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Irving Layton
 IRVING LAYTON

 The following titles are only a few items culled from our Layton Collection. For a complete listing of our Layton titles available for purchase, please click here.
Irving Layton © Terry Byrnes
  

 

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 Here and Now, Montreal: First Statement Press, 1945. Wraps. First Edition. Very Good/Very Good. SIGNED by author. $3,250.00 CDN ($2,500.00 USD). #001701

Author's scarce first book. Also inaugural book of the First Statement Press. Card covers in grey jacket with black and red lettering. Light soiling and darkening to covers, ownership signature on endpaper, small hole to bottom front of jacket where a price-sticker was peeled off, covers detached from bottom staple of spine, scuffing to inside of back cover where it appears a bookplate was removed. Overall, a nice copy. Signed by Layton on endpaper.


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 The Black Huntsmen, Montreal: Self-Published, 1951. Wraps. First Edition, Second Printing. NF/NF. SIGNED. $1,600.00 CDN ($1,250.00 USD). #001662.

Scarce copy of author’s third collection of poems. Card covers with grey pictorial jacket. Self-published and distributed. According to an explanatory note at the bottom of the final page of the book, after some of the books had been distributed, Layton decided to add an additional twelve poems to the collection. Layton writes, "Encouraged by the enthusiastic response to the Black Huntsmen, the author decided to add several more poems from his two previous collections, Here and Now and Now is the Place to the remaining copies of the issue. Some of these poems have been revised and they will be found in the middle pages. The author asks that the Black Huntsmen be considered as a volume of his selected poems which includes many new poems hitherto unpublished." These extra poems are distinguished by the fact that their pages bear Roman as opposed to Arabic numerals. Although this text suggests that the book is a second printing, we have been unable to track down, after exhaustive research in private and library collections, a copy of the apparent first printing, without the additional poems. This suggests the possibility that none (or very few) of the first printings were actually distributed and that the majority (if not the entire) run of books were converted into the new format. A nice copy with light soiling and darkening to covers, small faint stain at head of spine, and several ink notations by previous owner, a late Montreal poet and personal friend of the author. Inscribed by Layton on endpaper: "With the sincere compliments of Irving Layton, Jan. 11, 1952."


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 Love the Conqueror Worm, Toronto: Contact Press, 1953. Wraps. First Edition. Near Fine. $520.00 CDN ($400.00 USD). #001702

Scarce copy of author’s fourth collection of poems. Blue-green card covers with black lettering. One small crease to back cover, ownership signature on endpaper, otherwise nice. Signed by Layton on first page.


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 In the Midst of My Fever, Palma de Mallorca: The Divers Press, 1954. Wraps. Fine/Very Good+. INSCRIBED by author to fellow Montreal poet. $290.00 CDN ($225.00 USD). #001693.

Scarce copy of author’s fifth collection of poems. Card covers with illustrated yellow jacket, containing errata slip. Light wear to covers, otherwise fine. Inscribed by author to a fellow Montreal poet: "For ---, With all good wishes, Irving Layton."


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 The Long Pea-Shooter, Montreal: Laocoon Press, 1954. Hardcover. First Edition. Fine/Very Good+. INSCRIBED by author to fellow Montreal poet. $650.00 CDN ($500.00 USD). #001719

Scarce hardcover edition of poet’s sixth collection of poems. Pea-green cloth boards with label affixed to spine in white jacket with red line-drawing by Betty Sutherland, Layton's then wife. Illustration of Layton by Sutherland facing title-page tipped in. A bright and clean copy in jacket with one-inch chip at head of spine, several short closed tears, and light darkening to spine. Twice inscribed by author to a friend and fellow Montreal poet. The first inscription reads, “For ---, With warmest regards. Irving Layton," and the second reads "Jan. 8/55 / One of us stinking drunk. Guess who?" Amusing association copy.


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 The Blue Propeller, Toronto: Contact Press, 1955. Hardcover. First Edition. Near Fine. INSCRIBED by author to his daughter. $2 500.00 CDN ($2000.00 USD). #004481

Extremely scarce hardcover edition of author’s seventh collection of poems. Blue cloth over boards with pictorial pastedown. Designed by the Divers Press, and printed in two colours and handset in Futura and Mercedes types. Light rubbing along spine, otherwise fine. Inscribed lovingly by author to his daughter.


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 The Blue Propeller, Toronto: Contact Press, 1955. Wraps. First Edition. Near Fine/Near Fine. $775.00 CDN. ($600.00 USD). #001697

Scarce copy of author’s seventh collection of poems. Card covers with white pictorial dustjacket. Designed by the Divers Press, and printed in two colours and handset in Futura and Mercedes types. A nice copy with light sunning to spine of jacket and ownership signature on endpaper.


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 The Cold Green Element, Toronto: Contact Press, 1955. Hardcover. First Edition. Near Fine. INSCRIBED by author to his daughter. $520.00 CDN ($400.00 USD). #001713

Author’s eighth collection of poems. Illustrated boards with cloth spine. Cover drawing and two illustrations within by Betty Sutherland, Layton’s then wife. A fresh-looking copy missing spine label, as usual, with faint scuffing to endpaper. Inscribed lovingly by the author to his daughter.


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 The Bull Calf and Other Poems, Toronto: Contact Press, 1956. Hardcover. First Edition. Fine. INSCRIBED by author to his daughter. $980.00 CDN ($750.00 USD). #001725

Scarce hardcover edition of author’s tenth collection of poems. Grey cloth boards with pictorial pastedown, illustrated by Betty Sutherland, Layton’s then wife. 1 of possibly only 50 hardcover copies produced. Layton published the hardcover edition himself and distributed it to close friends and family. This copy is in exquisite condition and is inscribed lovingly to his daughter.


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 A Red Carpet for the Sun, Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1956. Wraps. Very Good. INSCRIBED by author to his wife. $195.00 CDN ($150.00 USD). #001704

Author’s eleventh collection of poems. Pictorial card covers with processed photograph of author. A decent copy with light soiling and shelfwear, crease to back cover, and tape along spine. Inscribed by poet to his wife, Betty Sutherland: "For my favourite wife, Betty, Love, Irving / Montreal, Que.,/ June 15, 1959." An excellent association copy.


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 Balls for a One-Armed Juggler, Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1963. Hardcover. Fine/Very Good. $150.00 CDN ($120.00 USD). #001712

Scarce hardcover edition. Beige cloth with red polka-dot design over boards in pictorial jacket. A nice copy with yellowed endpapers in jacket with light soiling, mild shelf-wear, short closed tear, and minor chipping to ends spine.


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 The Uncollected Poems of Irving Layton, Ottawa: Mosaic Press, 1976. Hardcover in slipcase. Fine/Fine. SIGNED by author. $130.00 CDN ($100.00 USD). #001805

Black leather with specially printed coloured paper over boards, gilt lettering on spine, in slipcase with silk ribbon. Number 65 of 199 numbered and signed copies. The book's prospectus reads: "A collection of 130 previously unpublished poems, this volume represents the seedbed from which spring the signature and major poems that have made up the poet's collected and selected volumes of poetry to date." An exquisite copy of this exquisite production.


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Irving Layton's signature

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