Signed by Charles Bukowski: Essex House Notes of a Dirty Old Man

The Essex House edition of Bukowski’s classic Notes of a Dirty Old Man was published in 1969, five years earlier than the City Lights version, making it the true first edition.

Bukowski signed this copy on the title page below his name. 

Essex House was short-lived (1968-1969) publishing imprint based in Los Angeles that specialized in highbrow erotica. A subsidiary of Milton Luros's Parliament News, it was one of the best of many new publishing houses that sprang up after the U.S. Supreme Court finally permitted open publishing of adult fiction. Edited by Brian Kirby, many Essex House novelists were young serious writers (several of them poets) who used scenarios drawn from science fiction and fantasy as the basis for their stories.

Although Essex House published mass market editions, whatever didn’t sell was destroyed to make room on the shelf for new books, leaving very few of Essex House Notes of a Dirty Old Man copies on the market today.

This copy is in Near Fine + condition and is unread. The covers are very white and bright, unlike most copies you’ll find for sale. There is very light wear to the covers, with a very light crease to the bottom right of the front cover, and a bit of wear to the top right. The dark blue bar on the back cover shows light edgewear and the spine has a very small bump on the bottom.

Signed or not signed, this is the finest copy I’ve handled to date.

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