Thanks. That would make sense – though I don’t think I ever saw them.

Robert

-----Original Message-----
From: British & Irish poets [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of rupert mallin
Sent: 18 August 2009 15:29
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Matchbox digital archive at The Poetry Library

I think the poetry-in-bags were by Harold & Sylvia Hikins, Liverpool.

Rupert xx

----- Original Message -----

From: [log in to unmask] href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">Hampson R

To: [log in to unmask] href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]

Sent: Tuesday, August 18, 2009 12:47 PM

Subject: Re: Matchbox digital archive at The Poetry Library

Dear Rupert,

I am intrigued. What was the poetry-in-a-bag you bought in Liverpool in 1970?

Robert

-----Original Message-----
From: British & Irish poets [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of rupert mallin
Sent: 16 August 2009 21:17
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Matchbox digital archive at The Poetry Library

Hi

I really wanted to get back to you about this project: not only am I a poet and into phillumeny but, with InPrint, operated The Poetry Vending Machine (PVM) from 2004 to 2008, vending poets and artists collaborative work in small boxes. The machines were two electric cigarette vendors, so our boxes were roughly the size of cig boxes but with a lift of lid (all very technical).

Across Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex we had considerable success in vending these boxes at £2.50 to £4 per box - art centres, exhibitions, fairs and in Borders Bookshop. I reckon we sold over 400 boxes! Trouble was I ended up taking weighty vending machines all over the place - hurt my back and bank balance!

Last year I broke away from InPrint (still love them to pieces) but am working on art and poetry in boxes still - 'Out Of The Machine.' I've sold some via my studio and am going to 'trial' a few on EBay!

I want to invite other artists and poets in on the project but want to make it quasi-commercial for the roots of this go back to buying my first poetry - poetry-in-a-bag - back in Liverpool in 1970.

Please post matchbox developments here. Perhaps we could do an 'exchange' event?

Rupert xx - Norwich based

----- Original Message -----

From: [log in to unmask] href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">James Davies

To: [log in to unmask] href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]

Sent: Saturday, August 15, 2009 1:25 PM

Subject: Matchbox digital archive at The Poetry Library

For me the whole thing was about how to get good poetry read by people who don't usually read good poetry, create excitement, be cheap to produce and sell (I sold them for a quid); and yet not be some folded A4 paper. There were about 150 or so of each issue - all sold out now. The limited number of copies made was due completely down to the fact that I was getting sores on my fingers from cutting and folding not due to exclusivity so it's wonderful that Dean Farrow, Chris McCabe et al have archived the editions for anyone who's not read the poems or seen what the boxes looked like. So far the first 6 are up with the final six to come.

http://www.poetrymagazines.org.uk/magazine/index.asp?id=105

All good, James

James Davies: Editor if p then q
www.ifpthenq.co.uk
[log in to unmask]
www.otherroom.org

OUT NOW:

if p then q Text Festival Special Spring 2009 issue 3 (featuring A3 colour posters by Anne Charnock, Craig Dworkin, Geof Huth, P. Inman & Tom Jenks) - http://www.ifpthenq.co.uk/magazine.html

FORTHCOMING

Lucy Harvest Clarke - Poetry Collection - Summer 2009

if p then q issue 4 - Caroline Bergvall, Allen Fisher, Richard Makin, Lucy Harvest Clarke, Andrew Shelley, Scott Thurston and more - September 2009

Geof Huth - Poetry Collection - Christmas 2009

PREVIOUSLY:

if p then q spring 2008 issue 1 (Tom Jenks, Ceri Buck, Andrew Shelley, Tony Trehy, James Davies on P. Inman's 4 or 5, A Cd of readings by Ceri Buck and Tom Jenks) -http://www.ifpthenq.co.uk/magazine.html

TOM JENKS - A PRIORI - http://www.ifpthenq.co.uk/books.html or www.amazon.co.uk

JOY AS TIRESOME VANDALISM - aRb (2 volumes) http://www.ifpthenq.co.uk/others.html

p.inman - AD FINITUM - http://www.ifpthenq.co.uk/books.html or www.amazon.co.uk

if p then q autumn 2008 issue 2 (featuring p.inman, Scott Thurston, Janis Butler Holm, Michael Gibbs, Bill Allen on Michael Gibbs, Tony Trehy meets Robert Grenier, Joy as Tiresome Vandalism (aRb Versions) - http://www.ifpthenq.co.uk/magazine.html