Bidspirit auction | 1970 Sugar Mountain No. 1

1970 Sugar Mountain No. 1 Underground Poetry Anthology - A tall rectangular literary anthology titled Sugar Mountain, published in August 1970. This mimeo-style volume is staple-bound and features an avant-garde black-and-white cover photograph of a seated nude woman. An interior title page credits the cover photography to Jayne Nodland. The publication contains a diverse collection of poems by figures associated with the New York School and the St. Marks Poetry Project. A printed list of contributors on the opening page includes Bill Berkson, Tom Clark, Clark Coolidge, Lewis MacAdams, Ron Padgett, John Thorpe, Anne Waldman, Ted Berrigan, Scott Cohen, Joanne Kyger, Alice Notley, Harris Schiff, Charlie Vermont, and Lewis Warsh. The interior text is printed in a typewriter-style font typical of underground publications of the era. Visible poem titles include Off/On by Scott Cohen, Confessions of a Bingo Baby dedicated to Brigid Polk, Strawberry Jam dedicated to Jayne Nodland, and The Japanese Sandman. A handwritten correction in blue ink is visible on the Strawberry Jam page, inserting the word ”least” into the second to last stanza. A small handwritten numerical notation reading ”3.00” is present in the upper right corner of the title page. The anthology measures approximately 14 inches in height. The staple-bound publication shows age-appropriate wear. The front cover exhibits creasing, surface scuffing, and minor pigment loss in the black printed areas (photo 1). There is notable softening and minor wear at the corners and along the edges (photo 1). The spine shows minor tearing at the staple points, though the binding remains intact (photo 1). Interior pages exhibit light oxidation and toning consistent with age (photo 4). Minor handling smudges and light ink transfer or ghosting from facing pages are visible on some interior leaves (photo 9).