MODERNIST

George James Firmage was born in New York; attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1947-48) and College of the City of New York (1949); BA, New York University, 1952; pursued graduate study, University of Massachusetts, 1952-54; publications supervisor in advertising and marketing services department, First National City Bank, New York, 1954; wrote several books, including E.E. Cummings: a Miscellany (1958) and E.E. Cummings: a Bibliography; editor of A Garland for Dylan Thomas (1963) and of E.E. Cummings' Three Plays and a Ballet (1967).

Letter: 1p., 8vo. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper. 34 lines of text. A playful (stoned?) communication. He thanks him for 'giving me the Sahara right up to the North African Coast', and explains his plans for making the area 'fertile by piping into it water from the Mediterranean'. He asks him to forward 'photocopies of this letter' to Alec Natas ('a very powerful electrician'), and to Linda Talbot. There are also references to 'Marion', Ivan Katzen, 'Lord Levy' and 'the Imperial Dentist, Sol Philips'.

4pp., 4to. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with short closed tears at heads of both leaves. The recipient is not named, but the letter is from the Lynd family papers. Robert Lynd was in St Ives at the time of writing, and the letter begins: 'I'm so glad you are in such a nice place & that the children can join you there. They will love it. London gets so odious by the 15th of July. I came her e last week as I was very tired, & sick of the stuffy feeling of everything.

Each of the six issues in its original card wraps, the first four with cover design by Wyndham Lewis. Internally good, on lightly aged paper, in aged and worn wraps. A total of 176pp., 8vo. No.10 (May 1938), pp.29-54. No.11 ('Long poems by George Barker and Kenneth Allott', July 1938), pp.55-78. No.12-13 ('an attempt to get inside the covers of a small magazine a number of the best, and most representative, living poets born in America', October 1938), pp.79-118. No.14 (December 1938), pp.119-142. No.17 (April/May 1939), pp.1-26. No.18 ('A Special Number', June/July 1939), pp.27-62.

Printed on one side of a 9.5 x 15 cm piece of green paper. In good condition, lightly-aged and sunned, with one corner slightly-dogeared. The text reads: 'Marianne Craig Moore | Distinguished Alumna of Bryn Mawr College | will present | A Poetry Reading and Commentary | on Monday, January 20, 1958 | at 8:30 o'clock | at Cooper Union | 7th Street and 4th Avenue, New York | Admission free'.

8vo, 17 + [i] pp. Stapled. In original grey wraps. Aged and worn copy of a scarce item.

8vo, 17 + [i] pp. Stapled. In original grey wraps. Aged and worn copy of a scarce item.

The engraving illustrates the biblical passage describing an incident during the wreck off Crete of a ship carrying Saint Paul. Acts 27:35: 'And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.' Printed on one side of a piece of paper, 28 x 19 cm, with one rough edge. A striking image, irregularly shaped, with white lines against a black background, showing centurions and others on the deck of a ship on a stormy sea, with land in the distance.