From Her Early Years in New York
Group of Autograph Notes, signed (“Patti”), to Faith Cross, “my New York mother”.
[New York, Paris, etc: ca. 1969-1975].
Price: $25,000.00
About the item
4to and smaller. From Her Early Years in New York. Generally very good to fine (some wrinkles and folds). Provenance: Gary Oleson (Waiting for Godot Books).
Item #333039
A nice clutch of material from Patti Smith’s early years in New York, written or inscribed to Faith Cross, long time employee of the Scribner Book Store, where Smith also worked.
a) “Happy birthday to my New York (and very young) mother I have no present for you but real honest-to-goodness love, patti”
b) “Happy birthday, Mr Palmer says your spirit will never grow up — Peter Pan salutes you and I say — only flowers in gardens and meadows for you … free spirits and a good birthday, patti” [Undated, in black felt tip pen on the verso of a Charles Scribner’s Sons billhead.]
c) [caricature of a bird-headed woman, undated in black felt tip pen, wrinkled]
d) “Faith, Good morning thank you for the ice cream — somehow I missed you, I stayed til 6:00 & did my work (no woofs in sight) [doodle of a person with hat] Straw hat” [Undated, in red ballpoint pen on the verso of a Charles Scribner’s Sons billhead, some tears to edges]
e) “Thinking of you Christmas New Years & every day xxx I love you, Patti” (on small card)
f) Dear Faith, I dropped in to say hello again. My Job around the corner is high paying but sure is lonely. Happy George Washingtons Birthday & all that stuff. I’m waiting on your birthday, Patti (without a drop of soup in my blood)” [On Scribner Book Stores notepaper]
g) Printed birthday card, signed “Faith, happy birthday, love patti”
h) Dear Faith, I stopped by to see you, just got in from Canada … Things are going pretty well, I’m doing a lot of freelancing Oh Faith! I’m doing a full page story on Blaise Cendrars my literary hero for a new literary magazine called Zygote …I miss you, love, patti” [On Scribner Book Stores notepaper]
h) “Abercrombie is gone but I’m still here, merry Christmas, patti”
i) Single sheet program for “Femme Fatale: The Three Faces of Gloria, A Religious Entertainment” by Jackie Curtis, where Patti took the role of Paula von Gunta beside Jackie Curtis as Irish “Gloria” Fairchild, and Penny Arcade, produced at La Mama, May 1970. Inscribed on the verso, “To Faith, love to the leading lady behind the scenes! The one who kept me alive to rob the hairdressers! Thank you, Patti!“ Folded.
j) Postcard from Paris, postmarked 23 Spetember 1970, “Dear Faith, I found a real neat Turkish guy who feeds me almost as well as you do … Worked in the streets again, the fire eaters are sexier than ever. I miss you as much & more than my own mom, love patti”
k) Smith, Patti. Early Morning Dream. [8] pp. [New York, 1972], Pictorial self wrappers, limitation statement on back wrapper: Limited edition 100 [no. 31]. OCLC 16569365. Inscribed inside front cover, “To Faith dirty little tale filled with a lotta clean love — for you! patti smith”.
