Whistler. The Red Rag. Castalia Press. Prospectus. [Easthampton, MA: Castalia Press, 1969]. Unfolded sheet, 303 x 207 mm. Illustrated with a small oval portrait of Whistler in mauve; title printed in red; text on verso. 

 

One of an unspecified number printed. SIGNED BY MOSER beneath portrait. Regarding his first book Red Flag, Moser writes: “So inept at engraving wood was I, that I drew a portrait of Mr. Whistler on scratch-board and had a line etching made so that it would look like an engraving. The Castalia Press was started as part of the Art Department at Williston Academy, Easthampton, Mass. in the Spring of 1969. It took a year for the first book to come off the press”—Pennyroyal Checklist 1. The text on verso announces The Red Flag as the first limited edition from the Castalia Press, which preceded his Pennyroyal Press. This announcement does not appear in the Pennyroyal Checklist.

 

[With:]

 

ONITSURA, Uejima. Thus too my lovely life Must end, another flower… To fall and float away [Haiku]. [Easthampton, MA: Castalia Press], 15 November 1969. Broadside, 194 x 300 mm. Illustrated with a small flower device; printed in red. One of an unspecified number printed. SIGNED BY MOSER. “This broadside was an offshoot of the Death of Narcissus, printed more or less as part of the continuing set of exercises I was practicing to learn the craft of printing”—Pennyroyal Checklist [B]2.

 

 

[With:] 

 

The Art of the Book. Announcement for an exhibit of handmade books from Leonard Baskin’s Gehenna Press held at the John Stark Gallery, Williston Academy, Easthampton, MA.  [Easthampton, MA: Castalia Press, 1969]. 226 x 213 mm. Printed in red and black. One of an unspecified number printed. SIGNED BY MOSER.  Pennyroyal Checklist [B]3.

 

[With:]

 

MILTON, John. For what can Warr, but endless Warr still breed…[quotation from Paradise Lost]. [Easthampton, MA: Castalia Press], 15 October 1969. 103 x 329 mm. SIGNED BY MOSER.

 

“This was the first politically motivate bit of printing I ever did, protesting quietly the absurdity of war. Political commentary is a practice I’ve maintained to this day”—Pennyroyal Checklist [B]4.