Watts, Alan

The Art of Contemplation: A Facsimile Manuscript with Doodles

ISBN: 0394709632
New York, NY, USA: Pantheon Books/ Random House, 1972. First Trade Edition. Stapled Wrappers. "The individual is an aperture through which the whole energy of the universe is aware of itself, a vortex of vibrations in which it realizes itself as man or beast, flower or star- not alone, but as central to all that surrounds it." (first sentence, pg. 1) A key treatise by Alan Watts (1915-1973), the British-born American author & philosopher who famously interpreted & popularized Eastern religion & philosophy for Western readers. Watts was associated with the Beat Generation as well as the 1960s counterculture it segued into. Facsimile manuscript of Watts' striking hand-calligraphy, opposite reproductions of his illustrations. Large-format booklet in stapled wrappers, first trade edition, "First Pantheon Edition" as stated at copyright page, presumed first printing though not specified thereon, preceded by a limited scholarly edition "Originally published by The Society of Comparative Philosophy, Inc., in 1972" (the same year as this edition) as stated thereon. From the collection of Richard Cupidi (b. 1945), our esteemed mate in the UK who was the manager of the fabled Unicorn Bookshop in Brighton, England founded by Bill Butler (1934-1977, the famed American-expatriate poet, bookseller & publisher). 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 which also is now closed, & he still resides there. We have been privileged to obtain what Cupidi has termed "The Last Hurrah," all the remaining gems of Unicorn & Public House, including this gem. Third Mind Books proceeds to reverently curate & incrementally present the Butler-Cupidi-Unicorn-Public House Legacy that is in our custodial hands- until it passes to yours. An essential Watts collectible in its penultimately rarest contemporary form, with most-distinguished & relevant provenance. See also our item Nos. 7892, 9182. In relatively quite fine-to-very-fine condition with only mild rubbing, faint scratching, mild-to-moderate age-toning (the latter esp. at margins/edges) & occasional spotting to front, back covers & stapled spine; a hint of wear & a few tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same; one tiny chip at upper right corner of front cover with miniscule loss of paper; mild rubbing, age-toning to edges of text block. Interior fine-to-very-fine with only mild age-toning to blank inner covers & page leaves, chiefly at blank margins/edges; tiny bumps at corners of mostly upper corners of some leaves. Fine-Very Fine. [Item #9180]

Price: $60.00 save 10% $54.00