Nuttall, Jeff

Journals

Brighton, England: Unicorn Bookshop, 1968. First Printing. Stapled Wrappers. “bloodgaze / light through the skin of a thumbsmudge” begins this selection of of poetic journal excerpts from the great Jeff Nuttall (1933-2004), the poet, publisher & Jazz musician who was a legendarily larger-than-life figure in the British 1960s counterculture. For our Third Mind-Burroughsian purposes, Nuttall is most notable to us for his mid-1960s My Own Mag series which he edited, published & contributed to, & which featured works by canonical Beat-&-Beyond authors- most especially William S. Burroughs (1914-1997), the Great Founding Father of the Beat Generation-&-Beyond who is the very Patron-Icon of our enterprise (see our item No. 8207). This item, on which we can find next-to-no information, is simply titled Journals, and features writings and drawings by the legendary author of Bomb Culture. This listing, along with being an intriguing collectible in and of itself, is something just waiting to be written about by scholars of the Beat Generation and Beyond. From the collection of Richard Cupidi (b. 1945), our esteemed mate in the UK who managed the fabled Unicorn Bookshop in Brighton, England with 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 WSB, 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 treasures of Unicorn & Public House, some of which have become the stuff of myth. Large-format chapbook in stapled wrappers: 1/300 unsigned copies, per colophon. In strong near fine condition with only minor-to-moderate rubbing, shelf-wear, light bumping, & scattered light nicks & low visibility scuffs to front, back covers & spine-edge; light-to-moderate age-toning throughout & light rusting, bleeding to staples at interior & exterior; otherwise, generally clean. Near Fine. [Item #8936]

Price: $200.00