Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$135.27 + shipping
Description: One of 150 numbered copies Wrappers and backstrip stained and soiled, but internally a very good copy; upper corners slightly creased
Seller: Bertram Rota Ltd, Kintbury, United Kingdom
AMIS, Kingsley. A Frame of Mind. University of Reading, 1953.
Price: US$161.03 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: First edition, first printing. Eighteen poems. His second book (precedes 'Lucky Jim'). Near Fine in stiff card wrappers and little marked and browned dustwrapper (with pasted down flaps as issued).
Seller: Kestrel Books and Gallery, Hereford, United Kingdom
Amis, Kingsley. A Frame of Mind. University of Reading, 1953.
Price: US$257.65 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: Eighteen poems. Stiff printed wrappers. Slightly browned spine and edges, else near fine. One of 150 numbered copies. Amis's second book.
Seller: Tindley and Everett, ABA, London, United Kingdom
AMIS Kingsley. A Frame of Mind. , 1953.
Price: US$486.96 + shipping
Description: First edition. Large 8vo., original cream wrappers. Reading, University of Reading. Number 118 of 150 copies printed. Wrappers browned, nicked and marked, othwerwise a very good copy.
Seller: Maggs Bros. Ltd ABA, ILAB, PBFA, BA, London, United Kingdom
AMIS, Kingsley. A Frame of Mind: Eighteen Poems. University of Reading, Reading, 1953.
Price: US$590.00 + shipping
Description: First edition. Tall octavo. 32pp. Very modest age-toning, else near fine in stapled self-wrappers as issued. One of 150 numbered copies. An uncommon poetry pamphlet.
Seller: Biblioctopus, Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A.
AMIS, Kingsley. A FRAME OF MIND Eighteen Poems. University of Reading, 1953.
Price: US$637.69 + shipping
Description: First edition, number 76 of 150 copies. Original Japon wrappers over card, titled in black to covers and spine. A very good copy indeed, with some toning to the spine and a little dustiness to the covers. Amis's second published book and second collection of poems.
Seller: Jonkers Rare Books, Henley on Thames, OXON, United Kingdom
Price: US$754.07 + shipping
Description: First edition of the author's second book. 1 of 150 copies. Tall 8vo., orig. printed wrappers. Name, wrappers lightly soiled but o/w a fine copy.
Seller: David Mason Books (ABAC), Toronto, ON, Canada
AMIS, Kingsley. A Frame of Mind: Eighteen Poems. University of Reading, Reading, 1953.
Price: US$850.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: First edition. Tall octavo. 32pp. Very modest age-toning, else near fine in stapled self-wrappers as issued. One of 150 numbered copies. An uncommon poetry pamphlet.
Seller: Between the Covers-Rare Books, Inc. ABAA, Gloucester City, NJ, U.S.A.
Price: US$1030.61 + shipping
Description: First edition. Presentation copy from the author, "To James and Elsa Bartley in affection Kingsley Amis, 1954." Original limp bds., printed wrapps. browned and lightly soiled. Sl. browning to reverse of contents page. VG+. James is James Bartley, "Jo", (1906-1967), was a lecturer in English, University College, Swansea, a specialist in drama, particularly Irish, active in producing plays at the university. He is mentioned a number of times in Amis's Memoirs and often mentioned in letters. He was a friend and drinking partner from Amis's years as a Swansea academic. From "Memoirs", page 123. "Jo Bartley was an Ulsterman who, with a Second to live down, had taught in India, one of whom it could be justly said, 'Now that's what I call a drinking man' and a smoker to rival Willie Smyth. he liked food too, also women, doing his job and researching among obscure plays. This last interest produced his memorial, one of the funniest books I have ever read, 'Teague, Shenkin and Sawney, being an historical study of the earlier Irish, Welsh and Scottish characters in English plays'.". On page 124 he talks about a party Jo gave for some visiting African academics and quotes in full a funny poem of Jo's about not being able to enjoy heaven without one vital anatomical part. This poem is also sent to Robert Conquest, "Letters" page 805 in 1976, nearly 10 years after Jo's death to see if it was worth publishing. Conquest rejected it on theological as well as literary grounds, since 'a chap in his condition would get his prick back at the resurrection'! Letter to Amis 19-20 August 1976. Also from "Letters", To Philip Larkin 18th October, 1954. ".Sorry this is so dull.There was one party recently, at which James Bartley had removed his shirt., ostensibly for greater coolness, actually I think to display the grey rug on his chest to the young ladies.At about 4.45 James knocked us up.he wanted a light for his cigarette. I gave him one, and he went off, bewailing his lot at full bellow.and yelling to me to testify at the inquest that he was of unsound (or sound) mind when he killed himself. 'It may be sooner than you think,' he bawled in valediction. Couldn't be soon enough for me, or so I thought at the time. It is by such moments of unsought revelation that I live." Also, 19th April 1956, ".That gnarled old fool Bartley was here just now, breathing drink and waking the baby. Told me to give you his love. Said to tell you he was sorry you left Belfarts." Also, 2nd January, 1957, ".You heard, I suppose, that that fool Bartley has been arrested for being drunk in charge of his car, and getting off without the defence being called. Sodding good solicitor he had".
Seller: Addyman Books, Hay-on-Wye, United Kingdom
AMIS, Kingsley. A FRAME OF MIND Eighteen Poems. University of Reading, 1953.
Price: US$1062.82 + shipping
Description: Rare proof copy, out of series and marked "Proof". There were also 150 numbered copies. Original Japon wrappers over card, titled in black to covers and spine, flaps glued down as issued. Inscribed by Amis on the front free endpaper for his fellow poet, "Best wishes to Charles Tomlinson - Kingsley Amis, 1954". Numerous pencil annotations by Tomlinson throughout. A very good copy, some tanning and minor wear to wrappers. An excellent association copy of Amis's second book, inscribed for his contemporary and fellow poet of The Movement, Charles Tomlinson. Tomlinson's annotation in the book indicate an overall liking of the poems, with Wrong Words, A Dream Of Fair Women, The Triumph Of Life, Dirty Story, Here Is Where, and Masters all receiving an approving tick. Only one poem, Something Nasty In The Bookshop, is marked with a disapproving cross. This is perceptive, as Amis would retitle the poem before it was collected in A Case Of Samples (1956), and even wrote in his own copy of the book that it was a "Bad po[em] more afectg than it shd be". Their differences in poetic style later set them against each other. It seems that Amis was targeting Tomlinson when he said "Nobody wants any more poems about philosophers or paintings or novelists or art galleries or foreign cities or other poems". Tomlinson's response was to write a poem titled 'More Foreign Cities'.
Seller: Jonkers Rare Books, Henley on Thames, OXON, United Kingdom