Ginsberg's A Descriptive Catalogue of the William S. Burroughs Archive

London, England: Covent Garden Press Limited and Ollon, Switzerland: Am Here Books (book, signed/lettered, limited), 1973.

The description of the archive of William S. Burroughs (and Gysin) materials known as "The Vaduz Archive" sold to Roberto Altmann, later sold to collector Robert Jackson, and now residing in the Berg Collection of the New York Public Library – a tremendous set of documents, typescript materials, letters, news-clippings, ephemera, more.  This leather-bound book – "A Descriptive Catalogue of the William S. Burroughs Archive" – for which Brion Gysin designed the cover, was published in a joint effort by Burroughs, Gysin, Miles (Covent Garden), and Richard Aaron (Am Here Books). In all, 226 copies were produced, of which 26 were lettered, signed, and accompanied by a 1-sheet Burroughs typescript.

This is one of the lettered copies ('H') – Allen Ginsberg's copy. As with all the lettered copies, this is signed by William S. Burroughs, Brion Gysin, and [Barry] Miles.

In addition this is inscribed to Ginsberg by both Burroughs and Miles:

"For Allen Ginsberg Without whose aid and encouragement these archives would not exist. Love, William Burroughs"

"and from Miles, with love to Bill's first agent! In this first draft of the catalogue your items are in folder C-35, pages 40-43. There is much more to come in later editions..."

Unfortunately no additional editions were produced.

Allen Ginsberg's signature and his 408 E. 10th St., NYC. address are on the first cover page.

This copy was acquired from Ken Lopez Books, lacking the typescript that originally accompanied it.

External Links: 

• RealityStudio: Burroughs Literary Archive
• New York Public Library: The William S. Burroughs papers