Lennon, John

editorial comments and revisions in pencil, including the addition of the title and the movement of verbs to the past tense, these revisions then over-written in black ink, one page, large post quarto (10 x 8 in.; 253 x 202 mm, "Don Valley Bond" watermark), small tear (1/2 in.; 10 mm.) at top of page, slight creasing

see catalog
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This short piece, in which news headlines are transmogrified into bizarre prose poems through Lennon's pun-filled prose, was almost certainly written some time before In His Own Write was commissioned, as all the contemporary references are to the summer of 1962. These references range from the dismissal of the British Chancellor of the Exchequer ("...Why was Seldom Loyled [Selwyn Lloyd] sagged?..."), to the joint attendance at a mass in Reims of President de Gaulle and the German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer  ("Docker Adenoid"), to Jamaican independence. Like other early pieces that found their way into the book, this typescript (on the same "Don Valley Bond" paper used in other items in the collection that were not typed by Lennon himself) was produced for submission to Cape in early 1964. The reader at Cape was concerned that the references were no longer topical, but Lennon's skill was in adapting the rhythm of the newspaper headline rather than in topical satire. It was published on p.55 of In His Own Write.