Rare Bukowski mag 1966? Some/Thing (1 Viewer)

I just came by a copy of a magazine called Some/Thing (issue three with a cover made by Andy Warhol - stamps/stickers that say 'Bomb Hanoi').

Bukowski has a poem in it called Drawing of a Band Concert on a Matchbox.

The mag also contains poems by poets such as Ginsberg and Malanga.

Anyone know anything about it?

R
 
wow...

I've been looking around the internet and the only references I find to this magazine suggest that it is quite rare and sought after! :D
 
It may well be. Please understand that I was indicating that the majority of Buk Mag appearences usually sell for around $20. But there are certainly some that are quite rare and much more valuble.
 
Most Buk mags are rare. Most small press mags are rare. That does not make them too valuable. Many, many of the small press mags had a circulation of a few hundred. Poetry was a tough sell back then too, so I can imagine that not all of the copies sold. Many of these could have ended up as full boxes in attics. Still, to be an expensive magazine appearance it usually has to be:

1) Early (From the 40's or 50's)
or
2) Rare (less than a few hundred) <---This is the least reliable guide of value, though.
or
3) Historic (The first Time he appeared in Wormwood is an example).

As an example of a mag that is probably pretty rare, but not too valuable is KAURI. These were stapled and mimeographed. Published in the 1960's. VERY VERY FRAGILE. I bet that not more than 100 of each issue are around. Still, you can usually pick them up for $20 a piece on ebay or abe.

Still, not being too valuable means that they are affordable, which is GREAT!

Bill

p.s. All of the above being said, I can pick up a copy of San Francisco Review (1958) or Odyssey (1959) for about $25....
 
so far I've found a copy that sold in auction for $747.

And I found another seller who is selling 4 copies of the magazine incl. the Buk issue for over $3k...

perhaps it's the Warhol cover that makes it so rare...
or maybe I'm missing something....

thanks for all the help and guiding; I'm new to all this.
 
Now you could have something there. When it gets out of Buk, I am less knowledgeable. What auction was this? Yes, this could be unusually valuable if that is the case.

According to the internet, each cover was hand silk screened by Warhol, so that changes a few things.

Yes, it seems that it is rare and valuable.

Bill
 
There was one on ebay just a couple of months ago. I don't think it reached those prices.

But hang on to it, you never know.
 
Some/thing IS a rare, valuable mag. It was edited by Deep Image poets Jerome Rothenberg and David Antin, and Bukowski's poem was awkwardly out of place in that mag... but that's another story ;)

The other magazine with a Bukowski contribution AND a front cover by Warhol, Intransit, is also a much-sought after item, usually reaching $400-500 or more.

But you could ask Rothenberg himself. His contact info is out there...

Bill, drop me a line if you ever find a Kauri issue with Bukowski for $20. I'll happily give you $25 ;) All those early mimeographed mags were brittle (cunts!) and they disintegrated in time, especially Merlin's Magic.
 
Bill, drop me a line if you ever find a Kauri issue with Bukowski for $20. I'll happily give you $25 ;) All those early mimeographed mags were brittle (cunts!) and they disintegrated in time, especially Merlin's Magic.

I have one or two here that I paid about that much for. Yes, they are worth it for $20 to me, but I don't see them going for much more to others...

Bill'
 
Well, if each cover was actually hand silk screened by Warhol, that would trump the value of any Buk poem in it. So, by "just came by" do you mean you own it, or found it on the internet? If so, you've got some good connections, it would appear!
 
Yes, I own it; it was given to me by a generous and thoughtful friend so, to be honest, its monetary value doesn't mean that much to me.

A couple of people were interested in a scan of this mag, so I got hold of a scanner.

I didn't scan the Buk page because I didn't want to damage the spine of the magazine.

It's such a nice little magazine!

However, here is the poem:
----------------------------------------------------------------
(page 1)

CHARLES BUKOWSKI

DRAWING ON A BAND CONCERT
ON A MATCHBOX:

drawing of paper life is so much more
pleasurable:
there are no bombs or flies or
landlords or starving
cats,
and I am in the kitchen
staring down at the blue lake of the
concertmaster
and also the trees
rowboats, boy with American flag
lady in yellow with fan
Civil War veteran
girl with balloon
spotted dog
sailboat,
the peace of an ancient day
with the sun dreaming old
battles -
John L. Sullivan emptying the pint
in his dressing room
and getting read to whip the world like a
bad child -
far from our modern life
where a doctor sticks something in your side
saying, "Is something making you nervous? Something
is killing you."

I open the matchbox, take out a beautiful wooden match
and light a cigar

I look out the window. it is raining. there will be nothing
in the park today except bums and madmen.
I blow the smoke against the wet glass and wonder what I am doing

inside here
dry and dying and
I hear the rain as a toilet flushes through the wall
(a living neighbor)
and their flowers open their arms for love
----------------------------------------------------------------
(page 2)

I sit down next to the lady in yellow with the fan and
she smiles at me
and we talk we talk
only I can't hear for all the music
"your name? your name?" I keep asking
but she only smiles at me
and the dog is howling

but yellow is my favorite color
(Van Gogh liked it too)
yellow
and I do not blow smoke in her face
and I am there
I am actually down there in the matchbox
and I am here too.

she smiles
and I lay her right on the
stove
and it is
hot
hot
the American flat waves in
battle -
play your music concertmaster
in your red coat
with your hot July buttocks

the balloon pops and I walk across a kitchen
on a rainy day in February
to check on eggs and bread and
wine and sanity

to check on glue
to paste nice pictures
on these walls.

some-thing-issue-03-1966-03.jpg
 
The handprinted Warhol makes it an original work of art, and it could become even more valuable as time goes on. I'd hang onto that magazine.
 
Are you sure about the first line? If so, that's the only line that changed in The Days Run Away. Unusual for just one line to change.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top