A Nest of Ninnies.
N. Y. E. P. Dutton, 1969. First edition. Signed by Ashbery. Fine copy in lightly dust-soiled jacket with one short closed tear. 8vo, cloth-backed boards, dust jacket. More
N. Y. E. P. Dutton, 1969. First edition. Signed by Ashbery. Fine copy in lightly dust-soiled jacket with one short closed tear. 8vo, cloth-backed boards, dust jacket. More
N. Y. Dutton, 1969. Uncorrected proof copy of the first edition. The idea for this collaborative novel came to Schuyler on a drive from the Hamptons into New York City in 1952. At first, working together, Schuyler and Ashbery came up with alternating lines, but this method became too problematic, and had to be abandoned when Ashbery went to Europe in 1955. Eventually, the two poets began composing longer passages alone, but the attempt to continue the collaboration by correspondence proved unsatisfactory. The "hand-made quality" of the work suffered, and it was only completed after the two men were reunited in New York ten years later. "The style of arch ventriloquism that Ashbery and Schuyler adopted in A Nest of Ninnies had the virtue of allowing each of the two to escape from his personality, to lose himself in the work.... Perhaps the most extraordinary thing about A Nest of Ninnies is that the two poets have dissolved their own personalities and merged so entirely into a common style that it can be said that the book's author is neither Ashbery nor Schuyler but a third entity fashioned in the process of collaboration. They had transformed a game into a...... More
N. Y. Dutton, 1969. First edition of this collaborative novel. One of 6000 copies printed. Kermani A14. Presentation copy from Schuyler to the artist Trevor Winkfield, with a fair copy of a portion of the text: "'Somehow,' Fabia was saying to Claire, 'I had not expected Paris to be quite so much like Florida.' page 93, for Trevor Winkfield with my best - Jimmy Schuyler, 3/11/69." Trevor Winkfield would later edit James Schuyler's The Home Book (1977), design the dust jacket for Ashbery's Flow Chart (1991) and illustrate his Novel (1998). Small spot of damp-staining at head of spine, spine a little cocked, otherwise a fine copy in slightly dust-soiled and nicked jacket with one tiny closed tear and a bit of wear to the head of the spine. 8vo, cloth-backed boards, dust jacket. More
Newark and West Burke, VT: The Janus Press, (1976). First edition. One of 150 numbered copies (the entire edition) printed, torn, cut, & bound by Claire Van Vliet at the Janus Press on and of Kozu, Fabriano & Canson paper. One of Schuyler's scarcest books owing to the fact that most of the edition went to subscribers of the press, with the result that few copies of the book have been available for collectors of the poet. Fine copy. 8vo, illustrated with architectural cut-out endpapers fashioned after the topiary gardens at Levens Hall, Westmorland, England, original orange decorated wrappers. More
(Berkeley, CA): Figures, (1982). First edition. One of 500 copies. Presentation copy, inscribed by Schuyler: "for Barbara with love from Jimmy, Feb 1, '82" Faint stains on pp. 3-4 not affecting text, covers a little sunned with a very light stain on the back, otherwise a fine copy. 12mo, printed wrappers. More
Newark, West Burke, Vermont: The Janus Press, (1976). First edition. Limited to 150 numbered copies printed, torn, cut, and bound by Claire Van Vliet at the Janus Press on and out of Kozu, Fabriano and Canson paper; not issued signed. Presentation copy, and copy number 3, inscribed by Schuyler to his friend Jane Freilicher and her husband Joe Hazan soon after receiving the author’s copies of the book: “Jane [Freilicher] & Joe [Hazan] from Jimmy 12/17/75”. Freilicher was the close friend, a confidante and a muse, of the group of poets called the New York School that included Schuyler, Ashbery, O’Hara and Koch. In 1952, Schuyler wrote Presenting Jane, a play for the Poet’s Theater in Cambridge, MA, which was also filmed (the film was never completed and is now lost). In one scene from the film, Freilicher appeared to walk on water, a sign of the great love and esteem Schuyler and his fellow poets felt for her. Freilicher illustrated Schuyler’s novel What’s For Dinner? (Black Sparrow Press, 1978). One of Schuyler's scarcest books owing to the fact that most of the edition went to subscribers of the press, with the result that comparatively few copies of this delightful..... More
Calais, VT: Z Press, 1977. First edition. One of 1000 copies printed by the Stinehour Press. Although not called for, this copy is also signed by Darragh Park on the copyright page. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author to Don Allen on the half-title: "For Don - affection, admiration - too long unseen - love, Jimmy, Jan. 9, 1977" Spine slightly cocked, otherwise a fine copy. 8vo, wrappers with front cover illustration by Darragh Park. More
(N. Y.): Swollen Magpie Press, (1979). First edition. Presentation copy, inscribed by Schuyler on the title-page: "For Tom (Carey) love, Jim, 7/7/80". Tom Carey was Schuyler's secretary and after Schuyler's death became one of his executors. Contributions by John Ashbery, Ted Berrigan, Joe Brainard, Kenward Elmslie, Barbara Guest, Kenneth Koch, Ron Padgett, Anne Waldman, Darragh Park, and Trevor Winkfield, among others. Covers slightly dust-soiled with one tiny short closed tear on back cover, otherwise a fine copy. 4to, illustrated, original wrappers with front cover illustration by Paula North. More
(N. Y.): Misty Terrace Press, (1980). First edition. Limited to 200 copies printed. Presentation copy, inscribed by Schuyler on the title-page to Tom Carey, his secretary who succeeded Helena Hughes in that position: "To Tom all love, Jim, 9/80 N.Y.C." Covers slightly dust-soiled, otherwise a fine copy. 4to, original stapled sheets with cover design by George Schneeman. More
(Berkeley, CA): Figures, (1982). First edition. One of only 10 lettered copies signed by Schuyler, out of a total edition of 500 copies printed. Fine copy. 12mo, printed wrappers. More
N. Y. Random House, (1985). First edition. Presentation copy, inscribed by Schuyler to the composer Virgil Thomson on the front free endpaper: "For Virgil, whose music I admire and enjoy so much, love, Jimmy Schuyler, Oct. 30, 1985, Chelsea Hotel."www.abe. Fine copy. 8vo, original cloth, dust jacket with painting by Darragh Park. More
Newark, West Burke, Vermont: The Janus Press, (1976). First edition. Limited to 150 numbered copies printed, torn, cut, & bound by Claire Van Vliet at the Janus Press on & of Kozu, Fabriano & Canson paper. Although not issued signed, this copy is signed by Schuyler on the front free endpaper. One of Schuyler's scarcest books owing to the fact that most of the edition went to subscribers of the press, with the result that few copies of this delightful book have been available for collectors of the poet. Narrow, three-quarter inch strip of light fading along the top of the front cover, otherwise a fine copy. 8vo, illustrated with architectural cut-out endpapers fashioned after the topiary gardens at Levens Hall, Westmorland, England, original orange decorated wrappers. More
Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Co., 1969. First edition. Inscribed by Schuyler in 1974: "for Burt [Britton]" Fine copy in slightly rubbed jacket, somewhat soiled on the back panel. 8vo, cloth, dust jacket. More
Calais, VT: Z Press, 1977. First edition. One of 26 lettered copies signed by Schuyler, out of a total edition of 1000 copies printed by the Stinehour Press. Spine slightly cocked, otherwise a fine copy. 8vo, wrappers with front cover illustration by Darragh Park. More
Calais, VT: Z Press, 1977. First edition. One of 1000 copies printed by the Stinehour Press. Presentation copy, inscribed by Schuyler to Barbara Guest: "for the lady of the knight of the swan - love, Jimmy, Jan 15, 1977" Spine a little cocked, covers slightly soiled, otherwise a fine copy. 8vo, wrappers with front cover illustration by Darragh Park. More
N. Y. Random House, (1974). First edition. Presentation copy, inscribed by Schuyler to Barbara Guest: "'this beauty that I see...' for Barbara from Jimmy with love, March 12, 1974" A fine copy of one of Schuyler's scarcest trade publications. 8vo, original cloth-backed boards, dust jacket designed by Fairfield Porter. More
N. Y. Tibor De Nagy Editions, 1966. First edition of Schuyler's first book of poetry. One of only 20 copies signed by Schuyler out of a total edition of 300 copies printed; this is copy number 1. "Like Freilicher, Schuyler was determined to let order emerge from a faithful rendering of a scene rather than from an exercise of the artist's will. He and she had in common the ability to be satisfied, aesthetically, with one view from one window at different times of day, in changing light.... (Schuyler) stands in relation to poetry as Fairfield Porter and Jane Freilicher stand in relation to paintings: committed to a vision of things as they are rather than as they might be in some idealized or reconfigured state." - Lehman, p. 46, 245-246. Very fine copy. Square small 8vo, original decorated wrappers. More
N. Y. Farrar Straus Giroux, (1988). First edition. Signed by Schuyler on the title-page. Top edge of inner flaps sunned, otherwise a fine copy. 8vo, original cloth, dust jacket with painting by Darragh Park. More
(N. Y.): Adventures in Poetry, (1972). First edition. One of 26 lettered copies signed by Schuyler & Fairfield Porter, out of a total edition of 300 copies. A fine copy. 4to, mimeographed sheets in original stiff paper covers with cover & illustrations by Fairfield Porter, stapled. More
Santa Barbara: Black Sparrow Press, 1978. First edition. One of 26 lettered copies signed by Schuyler out of a total edition of 226 copies handbound in boards by Earle Gray. Morrow & Cooney 307d. Fine copy. 8vo, original quarter patterned cloth & boards with printed label on spine & front cover illustration by Jane Freilicher, acetate dust jacket. More
Santa Barbara: Black Sparrow Press, 1978. First edition. One of 26 lettered copies signed by Schuyler, out of a total of 226 copies handbound in boards by Earle Gray. Morrow & Cooney 307d. Fine copy. 8vo, original quarter patterned cloth & boards with printed label on spine & front cover illustration by Jane Freilicher, acetate dust jacket. More