Various (Eshleman, Clayton (Editor); Jonas, Stephen; Olson, Charles; Snyder, Gary et al.

Caterpillar No. 5 (October 1968)

New York, NY: Clayton Eshleman, 1968. First Printing. Softcover. A vintage 1968 double number of the legendary literary & art journal edited, published & with contributions by Clayton Eshleman (1935-2021), the great & prolific American poet, translator, editor, publisher & educator who was our dear nearby friend & mentor. Featuring contributions of mostly poetry, prose & art by an astounding roster of primary Beat Generation, Beat-adjacent, proto-&-post Beat figures, most of whom are familiar favorites of our devoted Third Mind constituency: Charles Olson (1910-1970); Gary Snyder (b. 1930); & also, deep cuts, like Stephen Jonas (1920-1970) and several others. For a full list of contributors and contents, see the photos attached to this listing. Trade-format softcover literary journal: the first-&-only printing of a varied Eshleman rarity. From the late 1960s through the early 1970s, Unicorn proffered & published many outstanding productions by William S. Burroughs, J.G. Ballard 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 gems of Unicorn & Public House, including this. In strong near fine condition with only minute-to-moderate shelf-wear, light rubbing, some bumping to front, back covers & spine-edge; slightly more enunciated (since-flattened) bump-crease to bottom right-hand corner of front cover; faint, low-impact nicks & scuffing at/along same, though all generally mild; some age-toning to interior & exterior, otherwise, generally clean. Near Fine. [Item #8730]

Price: $45.00