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156.
HEADOPOLY - an Underground Almanac Poster-Game.
A Special Broadsheet produced for Play Power, Exploring the International Underground. London: Jonathan Cape, printed December 10th, 1969 (stated). Unfolded. 101x76cm.
The poster was intended by Richard Neville to present a series of significant dates based on the research for his book, beginning in January 1965 and brought up to the present day (December 1969). It was designed and conceived as a game by Jon Goodchild, then working at Rolling Stone in San Francisco, and modified by Richard Neville and Jim Anderson using a golfball typesetter (Felix Dennis also assisted with the final paste-ups). In order to photograph the complex design, Neville had to take the completed artwork to a laboratory specialising in aerial reconnaissance maps run by the Department of Defence, who possessed the only camera in the country capable of dealing with it.
While the vast majority of posters were folded and inserted with the book, a few were not, including this one, which was acquired from Michelene Wandor, then married to the book’s publisher, Ed Victor (she is acknowledged in the book for her help during the proof stages). Another copy adorned a wall in the Oz office in Princedale Road, visible behind Richard Neville in the photographs listed in item #166.
Though stored rolled for many years, the poster's edges are slightly creased (2cm. closed tear to the lower edge), with overall superficial creasing and a few spots of foxing to the verso. Otherwise a Very Good copy of an item rarely found separately and unfolded.
