Ferlinghetti, Lawrence

Northwest Ecolog (Signed in Signed Envelope)

San Francisco, CA: City Lights Books, 1978. First Printing. Softcover. Signed by Lawrence Ferlinghetti. "Brief prose flashes and poems of trips 'up the coast' last year, including a Green Peace Voyage, wild river musings, bucolic eclogues and ecological soundings. With Sumi brush drawings by the author." (back cover) A slim volume of poems, prose & illustrations by Lawrence Ferlinghetti (1919-2021), the great American poet, publisher & bookseller who was legendarily among the most instrumental figures of & behind the Beat Generation, the San Francisco Renaissance & beyond. As noted on copyright page: "Ecolog: based upon Allen Ginsberg's coinage of "ecologue" (in / The Fall of America), a fusion of the Greek eclogue and ecology." Small-format softcover original, a production of Ferlinghetti's iconic City Lights imprint, first edition, first printing (though neither explicated as such at copyright page). With all points in Morgan, A44, pgs. 91-92 (wherein it is noted that this volume was "Published June 15, 1978, in an impression of / 5000 copies"); Cook, No. 125, pgs. 132-133 (wherein it is noted that "According to publisher's records, this title was not reprinted.") A thought-provoking & rewarding work of art & letters in the Ferlinghetti oeuvre, in its singularly rarest contemporary form. As the photos attached to this listing indicate, we have found & retained the original envelope for this copy of Northwest Ecolog, which is inscribed (hand-labeled) & signed by Ferlinghetti himself. Ferlinghetti evidently was preparing the envelope to contain copies of his underappreciated classic collection, Back Roads to Far Towns After Basho, but then hand-scribbled that out and wrote “NORTHWEST ECOLOG” above the scribbled-out portion. Above the title notation is Ferlinghetti’s signature in thin, black, felt pen ink. It reads: “Ferlinghetti.” The second signature featured in this lot is found inside the volume at title page. This signature — bolder, larger, and in gold felt pen ink — also reads: “Ferlinghetti.” Envelope in Good-Very Good condition with moderate-to-enunciated edge-wear, crinkling, creasing & bumping to various locales, throughout; otherwise, generally clean. Book in Fine-Very Fine condition with only minute-to-moderate shelf-wear, age-toning & a few light bumps throughout; otherwise, pristine. Fine-Very Fine / Good-Very Good. [Item #8908]

Price: $150.00