I just e-mailed the seller in these waning hours of his auction,
Asking him if he'd be willing to separate the lot
(I'd just like those 2 Buk letters)
and I received a quick, very interesting response ->
Dear Eric,
Thank you for your inquiry. I think I would like to keep the Buk letters and the complete edition NYQ together, as the letters are tied to the mag and are part of the history. When I checked, even short, original Buk letters go for $350 - $800 online. The 1-pager is directly tied to an article in one of the NYQ issues, with an original off-the-cuff poem, and the other is a lengthier 2-pager that backs up the mag's editorial stance of not "pampering" the poets against the insinuation by Poets And Writers that NYQ was not warm and fuzzy enough. I was Sr. Editor of NYQ for almost 20 years and a good friend of Bill Packard, and I have what is probably the only extant complete set -- everything else is either broken up, incomplete, or cobbled together from reprints of the originals. I would be happy to consider a Best Offer from you for the set, the 2 Buk letters, the issues with the signed Updike poem, the signed Packard editorial and presentations, and the signed Pincus article. If the set ends up going to you, I will even throw in the signed Packard original typescript of the speech that was given at the 1994 NYQ Award Ceremony for Bukowski, the Pincus signed original typescript of the acceptance speech given on behalf of Bukowski (who was too ill at the time to accept the award in person) -- Sean Penn was supposed to deliver the acceptance speech on Buk's behalf, but could not make it due to a production schedule change -- and a signed postcard from Bill Packard thanking Pincus for delivering a "brilliant acceptance of the Bukowski award, especially on behalf of Sean Penn, John the Baptist, Christ, and cats everywhere -- I'm sending it off to Bukowski & know he will be delighted with it -- thanks, I think you may have made a great poet glad during a dark time." -- Manticore