Increasingly elusive as a complete set with the portfolio folder in excellent condition

Contributors : Seamus Heaney, Kingsley Amis, W.H. Auden, John Betjeman, Robert Graves, Thom Gunn, Stevie Smith, Philip Larkin, Kathleen Raine, C. Day Lewis, Stephen Spender et al. ~ Poem of the Month Club : A Complete Portfolio Of 48 Broadsheets All Signed By The Poets With Related Ephemera : Housed Within The Publisher’s Original Portfolio

Poem of the Month Club : 1970 -1977

The sole UK printing published by the Poem of the Month Club between 1970 -1977. A complete portfolio of the 48 Broadsheets published by The Poem of the Month Club (POMC) between 1970-1977. Folio size broadsheets which are in near Fine condition. Each poem has been signed by the author and in the case of John Betjeman's poem there is the usual hand written emendations. Poets represented include Kingsley Amis, W.H. Auden, John Betjeman, Robert Graves, Thom Gunn, Seamus Heaney, Stevie Smith, Philip Larkin, Kathleen Raine, Stephen Spender, C.Day Lewis et al. The broadsheets are housed within the publisher's original portfolio, secured with silk ties to the leading edge, printed and lettered in black to the front panel. The portfolio is in excellent condition for its age. It has two light water stains (one being to the spine and another to the top right hand corner), and has a little wear to the spine end and corners. Extremely rare to find the folder in such collectible condition. The business model for POMC was through subscription only, with around 500 signed up members receiving a new broadside once a month. Initially, folders were not issued. The previous owner of this particular portfolio, after receiving his first poem in April 1970 (this being ‘Francesca in Winter’ by Stevie Smith), wrote to the directors and suggested a specially made binder for them. The POMC secretary Mrs Stein wrote back promptly, dated 23 April 1970, only a couple of weeks after the first poem landed, stating that she had passed on the previous owner’s comments to the directors for their consideration. The Directors clearly felt a binder was a solid suggestion and at a later stage, subscribers were able to buy them. The POMC flyer stated that the folders were virtually handmade – from natural leather spines and corners, buff paper hard covers with the covers secured by ties. One of the promotional flyers has had the application form cut out, presumably so the owner could obtain the folder in question. The portfolio is accompanied by numerous loosely inserted 'Poem of the Month' newsletters which include poet biographies and background information to the poems. Founded in 1970 by Jack H. Clark and Winston Fletcher, the Poem of the Month Club sought to publish new work by leading poets, which was to be signed by the authors and presented on high-quality materials suitable for display. Roy Fuller and C. Day Lewis acted as recruiters for the enterprise and were also contributors themselves. The print run for each poem was 500 - 1000 copies. Given every copy had to be signed by the poets concerned, there were frequent delays in getting the poems out to subscribers, and many of the publisher's apologetic letters to subscribers are included here among the newsletters. The Club folded in 1977, but not before publishing new work from most of the leading poets of the day. Increasingly scarce to find these signed broadsheets as a complete collection, more-so housed within the original publisher's portfolio, with most sets having been broken up and the broadsheets sold separately. This set is particularly impressive because it has only previously been owned by the original subscriber, who has kept all the ephemera he received over the years, including the letter he received about his suggestion for a folder.

BROADSHEETS: Hardcover
CONDITION: Near Fine
PORTFOLIO: Near Fine