Coffin 1
Eureka, California: Hearse Press, 1996.
Limited Edition. Paperback.
Limited to 150 copies. COFFIN is an uninhibited portfolio of poetry and artwork, issued without definite calendar scheme by Hearse Press in Eureka, California. The collection of material for the portfolio began in 1960 and continued over the next four years. The portfolio was released in 1964. The first work produced was Charles Bukowski’s His Wife, The Painter and E. V. Griffith added the printed notation “Hearse Broadside No. 1” with a publication date of 6/16/60.
With 4 works by Charles Bukowski, featuring his first separately published work – His Wife, The Painter. His other works contained here include The Paper on the Floor; Waste Basket; and The Old Man on the Corner.
Among the 38 remaining broadsides are poems by Judson Crews (3), Dawson Fielding (1), Larry Eigner (1), John Barkley Hart (4), Carl Larsen (1), Mason Jordan Mason (11), Gil Orlovitz (1), James Preuss (1), George Scarbrough (1), Raymond Souster (2), George Thompson (2), James Weil (1). Several graphics were included – “a naked lady with a snake” by Eric Gill, a reproduction of a watercolor by Henry Miller, an ink drawing (Susanna & the Elders) by Ben Tibbs, and photograph of a dead horse’s skull by Mildred Tolbert. E. V. Griffith contributed four Eye Poems and one conventional poem.
In Sheaf, Hearse, Coffin, Poetry Now: A History and Index (Hearse Press, 1996), E. V. Griffith states that the portfolio contains 42 items, but his bibliographical listing of the contents contains 41 (with only 10 items from Mason Jordan Mason). A 42nd item in this portfolio that doesn’t appear on Griffith’s list is an 11th item by Mason – The Fortunate Baboon. Griffith had intended to follow Coffin 1 with Coffin 2, etc., but this was the only volume published, although nine additional broadsides were produced towards that aim.
Item #9024658-1/2 x 11-1/4", stiff paper portfolio with wood-grain pattern and brown print with folding flaps on fore- and bottom-edge of rear wrapper panel, with 42 broadsides of varying sizes and color, some folded, laid in.
A very fine collection with only a hint of wear to the edges of the portfolio, contents are all in remarkably fine condition.
Price: $2,500.00