A Fine Man, A Fine Book.
Mendocino, CA: Felicia Rice/Mutant Drone Press, 1982. Drawings from Mendocino Beacon newspaper for a local production of “Oliver,” acquired with 1906 Colts Armory letterpress in 1978. First edition, first printing. Hand sewn with white thread and wrapped in blue and black mottled paper, paper title label. Printed in black on handmade white German Hayle paper, offcuts from Wm. Everson’s ‘fine book’ “Granite & Cypress” by Robinson Jeffers. Palm Book. 3.25" x 2.75". 24pp, unpaginated. Very near fine. Item #218051
Limited to only 40 signed/numbered copies, of which this is 21. Signed on the colophon by printer Felicia Rice.
"It began as a mistake," which led to unrest, which resulted in a unique, if not revolutionary book.
Many books are often small for the sake of being small, but this is a truly subversive piece––a "palm book." Palm books rose to popularity during the early years of the Labor Movement as a way to pass along information out of sight of authoritative bosses. And in true Bukowskian fashion, Felicia Rice printed this book "to give out to all my fellow carriers as I was leaving the post office where I’d been working for six months. The post master was celebrated for his irrational and cruel abuse of authority."
Controversy has surrounded this book for decades in regards to the potential knowledge of Bukowski and Black Sparrow Press of this piece, since it was privately printed out of copyright. In personal correspondence with printer Felicia Rice, it came to light that Bukowski "had nothing to do with the making" and Black Sparrow forced Rice's hand to release a second printing with proper attribution. What makes this piece an actual one of a kind is that it somehow made its way to Bukowski himself, who gave his seal of approval with his signature and double doodle.
It doesn't get any more Bukowski than this!
ADDITIONALLY OFFERING: included with this fine piece is a second printing of Bukowski's Post Office, the inspiration for this charming, yet dissenting, little piece. Post Office has a touch of offsetting, but overall is a near fine copy with a small inked name to corner of prelim.
Price: $8,500.00