Infolio 1-74, 78-100, and A-P (1986-1991)

Descripción

Each a single A5 sheet folded once into 16mo. 'Infolio' (published with a fold) 'owes its existence to the example of' Claude Royet-Journoud?s daily magazine 'L'in-plano' (published on a single plane), and anticipates the latter's 'Zuk'. Issues 1-40 appeared daily on weekdays from 1 July to 25 August 1986 (with one small 'deliberate mistake' in the dates); issues 41-100 were weekly from 3 October 1986 to 20 November 1987; and the sixteen issues of the third series (A-P) were produced fortnightly (with one long gap) from 1 October 1990 to 7 August 1991. With a few exceptions, each issue consists of the work of one artist on the front cover and one poet/writer inside, both elements reproduced from the makers' originals and so, for example, capturing the contributors' typewriting. The back covers have editorial and other notes, collages, and colourful cork-stamps by Raworth. Also present are the four 'Infolio' supplements (cards by Asa Benveniste, Ben Raworth, Harry Gilonis, and William Corbett respectively); an A4 sheet (folded down to size) sent to subscribers, providing an index to the first two series and proposing the third (planned here as 26 issues), this copy with an autograph note signed ('Tom') from Raworth to Anthony (Barnett); and the third series subscriber's card, this example having belonged to John James, the details filled out and signed by Raworth. The issues of that series are held in their original envelopes (also colourfully stamped), sometimes with James's address (in Raworth?s hand or on a printed label), a few with signs of having been posted; issues I-L and M-P are grouped together. Curiously, disparities can be detected between copies of some issues, in which lettering by Raworth or even found images differ. This is probably because 'Infolio' was photocopied in two places (a copy shop and Val Raworth's work), and Raworth's process was not helped by his always having to go to Addenbrooke's, but it is surprising to see variants in such a rapid production. By the time of the 'half-way report' for the first series (in issue 20) there were ten subscribers (across four countries), and copies were selling through Compendium in London and SPD in Berkeley, CA. By issue 40 there were twenty-six subscribers (from eight countries) and the initial rule of 'no free copies' had been relaxed slightly. In issue 92, which in theory should have ended the second series (after fifty-two weekly issues), a 'few sets' of the first series are advertised, and it is clear that a subscription would buy a series from start to finish regardless of when it was purchased, allowing readers to catch up. (Issues 93-100 were free to subscribers.) So the number of copies in circulation was able to increase for a while, and (according to John James's card) there were at least seventy-one subscribers to the third series, but 'Infolio' was fast-paced and widely dispersed, and this is the most complete collection that this cataloguer has encountered. It is in Fine condition, and is held in the floral box used by James. N° de ref. del artículo 006754

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