Ha! Ha! Houdini!
New York: Gotham Book Mart & Gallery, 1977. 1st Edition. Octavo, publisher’s stapled stiff illustrated paper wraps.
First edition of punk poet laureate Patti Smith’s tribute to illusionist Harry Houdini. At the time of the poem’s composition in 1972 (though it would not be published until '77), a year before the Patti Smith Group was formed, Smith was writing and performing her poetry at the St. Mark's Poetry Project, acting in plays with or by Sam Shepard, Jackie Curtis, and Tony Ingrassia, and contributing album reviews to Rolling Stone and Creem. Ha! Ha! Houdini was published by the legendary New York bookshop Gotham Book Mart, which operated from 1920 to 2006, and hosted Smith's first exhibition of drawings in 1973. Stated first edition to copyright page. Published simultaneously in a signed limited edition of 126 copies. Illustrated in black-and-white. Light toning and staining to wraps. Very good. Item #12140
$300.00