Green Chaos
Fontenay-aux-Roses, France: New Review Editions (1931). 33pp.
Item #8640
This collection of gay poetry by the American expatriate is of great rarity. Thoma's early life is rather obscure, but In 1930 he joined Samuel Putnam's New Review as an associate editor and was involved in much of the New Review 's warfare against Edward Titus's conservative This Quarter on the one hand, and Jolas's avant-garde transition on the other. Befriended by Jean Cocteau (to whom one of the poems in this collection is dedicated) he was well known among the expatriates in Paris in the 1920s.
Inscribed twice by the author on endpaper, once to Jean-Marie Auffret and again to Oswell Blakeston "(But what is writ in red is lye/For what is writ in green is true/this book is for Oswell Blakeston/Richard Thoma"). Blakeston [Henry Joseph Hasslacher] was a protege of Kenneth Macpherson and Djuna Barnes and was involved with the film periodical Close Up and other Pool Group publications.
Very good in original wrappers, light wear to covers, small split at head of spine, linen chemise. Hand-colored printed illustration by Emlen Etting on half-title. Very rare in commerce- this is the first example we have seen. One of 100 numbered and signed copies (#77). Young 2553*.
Price: $3,200.00