Lot Details
Lot 1133
BRIGID BERLIN A manuscript diary and poetry album, circa 1967.
A red leather diary of blank sheets, with three internal dates of 1967. 9 x 6 inches (23 x 16 cm), with about half the leaves accomplished in various inks mostly by Berlin but with a few varying hands, several laid-in sheets and ephemera at end. The binding somewhat broken from the additional material, losses to spine tips, the laid-in items creased and handled.
An album of diverse interest offering much of Brigid Berlin's stream of consciousness poetry and prose in the heady year of 1967, one of the most influential years of production in Andy Warhol's Factory. The album opens in an unknown hand, possibly that of Rotten Rita: "This Wroughton Book from Writa to Baby Norman to Trunky Bridget..." It continues with about two dozen pages in Berlin's hand possibly referring to Warhol: "I love you not only for what you are but for what you are making of me! ... But most of all you've made me happy, you've done it without a touch, without a word, without a song- You've done it by being yourself!"
Several of the poems are long, rambling, rhyming affairs which speak to Berlin's experience in the world, such as "Today the journey is ended!/I've worked out the mandates of fate!/Naked, alone, and undefended/I knock at heaven's gate." About mid-volume, an inscription to Brigid is signed by "Little Donea" on October 5th, 1967. What follows is a highly personal prose section headed "On Entering - Kansas City", referring to the Manhattan rock club: "So many people, or are they people? I only search for one person... and yes I would know if the room were filled with my little French girl- She will always be mine- as 'Ciao Manhattan' means goodbye- my days and nights are half played, half spent, lived knowed, without her..." The "French girl" in question is potentially Genevieve Charbin, a Warhol actress who was featured in My Hustler, 1965, and was one of the creators of the film Ciao Manhattan, also referenced here by Berlin. Ciao Manhattan came to star Edie Sedgwick and was begun in spring 1967 (but was not completed and released until after Sedgwick's death in 1971). Berlin here closes with "I hear little about her too! Only from Richie [Berlin, Brigid's sister]... I cannot visualize them behind closed doors together. And me on the outside." In Edie, Richie Berlin offers her recollections of her participation with Sedgwick in the infamous raft scene in the film, thus at this time Edie Sedgwick, Richie Berlin and Genevieve Charbin are all connected.
Within the book partial lyrics to Nico's Chelsea Girls are written out as are The Doors People are Strange. Drug use is certainly reflected, including "Mind Mending-Masquerading madness mellowing mildly methedrine madly moaning and "Patrick! [likely Sedgwick's lover Patrick Tilden Close] May I have a stimulant?"
At the end of the volume artist John Chamberlains' address and phone number is recorded and about 8 items are laid-in. Of these one long manuscript (4 pages) reads like a diary entry. It opens, "Brigid, you were great in Chelsea Girls! You should do some more movies! Well get thin!" before describing her nerves at being invited to the office of producer David Merrick. "What should I wear? Should I take my trip books?" Refusing to alter her appearance, Berlin arrives in her "died corduroys, cotton turtleneck, died scarf, twisted gold earrings and cowboy boots & leather jacket." Merrick has invited Berlin to his office to offer her the role in "The Cook", reporting another actress "not fat enough." Merrick tells her "the drugs must stop. I think you are worth salvaging." He tells her the hard work of the movies is the way to get famous "not by one underground film, shooting your ass full of drugs." Another long manuscript (3 pages) takes the form of an interview, although tougher to identify. "Do you ever go to the movies? No, you see sweetheart, one day you said I looked like a movie star. You look beautiful you're a beautiful girl sweetheart, you know you're a very nice girl." These sheets have Diane Arbus' Charles Street address on the verso.
In 1967, Andy Warhol and the Factory were highly productive: the year included scandals over Chelsea Girls, the rise of the Velvet Underground and Nico, Warhol first met Viva, Joe Dallesandro, Candy Darling and Jackie Curtis, issued his Index Book and his famous silkscreens of Marilyn Monroe. It was a heady year for this group not to mention the explosion of music, art and film from California to New York to London and Paris. By 1967, Brigid Berlin was settling into her role among Warhol and Superstars such as Edie Sedgwick began their demise. This focused journal is clearly worthy of future research and provides a fascinating glimpse into Brigid Berlin's thought process in 1967, one of the most important years in the history of the Factory.
C Estate of Brigid Berlin
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