About this Item
Each of the 12 prints signed & dated by Miller in pencil, under the printed signatures, & book signed & dated, 1970. This copy consists of an (approx.) 18 x 24 1/2" (x 1 3/4" deep) wooden portfolio box. The top is a wooden panel that slides in grooves; reverse side of top is a plywood panel stained dark brown with upper & lower applied two-toned wooden strips, red edges; large mounted photo of Miller seated on toilet, title reading: from Loujon Press Insomnia or the Devil at Large Henry Miller. The long sides of the box are covered in a red, green & gold "oriental" geometric floral design paper, other 2 sides & inner sides of box stained black, underside of box stained dark red. Top is followed by a smaller piece of corrugated cardboard used as protector in shipping, then a larger sheet of pasteboard covered in gray textured paper on front with a 6 ½ x 5 1/4" mounted b/w photo of girl ("Hoki") in the upper section. Then follows the 12 prints (each approx. 17 x 22") prints: reproductions of Miller's drawings & watercolors, each signed & dated in pencil by Miller, 10/15/70. The silver sheen of the graphite is visible on each of these soft pencil signatures; the bottom of the box is lined with plastic foam with a central well to hold a copy of the spiral bound book (Insomnia), reproducing Miller's manuscript, photos, etc. The bottom of this is well lined with a brown & tan toned paper. The copy of Insomnia supplied with this set shows these variations: wrap around clot- backed dustjacket shows the large "oriental" floral design printed in blue & black with light green squares & light yellow / tan over the gold background rather than red & black mentioned in Miller bibliography (see below for comparison). Signed at head of colophon page: Henry Miller May 1st 1970. Above this is rubberstamped in red is: Edition G 385 copies. Book signed. On the reverse of last page of Miller's printed text has been stamped in red: "Colophon Oversights & Erratum: Book is autographed in Ed. G. Ed. C, gold nameplate, not silver. Book also signed in Editions C, B & A. Ed. A: pub. price, [-]; prepub, prepaid, [-]. Wm. Webb lives in Carmel, not Big Sur. "Hoki" is Hiroko Tukudu Miller's nickname." The paper covered sides of the wooden box show minor rubbing to some edges; small oval where paper surface has been scratched off near one corner, very small nick to left side of mounted photo on top of box; else, a fine & well preserved set, of which less than 10 were produced. This copy does not have the gold nameplate mentioned in the Bibliography below, nor any sign of ever having one & the colors of the book dust jacket, etc. vary from the red & gold mentioned in Bibliography (see description above). Here follows the Bibliography citation for issue C for comparison: [Henry Miller Bibliography, 1993, p. 409]: "A175c Insomnia Or The Devil At Large 1970 First Edition/Issue C: 12 Prints Signed [overprinted on Miller bibliography that is in English and Japanese] / [ornamental design] A Loujon Press Award Book [ornamental design] / Insomnia [red] or the Devil at Large / Henry Miller / [Loujon Press] / [Albuquerque, New Mexico] For this edition, the 12 prints are signed in pencil by Miller [10/15/70], but not inscribed to the buyer, as in Edition B. The book is also signed by Miller. Red and gold foil used on the book dust jacket, with the name plate on the portfolio box in solid gold. Variations of inlaid wood trim and color of foil on the portfolio box occurs within this edition. Published at [-], in a planned edition of 192 copies, but later reduced to 39 due to slow pre-publication sales. It is believed that less than 10 copies of this edition were actually published." This copy was once owned by a personal friend & admirer of Henry Miller's writing & watercolors; it was obtained for him by "Gypsy" of the Loujon Press in the early 1970's. List of plates as they appear in this volume: [1] Insomnia No. 1. [signed in plate]: Henry Miller 8/3/66 [-]. Seller Inventory # ABE-82870142
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Bibliographic Details
Title: Insomnia Or The Devil At Large. [Issue C, ...
Publisher: Loujon Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 1970. First Edition [Issue C, variant] Each of the 12 prints signed & dated by Miller in pencil, under the printed signatures, & book signed & dated.
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Near Fine
Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket
Signed: Signed by Author(s)
Edition: 1st Edition
