limited Edition & first printing per Acknowledgments page: "of this first edition 100 numbered copies..." & "Limited edition copy number: (handwritten in blue ink) 40." A most intriguing & rewarding Eigner collectible in one of its rarest contemporary forms, greatly enriched by the poet's signature & with very distinguished provenance. Book in relatively fine-to-very fine condition with mild rubbing & bumping to front, back covers & spine; an occasion of discoloration occuring at center left fine edge of back cover; mild manufacturing flaw to last few page leaves & back cover where cover gently curves away from page leaves; mild age-toning, stain-spotting, scratching & rubbing to text block. Interior fine-to-very fine with mild age-toning mostly to blank margins/fine edges of page leaves; mild-to-moderate age-toning mostly to blank margins/fine edges of front pastedown. Dust Jacket fine with mild-to-moderate rubbing, mild scratching & age-toning to front, back covers, flaps & spine; mild wear to fine edges and corners of same. Fine. [Item #8513]

Price: $100.00