The Fates of Rocks & Trees; Two Poems, Two Photographs
San Francisco: James Linden, Publisher [designed and printed by Peter Rutledge Koch], 1986. Mundy, Michael. First and Limited Edition. No binding. No. 34 of 100 copies, folio size, six separate leaves plus two photographs, signed by Gary Snyder and Michael Mundy. Fine. Item #20110907
Gary Snyder (b. 1930) is most often thought of in connection with the Beat Movement and the San Francisco Renaissance; he was the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1975, the Bollingen Prize for Poetry in 1997, and the American Book Award in 1984, among other awards and honors. By many, he is thought of as the "poet laureate of Deep Ecology" (n.b., per Wiki).
These two (then) new publications by Snyder, "Geological Meditation" and "Burned Out" are presented as separate broadsides and are perfectly visually paired with two original photographs by Michael Mundy of San Francisco; "Merced River - El Portal" and "Tree Roots - Clark Lakes".
This work was designed and printed by Peter Rutledge Koch, considered by many to be "one of the most accomplished printers and typographic designers of his generation" (from web site of Stanford University); Stanford hosted a retrospective of his work during 2017, to coincide with the release of the three-volume bibliography of his work.
A wonderful work which explores the beauty and fragility of the natural world.
___DESCRIPTION: Presented as loose sheets in a custom portfolio with six printed leaves (title page, the two broadside poems, and the colophon) and with two black-and-white photographs, the title page with a green decoration, the two broadside poems signed by Snyder in black ink, the photographs mounted on four-ply archival board titled, signed and dated by Mundy in pencil on the mats and protected by glassine, this no. 34 of 100 copies (although, per the publisher, only about half of the edition size was completed; note there were also fifteen special edition copies and five HDC copies); folio size (14" by 10 7/8"). All encased within a handcrafted portfolio case by Klaus-Ullrich Rötzscher covered with grey imported linen, cream paper spine label with black lettering, cream paper label with black lettering and a green decoration mounted onto the front, the interior lining and the three flaps enclosing the sheets and photographs of grey Fabriano paper, the portfolio measuring 14 1/8" by 11 1/8". Loosely laid in is the prospectus, a single sheet printed on the recto only, measuring 9" by 6".
___CONDITION: The entire work is fine; we acquired it directly from the publisher and every component is clean and crisp, free of any wear or markings; as new.
Price: $400.00