PBA Galleries

97 pp. Introduction by John William Corrington. With preliminary leaves of various colors and differing widths. 10x7, hand-bound in stiff pictorial wrappers with decorative cork-lined front cover, attached jacket with tissue sheet tipped-on (as issued), and pictorial flap over fore-edge around from rear. One of 777 copies on different colored and sized hand-printed paper. First Edition.

Signed and dated with a 10-line poem by Charles Bukowski in silver-metallic ink on the front free endpaper (purple): “I once saw a man in a railroad yard kin and kill a cat in a minute and 30 seconds. His life was that cheap. Charles Bukowski, 2-16-64.” Considered by many to be Bukowski's most beautifully produced book. Includes some supporting / related paper items laid in: the prospectus; 18-line autograph letter signed by publisher Jon Webb to someone (name undecipherable) about a canceled ad, production costs, sales, etc., on verso of a orange paper printed ad reproduction done by Jon Webb; a printed facsimile Bukowski letter (by Jon and Lou) about his deeply favorable reactions to the elaborate production; and two newspaper clippings (early ad appearance in Village Voice and 1994 obituary); all laid in. Gypsy Lou Series No. 1, Loujon Press Award Book; Dorbin A5; Krumhansl 12; Fogel 10.