Korn Eric, Signed (3 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. First Edition (first printing. This copy signed by the author on the title page and additionally inscribed by him to an un-named recipient on a blank flyleaf. 8vo. 213pp. Black cloth lettered in gold at the spine. A hint of spotting to top edge and just the merest trace of light partial browning to the endpapers. A virtually fine copy in fine non-price-clipped dust wrapper. Laid-in is short hand-written card from the author ("If I don't put your name on it you can - conceivably - sell it!!"). A superb signed copy of Eric Korn's unfathomably uncommon collection of witty book dealing anecdotes, selected from his TLS column. "He was attached to an elderly and exhausted clip-on bow-tie, which was not quite so firmly attached to him as he was to it. In some Malayan or Philippine restaurant one night, while he was explaining Mazdaism, or Gertrude Stein, or wave-particle duality, the tie lost its faltering grip on reality and fell into his soup. Without pausing in his disquisition or even glancing down he fished it out, shook off the soup and clipped it back on his collar" - a vignette from Korn's Michael Frayn-penned obituary which appeared in the 'Independent' newspaper. Signed by Author(s).

Cloth. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. First Edition. - 213 pages, one photograph illustrating one of his favourite authors, Bughouse Poet Richard Griffin posing with a forked lobster and cleaver, Eric could tongue-in-cheek never decide whether he was a " self-conscious Manhattan Dada or barking crustacicidal lunatic " ( sic lunacy ) - the selected wit & wisdom from his TLS column, a collection of literary, life and book dealing anecdotes that with great fun display his polymath, elastic / plastic mind. An evening with Eric and Peter Howard, caustic Indian food & beers often left me confused and muddy on the way back, but later with a profound sense of having been in the presence of some true greatness - and as the days wore on some things or ideas would magically pop into my head and make wonderful sense, i suppose a tiny bit can rub off.This copy given to us, Richard & Linda, & presented in mock disaster tones - this copy given to Linda and Richard " this bombdamaged volume rescued from the ruins of Robson Square Center, in memory of the great Vancouver Earthquake of March '90 when we lost so many good friends & customers, Eric " -hyperole Eric style, he had sent copies to his friend & fellow bookdealer Bill Hoffer, in Vancouver, when a minor rumble shook some copies off the shelf, [ this copy has a wrinkle on rear dj ] & some were water damaged as I recall, might lend credence to it's scarcity - signed again on the title page, a fine copy in near fine dj, minor wrinkle down rear panel, and the usual minor fade to the orange lettering at the spine, but nice and crisp despite being read by several people. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Signed by Author.

IDENTITY CARD: Bifolium. 12 x 8 cm. Printed in black and grey on outer covers and in black over green inside. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Cover headed 'IDENTITY CARD' with 'WORLD CITIZEN' in a variety of scripts around a circular logo of human figure. Internal statement: 'This card certifies that the holder is registered as a world-citizen. He will try to recognise his responsibilities as a member of the World Community.' Korn is 'No 12030'. Filled-in in ink for Michael Korn of 62 Aberdare Gardens, Hampstead, London. With oval stamp of the International Registry of World Citizens ('09/3'). Signed in pencil 'Erik [sic] Korn'. LETTER ONE: No place. 5 March 1949. 1p., 12mo. Heavily aged and worn. Thanking him for his interest 'in the work we are doing'. There has been an encouraging 'flood of letters', and as he cannot deal with all the correspondence personally, he has 'turned your letter over to Mr. Cameron of the British Section of the Registry who will give you an indication of our plans for the future'. LETTER TWO: From Paris. No date. 1p., 4to. Heavily aged and worn. 'There are many of us standing together in this world crisis, so many that I can't keep up with my mail right now as I would like to.' He has received 'thousands of letters from people all over the world who feel as you and I do, about the vital importance of working for World Government and World Citizenship no, to-day. | Our voices separate, are no match for the "national interests" leading to World War III but if there are enough of us, it will be possible to join the ranks of fighters for freedom and security for the whole world.' The final paragraph encourages Korn to agitate on behalf of the movement. Davis's International Registry of World Citizens was founded in Paris in January 1949, and registered over 750,000 individuals, Davis managing to gain the endorsement of Albert Einstein, Albert Camus and Andre Gide. Four and a half years later, on 4 September 1953, he declared the World Government of World Citizens. The second of the two letters at least has the feel of a circular, but they both appear to have been typed out rather than reproduced.