Layton, Irving
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The Irving Layton Collection: a bibliography The following bibliography lists the contents of the Irving Layton Collection. The Collection is housed in the Special Collections unit of the Queen Elizabeth II Library, Memorial University of Newfoundland. 1. Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. The Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge. London: MacMillan & Co., 1924. This copy is inscribed by one “Irving Lazarr, of 4158 City Hall Ave, Montreal, Quebec, 1927. Student of Literature.” It contains on the front endpaper a note from Irving Layton, inscribed to John Metcalf: “who knows a good book and a good investment when he sees one.” There is also a note on the half-title by John Metcalf: “This copy of Coleridge belonged to Irving Layton when he was 15. Throughout the text the various passages marked show the sort of rhetoric that appealed to him then. At the back of the book he has listed pages he has read. When I showed him the book he claimed that he‟d changed his name to Lazarr because he‟d been writing a poems and needed a rhyme for near and „near and far‟.” 2. Flecker, James Elroy. The Collected Poems of James Elroy Flecker. London: Secker & Warburg, 1947. This is Irving Layton‟s copy, bearing his ownership signature on the front endpaper. 3. Plato. Five Dialogues. London: J.M. Dent & Sons, 1942. This copy bears Layton‟s ownership signature on the front endpaper, dated December 1946, with scoring and marginalia in his hand throughout, and a note on the rear endpaper about his reading. There is also what appears to be a poem, in two different states, on the rear endpapers. 4. Layton, Irving. Here and Now. Montreal: First Statement Press, 1945. This is the first edition of Layton‟s first book and also the inaugural book of First Statement Press. This copy is inscribed by Layton on front endpaper: “For John Metcalf, who, I declare, here and now, is a very excellent writer and, to boot, a truly noble man.” 5. Other Canadians: An Anthology of the New Poetry in Canada 1940-1946. John Sutherland (ed.). Montreal: First Statement Press, 1946. This copy is inscribed by Layton to John Metcalf on front endpaper, with an author sketch: “This book, John, holds many memories for me … you keep adding to them.” 6. Other Canadians: An Anthology of the New Poetry in Canada 1940-1946. John Sutherland (ed.). Montreal: First Statement Press, 1946. The front endpaper of this copy bears a poem penned by Layton, “Schoolteacher in Late November,” followed by his signature and a date of December 16, 1947. 7. Layton, Irving. Now is the Place. Montreal: First Statement Press, 1948. This copy of Irving Layton‟s second book bears his signature twice on the front endpaper, the second time with the following inscription: “Now is the Place to declare my admiration for the distinguished heart and talent of John Metcalf.” 8. Layton, Irving. Now is the Place. Montreal: First Statement Press, 1948. This copy is signed twice by Layton, the first dated in the year of publication, and the second in 1991 to John Metcalf. Layton misspells Metcalf‟s name (Metcalfe). At rear of the book Layton has written a poem in what appears to be the same blue ink with which he signed his name in 1948. 9. Layton, Irving. The Black Huntsmen. Montreal: Self-published, 1951. Layton‟s third book, and the scarce first state, without the additional poems in the centre selected from Here and Now and Now is the Place. After the book was distributed, Layton added 12 additional poems to the remaining copies, with an explanatory note at the rear about the additions. Though both states are very, very scarce, this is the more uncommon of the two. This copy is signed twice by Layton, the second with an inscription to John Metcalf: “Another odd ball on the Canadian literary landscape. With pleasure and gratitude.” 10. Layton, Irving. The Black Huntsmen. Montreal: Self-published. 1951. This second state copy has the additional 12 poems (marked by roman numerals) added to centre). The book is inscribed by Layton to “John Metcalfe, with a warm handshake.” Also bears Metcalf‟s ownership signature. This is a review copy and contains a hand written review slip from contact Press (in Raymond Souster‟s hand), and with “contact Press/ 29 Mayfield Ave/ Toronto 3, Ont./ Canada hand-written in blue ink at bottom of title page, again by Souster. Also loosely inserted is a mimeographed fact sheet from the Contact Press listing CEREBUS, Dudek‟s TWENTY-FOUR POEMS. Though this book is not a Contact Press book, it was distributed by them. 11. Dudek, Louis; Layton, Irving; Souster, Raymond. Cerberus. Toronto: Contact Press, 1952. The first publication of Contact Press, this copy is inscribed by Layton on the front endpaper: “With affectionate regards for John Metcalf.” Also bears Metcalf‟s ownership signature. 12. Dudek, Louis; Layton, Irving; Souster, Raymond. Cerberus. Toronto: Contact Press, 1952. This copy is signed by Layton, Dudek and Souster. 13. Canadian Poems, 1850-1952. Louis Dudek and Irving Layton (Eds.). Toronto: Contact Press, 1952. This copy is signed by Louis Dudek and Irving Layton. 14. Canadian Poems, 1850-1952. Louis Dudek and Irving Layton (Eds.). Toronto: Contact Press, 1952. This is the second printing of the first edition, bearings both John Metcalf‟s and previous owner‟s signatures. 15. Canadian Poems, 1850-1952. Louis Dudek and Irving Layton (Eds.). Toronto: Contact Press, 1952. 16. Layton, Irving. love the conqueror worm. Toronto: Contact Press, 1953. This copy is inscribed by the author to Howard Sergeant, dated February 6, 1953. Also written in the same blue pen, is an address, presumably Layton‟s, on Cote St. Luc. This copy is also inscribed to John Metcalfe, March 6, 1991. 17. Layton, Irving. The Long Pea-Shooter. Montreal: Laocoon Press, 1954. This copy is signed by Layton on the front endpaper. It also bears ownership signature of John Metcalf. There is a tipped in frontispiece, a drawing of Layton by Betty Sutherland. There is a small Harvard Library release stamp to inside cover. 18. Layton, Irving. The Long Pea-Shooter. Montreal: Laocoon Press, 1954. This copy is inscribed by Layton in red pen to William Carlos Williams on front endpaper. “For W. C. Williams, Great poet, and friend to poets. With affectionate regards. Dec. 2, 1954.” There is a tipped in frontispiece, a drawing of Layton by Betty Sutherland. 19. Layton, Irving. The Long Pea-Shooter. Montreal: Laocoon Press, 1954. This copy bears the ownership signature of John Metcalf. There is a tipped in frontispiece, a drawing of Layton by Betty Sutherland. 20. Layton, Irving. In The Midst Of My Fever. Palma de Mallorca: The Divers Press, 1954. This copy is inscribed by Layton to Metcalf, “Sept/88”. It also bears Metcalf‟s ownership signature. The dust jacket is illustrated by Jonathan Williams, Layton‟s nephew. An errata slip is laid in. 21. Layton, Irving. In The Midst Of My Fever. Palma de Mallorca: The Divers Press, 1954. This copy bears John Metcalf‟s ownership signature. 22. Layton, Irving. In The Midst Of My Fever. Palma de Mallorca: The Divers Press, 1954. This copy is inscribed by Layton to Robert Weaver: “cordially as ever,” It also bears Weaver‟s ownership signature. 23. Layton, Irving. the cold green element. Toronto: Contact Press, 1955. This copy is signed by the author on the front endpaper, which also carries John Metcalf‟s ownership signature. 24. Layton, Irving. the cold green element. Toronto: Contact Press, 1955. This copy is signed by the author on front endpaper. There is an also an inscription by Layton to Metcalf, “friend and favourite book-collector.” There are two corrections in black pen, on page 9 and page 20: for the latter Layton has crossed out “worms” and replaced it with “birds.” 25. Layton, Irving. the cold green element. Toronto: Contact Press, 1955. This copy is inscribed by the author on the front endpaper: “To Siseyboo: With all my Love, Father. 2 April 1955.” 26. Layton, Irving. The Blue Propeller. Toronto: Contact Press, 1955. This first edition is inscribed by the author to John Metcalf on the front endpaper: “in friendship, with my warmest best wishes and my compliments.” Designed by the Divers Press, and printed in two colours and handset in Futura and Mercedes types by Mossen Alcover in Palma de Mallorca, April 1955. 27. Layton, Irving. The Blue Propeller. Toronto: Contact Press, 1955. This copy is signed by Layton on the front endpaper. It also bears John Metcalf‟s ownership signature. 28. Layton, Irving. Music on a Kazoo. Toronto: Contact Press, 1956. This copy bears John Metcalf‟s ownership signature. 29. Layton, Irving. Music on a Kazoo. Toronto: Contact Press, 1956. This copy is inscribed by Layton to Louise Scott on front endpaper, “with love and kisses. Sept 20, 1956.” 30. Layton, Irving. The Bull Calf and Other Poems. Toronto: Contact Press, 1956. This copy is inscribed by the author to John Metcalf: “With esteem and fellowship. For an ongoing warm friendship. Best wishes. Irving Layton.” It also bears the ownership signature of John Metcalf. 31. Layton, Irving. The Bull Calf and Other Poems. Toronto: Contact Press, 1956. This copy is inscribed by the author to his daughter, “For my dearest Naomi, with love, Father. March 15, 1956.” 32. Layton, Irving. The Bull Calf and Other Poems. Toronto: Contact Press, 1956. Simultaneous paperbound edition: this copy is inscribed by the author to George Johnston, “cordially as ever. March 10, 1956.” 33. Layton, Irving. The Improved Binoculars. Highlands: Jonathan Williams, 1956. This copy is inscribed by Frank Scott to John Newlove.