A Sampling of Sylvester & Orphanos Publications

Town and Country Lovers by Nadine Gordimer (1980)

Published almost simultaneously in a larger collection entitled, A Soldier’s Embrace, Town and Country Lovers is a short story from the South African author and Nobel Prize in Literature recipient. Bound in black and white cloth with alternating black and white hearts. Printed by Grant Dahlstrom at the Castle Press in an edition of 330 copies. Signed by the author.

A Weed Among the Flowers by Graham Greene (1988)

Afterword by Stephen Spender. Illustrations by Vance Gerry. A miniature book, A Weed Among the Flowers is the second book by Graham Greene to be published by Sylvester & Orphanos. In his notes, Stathis Orphanos relates that Greene was so pleased with their printing of his book A Quick Look Behind, that he wanted them to publish another story. Bound in green cloth with a custom-made case. Printed by Patrick Reagh in an edition of 330 copies. Signed by Greene and Spender.

Samos by James Merrill (1980)

First published by The New Yorker Magazine, "Samos" is a single poem by James Merrill. Sylvester & Orphanos published it in book form in 1980. Merrill dedicated the volume to Doris Jackson, the mother of his life-partner, David Jackson. Bound in green cloth with black and gold stamp. Samos was designed by Grant Dahlstrom and printed at the Castle Press in an edition of 330 copies, with all copies signed by the author. The Rare Book and Special Collections Division holds four copies of Samos, two in the Sylvester & Orphanos collection, and two in the Rare Book collection. The two copies in the Rare Book collection were owned by James Merrill and one is a presentation copy to his friend, Alfred Corn, and includes an original poem and stamp by Merrill.

The inscription reads:

Alfred ...
Nymphs of the Isle, directly he was born,
Lent their music to the ear of Corn.

14.viii.80 - with love from Jimmy

Sex is Politics, and Vice Versa by Gore Vidal (1979)

This story first appeared in the January 1979 issue of Playboy before it was published by Sylvester & Orphanos in book form. Numbered copies are bound in white cloth with red and blue stamping and lettered copies are bound in black leather. Printed by Grant Dahlstrom at the Castle Press in an edition of 330 copies. Signed by the author.

It Happened the Day the Sun Rose by Tennessee Williams (1981)

A first edition by the American playwright. Bound in black cloth and with a woodcut on the title page by Greek artist Achilles Droungas. Printed by Patrick Reagh in an edition of 330 copies and signed by the author.