Ted Hughes—Morrigu Press | Box file of papers

Property of Frieda Hughes

Ted Hughes—Morrigu Press

A small archive relating to the Morrigu Press, comprising:

i) Ted Hughes

Three unpublished autograph manuscript poems

"Cormorants", autograph manuscript poem in 19 lines ("They look like birds, Part sea-snake..."), 1 page, 4to,

"Pheasant", autograph manuscript poem in 25 lines ("The reptile of leaves of bright bronze..."), 1 page, 4to

Untitled autograph manuscript poem in 18 lines ("Two tapirs trudge, with dreary tread..."), 1 page, written on the verso of a photocopied sheet of German typescript

13 typescript poems by Ted Hughes, all setting copies for Morrigu Press publications, one ("Night Arrival of Sea-Trout") with annotations for the press partly in Hughes's hand

7 leaves with pen and ink or pencil illustrations by Hughes (one in two parts) for Morrigu Press broadsides and booklets, comprising a wolverine's head, a new moon in a bird's claws, mosquito, an eel (in two parts), weasels (ink and pencil), and a mouse (pencil outline only), various sizes

ii) Morrigu Press Proofs

8 Morrigu Press printed broadsides, all unnumbered proofs, rolled together, comprising: 

"Night Arrival of Sea Trout", labelled in pencil "Proof" in the hand of Ted Hughes, for an edition of 30 copies, 25 March 1979 [A61, part]

"Puma", labelled in pencil "Proof" in the hand of Ted Hughes, for an edition of 30 copies, 14 April 1979 [A61 part]

"Brooktrout", labelled in pencil "proof 7/10", [for an edition of 60 copies, 1979], with illustration by Ted Hughes [A62]

"Pan", for an edition of 60 copies, 14 August 1979, with illustration of a scorpion by Frieda Hughes [A64]

"Wolverine", for an edition of 75 copies, 27 December 1979, with Ted Hughes's illustration of a wolverine's head [A69]

"Eagle", for an edition of 75 copies, 27 July 1980, with Ted Hughes' illustration of a new moon in a bird's claws [A70]

"Mosquito", for an edition of 75 copies, 25 August 1980, with Ted Hughes's illustration of a mosquito [A71]

"Catadrome", for an edition of 75 copies, 1 February 1981, with Ted Hughes' illustration of an eel, blue paper [A75]

Three proof booklets:

"Giant Dream of Elephants", proof for an edition of 75 copies, July 1982 [A80]

"Mice are Funny Little Creatures", proof with corrections to the colophon in purple ink, for an edition of 75 copies, January 1983 [A82]

"The Morrigu Press: Publications 1979-83", [April-June 1983]

Bundle of trial runs, layout sketches, proofs of illustrations, facsimile reproductions of manuscript poems (including 13 copies of "Cormorants" and 3 of "Pheasant"), and related material, in total c.35 pieces

iii) Morrigu Press Ephemera

Certificate of registrations for Morrigu Press, 17 July 1979

Engraved stone inkstamp ("MORRIGU"), chipped

Riscatype pamphlets and catalogues relating to typesetting (4)

iv) Other

Sylvia Plath, five photocopied sheets of verse translations including "A Prophet" by Rilke [1954]

Two letters (one to Ted Hughes giving a recipe for pounce; one by Nick [Hughes] to Olywn ("Olly") Hughes) and a sketch-map

The archive housed in a lockspring box labelled 'Work for the Morrigu Press' in the hand of Nicholas Hughes

The Morrigu Press was established in 1979 by Nicholas Hughes (1962-2009) after he was given an Albion hand press by his aunt Olwyn, who had herself long been involved in the Rainbow Press (see lot 369). There are 17 items listed in Morrigu Press: Publications 1979-83, and the press closed when Nicholas Hughes moved to Alaska in 1984. 

The press almost exclusively produced limited edition poems by Ted Hughes, mostly with illustrations also by Ted Hughes, although one poem, 'Pan', was illustrated by Nicholas's sister Frieda Hughes. The current archive includes fair copy autograph manuscripts of two poems which were to be issued in facsimile form. Some copies of 'Cormorants' were sent as Christmas cards but the publication of this poem and 'Pheasant' was abandoned.

LITERATURE:

Sagar and Tabor, Ted Hughes: A Bibliography, 1946 - 1995 (1998); Ann Skea handlist (https://ann.skea.com/MorriguList.htm)