Arcana:

(BUKOWSKI, CHARLES). Bukowski, Charles & Noel Rockmore. New York & New Orleans: Lyle Stuart Inc. & The Loujon Press, 1965. First Edition 1/3100. Tall 4to. Illustrated Wrappers. Poetry Monograph. Very Good./Very Good -.. 101pp. illustrated in b&w + b&w covers. With 4 b&w etchings bound in. In a protective clear acetate dustwrapper. "Crucifix in a Deathhand" is the elaborately designed and bound 1965 collection of poetry by hard-living Angeleno Charles Bukowski fabricated by Louise "Gypsy Lou" and Jon Webb at their Loujon Press in New Orleans, and published with the imprint of Lyle Stuart. The author's sixth book, it was issued as a "Loujon Press Award Book" (Gypsy Lou Series #2). Printed by hand-letterpress on seven shades of heavy Spectra Linweave paper with deckle edges and elaborately bound by the Press, it includes four black and white etchings with tissue overlays by New Orleans-based artist Noel Rockmore. An internally bright, most handsome example of this tour de force (a deluxe-but-unnumbered, uncatalogued variant of entry sixteen in Aaron Krumhansel's "A Descriptive Bibliography of the Primary Publications of Charles Bukowski") limited to three thousand, one hundred unnumbered copies SIGNED AND DATED "Charles Bukowski / 3-16-65" in red acrylic paint at the time of publication beneath a striking ACRYLIC PAINTING in silver and red on the verso of a blank page at the rear. There is very light soiling and wear to the top and bottom edges of the textblock, and its Noel Rockmore-illustrated covers shows mild wear, creasing, fraying, and age-toning to the extremities. The publisher's printed wraparound band is complete and present, though it has a clean separation and is somewhat worn, torn, and age-toned. Additionally laid in is a vintage xerox of Ormonde Plater's nine-paragraph interview with Jon Webb about the book's publication captioned "Tough Poems" from the May 28th, 1965 issue of New Orleans' "Vieux Carre Courier". All in all, this is a most desirable example of an important early Bukowski title with an impressive painting that looks nicer in hand than it describes. Inventory Number: 026504