The Phoenix Book Shop: A Nest of Memories.
Deluxe Clamshell Boxed Edition of this significant tribute to the legendary Phoenix Book Shop in New York City. Edited by the proprietor, Bob Wilson, Kenneth Doubrava, and John LeBow, with essays about Wilson and his book dealings. One of 65 Roman numeral numbered copies, of which this is copy "IX", and one of 15 copies intended for friends of the press and not for sale. This is a presentation copy to bookseller, Bert Babcock, a friend of both Bob Wilson and John LeBow. This copy is warmly inscribed by both Wilson and LeBow to Bert Babcock, as well as being SIGNED by the following contributors: Bob Wilson, Diane di Prima, Michael McClure, Amiri Baraka, John Ashbery, Denise Levertov, James Broughton, Diane Wakoski, John Wieners, Marshall Clements, and Ed Sanders.
Hardcover. First Edition, Deluxe Signed Edition. Octavo, sewn wrappers. Additional items contained in the clamshell box include a small oblong hardcover titled "Phoenix Photographs", hand-bound, and featuring 10 original 5" x 7" photographs of writers and associates of the Phoenix shop. Also laid in is a folded sheet of letterhead for the Phoenix shop, a 4.5" x 6.5" b&w photograph of Michael McClure and Robert Duncan, a 6" x 9" glossy photo of the Phoenix storefront with "Special presentation photograph for contributors and friends" printed underneath, along with three canceled checks from the Phoenix made out to Ed Sanders, Michael McClure, and Gerard Malanga, which all three have also endorsed on the back. There is also a copy of Catalogue #150 (October 1978) from The Phoenix Book Shop, and lastly, a small chapbook "Michael and the Lions" by Robert A. Wilson (Christmas 1980), which states that it was not for sale and printed in an edition of 300 copies as a holiday greeting. All items are in fine condition and housed in a handsome clothbound clamshell box with printed labels on front and spine. A lovely production. Candia, NH: John LeBow, 1997. #11152.
Fine.