San Francisco Arts Festival: A Poetry Folio

SF: San Francisco Arts Festival, 1963. First edition. Loose leaf. Fine. A 14 x 21 inch folio containing eight broadsides produced at various small presses and printers, each signed by the poet and illustrator. It was offered for sale by Donald Allen's Four Seasons Foundation (the Foundation's true first publishing project, apparently, though that's often said to be the Freeway broadsides of 1964). An orange letterpress prospectus from Four Seasons is included that finishes: "Each broadside is signed by the poet and artist. Limited to an edition of 300, of which we have a few remaining sets we are offering ..." Yet it seems clear that not all sets or broadsides were actually signed. Notably, here Lew Welch's signature is present on his "Early Summer Hermit Song," which is scarce. Almost all of the copies of this broadside that we've seen have been only signed by the illustrator, if that. "Early Summer Hermit Song" was Welch's second solo publication following Wobbly Rock.  

The folio includes the following broadsides: "A strange new cottage in Berkeley" by Allen Ginsberg, woodcut by Robert LaVigne, signed by both (rather than simply signing, Ginsberg has written "Allen Ginsberg lives here," a nice touch); "Early summer hermit song" by Lew Welch, illustration by W. Weber, signed by both; "Hymnus ad patrem sinensis," poem and illustration both by Philip Whalen, signed by him; "Thoughts to a concerto of Telemann" by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, illustration by Eleanor Dickinson, signed by both; "The mendacity of sculpture" by Ron Loewinsohn, signed by him; "At the window" by Helen Adam; illustration by William McNeill, signed by both; "Apparitors" by Robin Blaser, illustration by Fran Herndon, signed by both; and "Unkind by affection?" by Robert Duncan, illustration by Jess, signed by both. Presses and printers include Auerhahn, Grabhorn, Lawton Kennedy, East Wind Printers, George Lithograph Company, Gene's Print Shop. 

All in fine condition except for one small dot of foxing on the Helen Adam broadside below her signature. The folio (folder) is heavy manila cardstock with a green letterpress title plate; faint foxing/browning to edges of the folder, but unobtrusive. Scarce found in this complete, signed state and in a nearly mint condition. .