Signature 2 at Huntington (1 Viewer)

[mjp]

They sent me some high resolution photos with that press release, and one of them is the cover (and some contents) of Signature 2. But wasn't this copy in Montfort's collection or Fogel's book? I know I've seen a picture of this inscription to William Wantling somewhere...but now it's part of Bukowski's papers? Weird. I guess he got it back at some point.

 

[hank solo]

That is the one pictured in the later edition of Fogel, and I believe, from the introduction, that the photos were from the Montfort collection.

Weird.

 

[bospress.net]

Hi,
I have the solution.

This was once owned by Fogel. It was then sold to Montfort. This much is known. What then happened is that Montfort sold the collection to Simon Finch in UK. They put out a great catalog, where it was listed as item 53 with the asking price of 5000 BP (about $7500). I had heard that once the catalog was complete, Linda was given first shot at anything that she wanted. It seems that she bought this copy from Simon Finch. Finally, she donated it to Huntington, where it will remain.....

Also, I think that Fogel got this directly from Ruth Wantling. Anyone know if that was the case? If so this is a pretty iron-clad provinance....

Best,
Bill (not quite Columbo) Roberts

 

[mjp]

Sounds feasible. Nice leg work there, not quite Columbo.

 

[niceguy]

Hello: Here's the correct sequence of owner/ changes Re: SIGNATURE 2: I originally purchased this from John William Corrington for $100 in 1980 who received it initially gratis (w/ inscrip.: "to Wm...") from the Buk. I then sold my entire collection (Including Sig 2) to the Mod First Dealer Joseph The Provider in 1984. Joe The Pro then sold this (& other rare items from my collection) to Montfort. I then lost track of the rest of the hand-changes, but I assume that it then got into the hands of Finch who sold it to Linda Lee who donated it to Huntington.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

A Signature 2 was listed on ABE this morning for $2,500. There were no pics and (beyond that) I would need some help in confirming if it was legit. Plus, with the auction coming up, there are a lot more birds in the hand...

In any case, I checked back 15 minutes later and it was gone...

I do not regret my hesitancy..., but maybe it truly was the unicorn that got away...

 

[mjp]

That would be a tough buy online even if there were pictures. I'd have to see it up close. Too easy to fake. I wouldn't worry too much about glimpsing a unicorn. Odds are it was a donkey with a toilet paper tube taped to its head.

But ABE listings without pictures in general are funny. "Hi! Welcome to 1975. Here's your Xeroxed catalog in the mail. You're welcome. What? No, sorry, you're just going to have to take my word for condition. YOU CAN TRUST ME, I'M A BOOKSELLER!"

 

[zobraks]

I wouldn't worry too much about glimpsing a unicorn. Odds are it was a donkey with a toilet paper tube taped to its head.

 

[skiroomalum]

I remember reading that Marvin Malone felt that the Signatures were manufactured rarities, and were created from Targets that were taken apart and folded, years after they were published. He felt they were fraudulent items..

 

[Pogue Mahone]

remember reading that Marvin Malone felt that the Signatures were manufactured rarities

This comes from a chapbook I purchased, along with another chapbook that supposedly is a replication of Signature 2.

There is an electronic version of the chap that talks about whether Signature 2 is real, but the formatting is a bit difficult.

I can scan the Signature 2 "replica" after the holiday.

I became a skeptic of Signature 2 (and 1), but after seeing the scan at the top of this page, there is really no doubt in my mind that Signature 2 was real.Nevertheless, the chap is worth reading because there is a bunch more info in there.

 

[Purple Stickpin]

I can scan the Signature 2 "replica" after the holiday.

Why after? Is your scanner on a road trip to see Donald Trump make America great again?

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Well, I think MJP may already have scans... I sent the chaps to him a while back... (sorry MJP)

 

[mjp]

I have the Signatures reprint scans, but not the chapbook about Signatures. I posted some of the pages last year.

All due respect to people who researched these things pre-Internet, it was a difficult task. But we know a lot more now than they did, so I have to take that stuff with a grain of salt.

I can't find the original scans pages 6 and 7 so I used the edited poem image. Ah well, it's always something.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I forgot, this supposed be a replica of Signature 3, not 2... or maybe not. It's been a while since I looked at.

Pre-Internet research must have been crazy for this stuff.

I remember being a cub reporter and doing research in the microfilm room for hours on end.