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[ca 1950s].

One of three known groupings of photographs from "the legendary Hardiment suitcase," including original prints of both one of the most iconic images of Jack Kerouac (of Kerouac smoking a cigarette outside his 7th Street apartment, taken by Allen Ginsberg) and of Allen Ginsberg (on the roof of his Lower East Side apartment, taken by William Burroughs). 32 photographs in total, from the 1950s, of Burroughs and other figures of the Beat generation, some with Burroughs' annotations.

Several of the photographs are taped together, forming early visual collages or collage fragments, while a number of the photos have sellotape along their edges, suggesting they were at one time part of a larger collage. These collages represent some of Burroughs' earliest attempts to use images in the way he was using words -- to transcend time and space, and link together various aspects of his life and world, in ways that correlate to a "mindscape" -- akin to the connections between the stories he wrote during that period that were collectively known as the Interzone, which was also an early title for Naked Lunch. Brion Gysin, in his 1964 essay, 'Cut ups: A Project for Disastrous Success,' wrote that "Burroughs was more intent on Scotch-taping his photos together into one great continuum on the wall, where scenes faded and slipped into one another, than occupied with editing the monster manuscript" -- i.e., Naked Lunch, aka his Word Hoard.

The provenance of this group of materials is the "Hardiment suitcase," belonging to the poet Melville Hardiment, a friend of Burroughs during the years 1960-62, who is also known as the first person to have given Burroughs LSD. Hardiment bought a number of items from Burroughs in that time period and famously kept them in a suitcase: he sold the contents in parts, when he needed money. One group of materials went to the bookseller Pat Zanelli and eventually to the University of Kansas, where it is known as the Burroughs-Hardiment Collection.

A second group of photographs and collages went into the collection of photographer Richard Lorenz and were exhibited in the 1996 show at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art -- "Ports of Entry: William S. Burroughs and the Arts."

The third group, offered here, went from Hardiment to novelist and bookseller Iain Sinclair, in 1985, likely, again, via Pat Zanelli. Like the photos in Kansas as well as those in the Lorenz collection, many of these have sellotape on the edges, and like the collages in the Lorenz collection, some are still taped together, forming collages themselves or representing collage fragments. Tape shadows on the versos of some of the images both here and at the University of Kansas hint that Burroughs may have created the collages and then, when he began experimenting with the cut-up technique in writing, have cut-up the collages with the intent of applying this same technique to visual imagery. Barry Miles and Jim Pennington -- whose research uncovered most of the information we have about the Hardiment suitcase -- each looked at this collection of photos and attested to its authenticity and importance for gaining perspective on Burroughs' creative artwork in the early years of his career.

In addition to the Kerouac and Ginsberg photos, highlights of this grouping include: a photo booth portrait; a passport photo; and a negative of an unpublished Brion Gysin photograph of Burroughs from 1959 (with contemporary archival print). 32 photographs in all, plus calling cards of Bruno Heinrich and Charles Henri Ford, and a copy of Driffs magazine -- "The Antiquarian and Second Hand Book Fortnightly" -- which includes Part 1 of Iain Sinclair's "Definitive Catalogue" of the Beats -- this part being devoted entirely to the works of William Burroughs, with this album as item number 80 in the catalogue. The condition, wherein the photos are cut up, fragmented, partially taped, all by design, and housed in a 1960s photo album, is fine, as it is. A complete inventory is available on request.

[#033847] $25,000

1988. An original Burroughs painting, which became part of the Seven Deadly Sins exhibition at The Writer's Place, Kansas City, Missouri, in 1993. Acrylic and spray paint on poster board: a gold triangle and heart spray-painted against a background acrylic image of black, blue and gray. Signed by Burroughs. 20" x 32". Mounted and framed to 24" x 36". Fine. Burroughs, whose Naked Lunch, Soft Machine, and numerous other works helped define the Beat generation and redefine the psychedelic novel, also worked in the visual media from the early 1950s on, experimenting first with collages and later with what he called "nagual art" -- art infected by chance, which had the possibility of giving the viewer access to what Burroughs called a "port of entry," an access to a different universe or a different way of seeing our own. In writing, Burroughs adopted the "cut-up" technique, with Brion Gysin, to achieve similar ends: a final product that was, in part, a product of chance or, at the very least, forces beyond the artist's direct control and manipulation. [#024825] $7,500

1988. An original drawing by Wilson for Burroughs' 1989 book Tornado Alley. This image was included in the exhibition "Ports of Entry: William Burroughs and the Arts" that was mounted by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1996, and it is reproduced on page 140 of the exhibition catalog. Interestingly, the illustration in the book does not show some of the work that Wilson did, as it was done using nonrepro blue pencil which does not show up when photographed: Wilson's edits didn't appear in Tornado Alley and they don't appear in Ports of Entry, but they are quite visible in the work itself. Wilson, one of the great artists of the underground comix of the 1960s and beyond, whom R. Crumb has said was a major influence on Crumb's own work, collaborated with Burroughs on a number of projects. This is not only a significant work of art, and a significant association with Burroughs, but it is also signed by Wilson, who has added, "To Nelson" next to his signature: Wilson gave this work to his friend Nelson Lyon, who loaned it to the exhibition and is listed in the book as one of the lenders to the exhibit. This is, in effect, a three-way association: Nelson Lyon was the co-producer of Burroughs' Dead City Radio, a 1990 album of Burroughs reading his work (including pieces from Tornado Alley) against a background of experimental music by various artists. 9-3/4" x 6-3/4". Matted and framed. Fine. A notable association copy, and an artifact of one of the great collaborations that Burroughs engaged in. [#028091] $7,500

London, Bruce and Watson, (1973). First hardcover edition of this title, published in an edition of 1500 copies. Variant brown cloth -- M&M describes black cloth, and olive green cloth has also been noted. Inscribed by the author to Bob Jackson in 1984. Fine in a near fine dust jacket. An uncommon edition, especially signed (and signed authentically). [#033085] $3,000

(NY), Grove Press, (1959)[1962]. The first American edition of this classic novel of the Beat generation, which was not published in the U.S. until three years after its Paris publication, and until a legal challenge to its banning was successful. Such authors as Norman Mailer testified as to the literary value and accomplishment of Burroughs' work. Basis for the 1991 David Cronenberg film featuring Peter Weller, Judy Davis, Ian Holm, Julian Sands, and Roy Scheider. Inscribed by the author in 1984 for Bob Jackson. Fine in a near fine dust jacket but for creasing and a couple small chips along the top edge. A very nice copy in the original, pre-zip code, dust jacket. The first printing of the U.S. edition was only 3500 copies -- smaller even than the original Olympia Press paperback in Paris, which had a 5000-copy first printing. [#033095] $2,500

ca. 1983-84. Six black and white photographs (not stated but) by Abe Frajndlich, of William Burroughs, or parts thereof: two photos of Burroughs seated inside at a desk; two photos of Burroughs outside in a trench coat and hat; one photo of Burroughs' coat, hat and cane on the floor next to a baseboard heater; one photo of Burroughs' hands as he signs a copy of The Place of Dead Roads. Each photo is 8-1/2" x 11"; faint staining to a few margins, else fine. Frajndlich is known for his portraits of photographers, and of others involved in the arts. [#033147] $2,000

Paris, Olympia, (1961). The true first edition, published in Paris by Maurice Girodias' press five years before it came out in the U.S. This copy is inscribed by Burroughs: "For Bob Jackson/ all the best/ William Burroughs/ for Brion Gysin." Gysin designed the dust jacket. Modest foxing to pages edges and endpages; near fine in a near fine, mildly tanned dust jacket with rubbing to the folds. The first issue, with the 15 New Franc price on both the rear cover of the book and the front flap of the dust jacket. An influential book, part of the sequence that includes The Naked Lunch and The Ticket That Exploded. [#033109] $1,750

London, Jonathan Cape, (1970). The uncorrected proof copy of the first British edition (following a French edition) of this interview with Burroughs by Daniel Odier. Inscribed by Burroughs to Richard Aaron. An excellent association copy: Aaron was the bookseller who helped negotiate the sale of Burroughs' archive to Roberto Altmann in Liechtenstein, and he was also involved in the sale that brought the archive back to the U.S., when Robert Jackson bought it from Altmann. Aaron also published Burroughs, under his Am Here Books imprint. Near fine in a near fine, proof dust jacket, which is crumpled at the crown from where it extends above the proof. Proof copies of this edition are scarce, let alone ones with a significant association. [#033081] $1,500

Paris, Olympia, (1965). Third printing of the original edition of his second book, one of the all-time great drug novels and a high spot of Beat and postwar American literature. Inscribed by the author to Bob Jackson in 1984. The price stamp on the rear cover has been partially removed. Rubbing to the spine and joints; near fine in wrappers without dust jacket, as issued (the second and third printings did not have the jacket). [#033094] $1,500

1984. Photograph by Abe Frajndlich of Burroughs in a three-piece suit sitting behind a table in a public space, smoking. Frajndlich is known for his portraits of photographers, and of others involved in the arts. Copyrighted, signed and dated by Frajndlich in ink at the right of the image in the margin, and titled, copyrighted, signed and dated in pencil by Frajndlich on the verso. Black and white. 11" x 14" Marginal crease to an upper corner, else fine. [#033146] $1,000

London, Calder and Boyars, (1968). The first British edition. Inscribed by the author to Richard Aaron, the bookseller and publisher, and a key figure in Burroughs' biography, especially with respect to the placement of Burroughs' papers. Fine in a fine dust jacket. [#033117] $650

London, Jonathan Cape, (1966). The first British edition. Inscribed by the author, again for Richard Aaron. Slight softening to the spine ends; faint foxing to the edge of the text block; very near fine in a fine dust jacket. Uncommon signed, and a good association. [#033100] $500

(NY), Penguin Books, (1977). First thus -- "the first complete and unexpurgated edition," according to the publisher -- and with an introduction by Allen Ginsberg. This is a complimentary copy, with the publishers "compliments of the author" card laid in. Offsetting to the inside cover from the card; mild age toning to pages; near fine in wrappers. [#033086] $200

(Hadley), Ken Lopez Bookseller, (2005). A catalog/brochure describing the Burroughs archive previously known as the "Vaduz archive" and printing in facsimile a number of items from the archive, including Brion Gysin calligraphy, photographs of Burroughs and others, visual poetry by Burroughs, and other items. An overview of the archive, with description of its contents and essays on its history and importance in the context of 20th century literature. The archive was purchased by the Berg Collection at the New York Public Library. Fine in wrappers. [#024827] $20