A
DESCRIPTIVE
CATALOGUE
OF THE
WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS
ARCHIVE
An edition of 226 copies26 of which are lettered A - Z
All copies signed byWilliam S. Burroughs,Brion Gysin and Miles
Compiled by Miles Associates forWilliam Burroughs and Brion Gysin.
Covent Garden Press Ltd. in conjunction with Am Here BooksLONDON1973First Edition
Book Specification
Format Vinyl bound hard cover bookLanguage EnglishPagination 347Book Size QuartoApprox. Book Dimensions (Width, Height, Depth) in mm 192 x 249 x 37Approx weight (grammes) 1140g(I)SBN n/aDate This Edition Published 1973 [First Edition]Date Of Original Publication 1973, Limited Edition of 226 copies
Condition / Description (please see foot of listing for rating key)
NEAR FINE : hardback book bound in original white vinyl stamped in black & red, corners & spine tips bumped, minor splits in the vinyl at the spine tip corners, touch of spotting to text block edges, hinges strong, binding firm, couple of loose inserts from former owner, patchy light foxing to endpapers, very clean & bright text block, signed on the limitation page by Burroughs, Gysin & Miles
Catalogue of the William Burroughs Archive
“All materials listed in this catalogue are housed in the International Center of Art and Communication in Vaduz, Lichtenstein.”
This is one of the most important and desirable Burroughs-related publications ever produced, and it occupies a unique position somewhere between a bibliography, an archive catalogue, an artist's book and a piece of Beat history.
Published in London in 1973 this book was compiled by Barry Miles, the noted writer, publisher and chronicler of the Beat Generation, working closely with William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin. It documents in extraordinary detail the manuscripts, notebooks, correspondence, photographs, tape recordings, collages, cut-ups, diaries and other material accumulated during the author's most creative decades. The catalogue itself runs to over 340 pages and includes Burroughs' own eight-page "Literary Autobiography", together with photographs by Gysin and a striking cover design by him.
Book Condition Ratings
As a reputable online bookseller, I adhere to the Independent Online Booksellers Association (IOBA) guidelines for describing book conditions. Below is an explanation of each rating:
• MINT (M) : A flawless, unread book in the same immaculate condition as when it was published. (Note: Very few ‘new’ books qualify for this grade, as minor rubs, scuffs, or bumped corners often occur during shipping or shelving.)
• FINE (F) : Nearly perfect but may show slight signs of careful reading. The dust jacket may have very minor rubbing or slight bumping at the spine ends.
• NEAR FINE (NF) : Approaches Fine but may have a couple of minor defects or faults.
• VERY GOOD (VG) : A used book showing some signs of wear on the binding or dust jacket. Any defects or faults will be noted.
• GOOD (G) : An average used and worn book with all pages intact. Any defects will be specified.
• FAIR : A worn book with complete text pages (including maps or plates, if applicable) but possibly missing endpapers, half-title pages, etc. (all of which will be noted). The binding or dust jacket may also show significant wear.
• POOR / READING COPY : A heavily worn book where its primary value is the complete and legible text. It may have loose pages, soiling, staining, or significant damage. Any missing maps or plates will be noted.
• EX-LIBRARY : Always designated as such, regardless of condition.
• BOOK CLUB : Always noted as such, regardless of condition.
• BINDING COPY : A book with complete text pages but a damaged, loose, or missing binding.
Additional Notes:
• If a book was originally issued with a dust jacket or slipcase, its absence will always be noted in the listing.
• Any significant flaws, such as inscriptions, underlining, or marginalia, will be mentioned in the description.