For sale: Huge Bukowski archive. Cheap! Super rare! Must supply own time machine (1 Viewer)

[nymark]

These are pages from an auction catalog. The auction took place on April 14th, 1970 at the Parke-Bernet Galleries in New York City. It was the collection of Jim Roman. Roman was a Florida book dealer, early Bukowski supporter and, I believe, early patron of the Loujon Press. (cirerita, do you have any more info on this guy?)

This is Roman's copy of the catalog. He noted the amount that each lot sold for in the margin in red ink. Signed Genius of the Crowd? Check. Dedication copy of Run with the Hunted inscribed to Corrington? Check. Five manuscript notebooks (178 pages total)? Check.

Wait till you see what this shit sold for. Read it and weep, pallies!

 

[nymark]

More heartbreaking auction catalog pages.

 

[PBBUK]

Cry! I think I'm goingto throw up!!

200 pieces in one lot!

Thanks for the post.

 

[mjp]

Well, you know, you have to adjust those prices for inflation. Then it all makes sense, right?

Right?





You tortured me with a copy of that catalog a couple years ago, and I put it away, far away, so I'd never accidentally see it again. Now this.

 

[Bukfan]

the inflation calculator says that $100 in 1970 would be worth $528.50 in 2007. So I guess we should multiply the auction prices with 5. Still, a copy of Flower, Fist for $35 X 5 is very cheap!

 

[Magick Stallion]

Disgusting

 

[chronic]

Dammit! Where'd I leave that god damned time machine?

 

[LickTheStar]

5 variants of It Catches and 2 variants of Crucifix... Man, I wish I was 40 years older. And had been somewhat well off back then...

Ah well, it just gives me a lifetime of hunting (and probably wishing) to keep myself busy.

 

[cirerita]

Roman and Bukowski corresponded quite a lot in the 60s. I believe some of the letters were published by BSP, but many were not. Roman asked Bukowski to send him copies of all his magazines, books, chaps, etc. Bukowski did that and signed many of the items. By 1977-78 Roman had a VERY LARGE Bukowski collection and he sold it to the Tucson library, AZ. I'd say it's the third largest Bukowski-only collection out there.

 

[roni]

[...] he sold it to the Tucson library, AZ.

I'm glad these treasures went into a public collection, not to a private collector.

 

[hoochmonkey9]

I had to wait a day before posting because my post would've been filled with expletives and sobbing.

which is not too different from my normal posts, but I thought I'd show some restraint in this case.

ah well. one can dream.

 

[cirerita]

BTW, any idea as to why the "c" in Tucson is not pronounced?

 

[Purple Stickpin]

Well, it's a Spanish adaption of a Native American/Aztecan (O'odham language) word meaning "black base." So maybe you could tell us? ;)

 

[cirerita]

We do pronounce the "c".

 

[hank solo]

Reading that list, made me dizzy. I must have passed out in the bathroom and hit my head on the toilet or something.


When I came to, I drew this:

 

[nymark]

There are two errors: in lot 12, Genius of the Crowd is listed as "limited to 103 signed copies." Also, in lot 19, All the Assholes is listed as being published by "David Blazek."

 

[Gerard K H Love]

Well, it's a Spanish adaption of a Native American/Aztecan (O'odham language) word meaning "black base." So maybe you could tell us? ;)

Cliff Clavin (from the Boston area):

Great answer John, I for one appreciate details sometimes.

 

[Purple Stickpin]

I never understood why Hollywood can't get a Boston accent correct. John Ratzenberger is from Bridgeport, CT and had one of the worst fake Boston accents ever.

But I'm glad you appreciated the details. :cool:

We do pronounce the "c".

Hmmm...like "took-son?" Interesting.

 

[roni]

I too am a lover of details. That's what I like about this place - we're not only experts in Buk, but in EVERYTHING. You can learn and learn without ending here. (remember when mjp looked up the lawn-mower-thing?)

Hmmm...like "took-son?"

Yes, Germans too, would pronounce it like that. (if they didn't know better that is.)
We also have a similar problem with Arkansas ("R-can-sass") and Worcester ("War-jester").

But then - we pronounce Barcelona like "Bar-Zelona" (instead of "Bar-the-lona")

 

[homeless mind]

I like Favre: pronounced Farv.

 

[Purple Stickpin]

Not by everyone.

 

[Rekrab]

Those prices are just about right for 1970. I was a college student then, and our rent in Long Beach a couple blocks from the ocean was $100. I was making $1.05 an hour working at the college library. Those rare books would have been beyond my reach then (as now). The one item that seems too cheap is the five notebooks for $200. What would those do now on eBay? $10,000?