Martin Sharp - A chronological listing 1962 - 2013

The following is a chronological listing of posters and other printed graphics including clothing, banners and publication covers by Australian artist Martin Sharp (1942-2013). More than 100 different items have been identified, along with variations pertaining to size, colour and date of issue. All were produced by firms such as Big O Posters of London between 1967-70, or by the artist whilst in Australia, assisted by a variety of printers, most of whom are unknown. A number of posters were included with London OZ magazine and those are listed at the OZ Posters blog. The posters were printed using a variety of methods - stone lithography, offset photolithography, silkscreen, woodblock engraving and etching.

Year Title Description
1962
 
Art Students Ball - Moulin Rouge. Screenprint, two colours, 50 x 76cm. The central image of Toulouse Latrec was also printed in part in the National Art School student newspaper The Arty Wild Oat, of which Sharp was one of the editors.
1964
 
OZ guide to the underworld. Screenprint, Sydney. Printed to promote OZ magazine. Features the cartoon detective Dick Tracey.
1966
 
God bless dear daddy who is fighting the Viet Cong and send him OZ. Screenprint, Sydney. The image is an adaptation of a famous World War One poster.
1967
 
OZ is a new magazine. Offset lithograph, London, 50 x 74cm. Produced to promote the new OZ London magazine of January 1967. In the style of Aubrey Beardsley. Reprinted in the 1990s.
1967
 
Legalise Cannabis: the Putting Together of the Heads. BOP1. Two colour offset lithograph in black and reddish orange offset lithograph on gold foil on card, 50 x 74cm. The first of the Big O Posters series, though not the first designed by Sharp. Numerous printings and variants.
1967


Blowing in the Mind - Mr Tambourine Man. BO1. Two colour offset lithograph in red and black on gold foil on card, 50 x 74cm. Proof copies in purple and black ink on silver foil, plus red and black ink on silver foil are also known.
1967

SEX! BOP2. Offset lithograph in pink, blue and black on silver foil, 50 x 74cm.
1967

Max "The Birdman" Ernst. BOP6. Offset lithograph in black, blue and pink on silver foil, 50 x 74cm.
1967

Sunshine Superman. BOP7. Offset lithograph in black, blue and red on silver foil, 50 x 74cm.
1967


Roundhouse UFO. Osiris Productions, September 1967, 50 x 74cm. Screenprint. A photolithographic variant 42 x 59 cm was produced by Sharp for Diabetes Australia at some point during the 1980s or 1990s.
1967



OZ number 4. Promotional poster. Offset lithograph, June 1967, 50 x 74cm. A number of variant printings are also known, in gold, apricot and blue on paper.
1967


Lost Generation / OZ. Big O Posters. Variant of promotional poster for issue 4 of London OZ magazine, 50 x 74cm.
1967




Plant a Flower Child. Offset lithograph. Issued as OZ magazine number 5, July 1967, and then later separately. Colour variants include - yellow, purple, orange and black (proof). The most common are yellow (early) and pink.
1968

Live Give Love. BOP4. Offset lithograph in black on silver foil, 74 x 50cm. Two variants are known, plus a version printed on blue paper with red ink, possibly for use in a light box.
1968

Jimi Hendrix. MS16, Big O Posters, London, 1968. Offset lithograph, various sizes. A variant was issued advertising OZ magazine.
1968


Vincent. Big O Posters, London, 1968. Offset lithograph, 50 x 74cm. Reprinted in 1971 with a lighter yellow colour. Subsequently reprinted in Sydney during 1990 by the Josef Lebovic gallery (refer below).
1968

Cream, Big O Posters, London. Offset lithograph, 50 x 74cm.
1969

Legalise Pot Rally. Martin Sharp and John Hurford. Show Your Head, Support Release, Legalise Pot Rally July 7th Speaker's Corner Hyde Park, blacklight poster, offset lithograph in yellow, lilac, red and orange or purple on vellum or paper, 20 x 30 inches. Signed by Hurford, OZ, London, printed by The Word. Poster for an OZ magazine-sponsored Legalise Cannabis rally at Speakers’ Corner, Hyde Park, London, on 8 July 1968. The image is a copy of the one originally published in OZ magazine number 13 of June 1968 and partially reproduced on the front cover. It follows on Sharp's Big O poster of the previous year for the Legalise Cannabis rally. The lettering in the lower left is also known in Dayglo orange.
1969

Spurt. Big O Posters, London, MS13. Celebration of the Moon landing, July 1969.
1969

Curtain Call. Big O Posters, London, MS12.
1969

Mickey n' Vince. Big O Posters, London, MS10.
1969


All you need. S'martiple 2 of 8. Red heart on a surface. Lithograph on mylar, limited edition of 10, 73 x 98cm. MS2, Big O Posters, London.

Blue Moon, screenprint on paper, 1 of 10, 73 x 100cm. No date - probably around 1969.
1969
 
Boo-Zoom. S'martiple 3 of 8. Floating breast.  Lithograph on mylar, limited edition of 10, 73 x 98cm. MS3, Big O Posters, London.
1969

Coming Ready or Not. S'martiple 8 of 8. Flying saucer.  Lithograph on mylar, limited edition of 10, 73 x 98cm. MS8, Big O Posters, London.
1969

Float. S'martiple 1 of 8. Floating red disc. Lithograph on mylar, limited edition of 10, 73 x 98cm. MS1, Big O Posters, London.
1969

Exclamation. S'martiple 5 of 8. Red loop. Lithograph on mylar, limited edition of 10, 73 x 98cm. MS5, Big O Posters, London.
1969

Don't Leave Me Here Standing All Alone. S'martiple 4 of 8. Erect penis. Lithograph on mylar, limited edition of 10, 73 x 98cm. MS4, Big O Posters, London.
1969

The Kiss is Coming. Screenprint on acrylic, limited edition of 10, signed and dated lower right, 'Martin Sharp 69', 73 x 98cm.
1969

Wot. S'martiple 6 of 8. Screenprint on acrylic, limited edition of 10, signed and dated lower right, 'Martin Sharp 69', 73 x 98cm. MS6, Big O Posters, London.
1969

The Flying Eye. S'martiple 7 of 8. Screenprint on acrylic, limited edition of 10, signed and dated lower right, 'Martin Sharp 69', 73 x 98cm. MS7, Big O Posters, London.
1969

Self-portrait with wandering eye. Silkscreen print, black ink on silver foil coated card, 52 x 76cm. Produced in association with a 1970 exhibition at the Australian Galleries, Sydney.
1970
 
Martin Sharp Exhibition, 22 May [1970], 59 Macleay St. Potts Point. Lithograph.
1970

Cinemantics, London, No.1, 1970. Collage and ink cover of a British film magazine.
1970

Sex Aids, Time Out magazine, London, no.133, 1-7 September ?1970.
1970

We are them... They are us .... Moratorium. Lithograph, signed and dated lower right 81, 43 x 56cm.
1971

Jeannie Lewis - Gypsy Train. Lithograph, signed and dated lower right 81, 43 x 56cm.
1972

Trials of OZ, Anderson Theatre, New York. Offset lithograph, 68 x 104 cm, Scoop Printing Co., 1972.
1972

Brian Thomson and Martin Sharp. Face mask from a Yellow House event. Screenprint, 73 x 48cm, Kolossal Piktures. Edition of 84.
1972


Peter Powditch at Gallery A. Screenprint, 48 x 73cm. Coloured variants include - black, green and pink, also printed on foil.
1972
Australian Prints, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 45 x 70cm.
1976
Jeremy and Teapot … a film by Brian Syron. Screenprint, Earthworks Poster Collective. Martin Sharp and Colin Little, 38 x 63cm, limited edition of 200.
1977

Ginger in Japan. Colour woodblock, 36 x 26 cm.Exhibited The Martin Sharp Show, Hogarth Galleries, Paddington, 1977.
1978

Paris - Pandora's Cross. Screenprint, 76 x 101cm. Poster for the Dorothy Hewett play at the Paris Theatre, Sydney, June - July 1978.
1978

Paris, John Gaden - Kate Fitzpatrick, Louis Nowra - Visions, Paris Theatre. Silkscreen, 76 x 102cm, August 1978.
1978

Eternity Ball, Paddo Town Hall, Sunday, May 7th, 8 p.m.. Screenprint, 26.5 x 43 cm. Source: State Library of New South Wales.
1979


Patrick White - Signal Driver, Belvoir Theatre. Screenprint, 74  x 100 cm. Two known variants 1) black, red and white; 2) blue, red and yellow.
1979

Australian Student Theatre Festival - Get your act together. Screenprint in colour from three stencils, 74 x 101cm. Attributed to Sharp, though not definitive.
1979

Street of Dreams / Ginger Meggs sings Mammy at the School Concert. Screenprint, signed and dated 'Sharp 79.' lower right, limited edition of 40, inscribed '3/40 To Celebrate Tiny Tim's World Professional Non Stop Singing Record Luna Park 12.1.79 Ginger Meggs Sings Mammy at the School Concert' lower left, 75 x 75 cm.
1979

Krazy 4 You! Jeannie Lewis, Peter Kenny at the Palms Cabaret. Screenprint, 28 x 42cm. c.f. Chameleon Gallery exhibition poster 1984.
1979

Tiny Tim and the Time Machine. Screenprint. Advertisement for event on 12 January 1979.
1979

Luna Park - National Trust. Screenprint, 65 x 96cm. Printed by Cressida Campbell for the Save Luna Park group.
1979

The Lost Hokusai, 1979. Colour screenprint, printer's blind stamp lower left in image, limited edition of 80, titled, signed and dated in pencil by Sharp in lower margin, annotated in pencil by printer Kristin Coburn verso, 29.6 x 79.6cm. 

Annotation reads "Printed by Kristin Coburn." During the 1970s Martin Sharp gave the original Hokusai print of this image to a friend to take to Japan for appraisal. Unfortunately, the print was lost in transit. A distraught Sharp then approached Kristin Coburn (daughter of artist John Coburn) to create a screenprint of the lost image from a slide in Sharp's possession. Coburn meticulously hand-cut each screen for each colour to achieve a high quality result.
1979

Venetian Twins - Nimrod. Silkscreen, limited edition of 50, 75 x 100 cm. Printer: A. McGregor. First version. Printed in red, blue and light green. Possibly also an edition of 100. Reprinted in 1982 and 1992.
1979

The Venetian Twins, Seymour Centre. 55 x 100 cm. Silkscreen.
1980

Fink's Circus. Screenprint, 74 x 101cm.
1980

Ignatz Paints His World. Colour screenprint, numbered, titled, signed and dated in image, 75 x 75 cm.
1980


Save Luna Park Day. Screenprint, in blue / red or green / red.
1980

With A Little Help From My Friends [John Lennon], 1980. Colour screenprint, initialled "S" in image lower right, 75.6 x 50.6cm. 
Text continues "Paris. 27.12.80."
1980
[No image]

Six Films About the Law. Directed by Keith Gow. Produced by Elisabeth Knight. Film Australia. Australian Film Commission. Screenprint, 52 x 73cm. Source: State Library of New South Wales.
1981


Eternity, Haymarket. Screenprint, signed lower right  Sharp. 85 x 61 cm. Multicoloured and black versions are known. Commissioned by David Humphries.
1981

Festival of Sydney 1981. Screenprint, 102 x 73 cm
1981

Ginger in Japan. Colour woodblock, limited edition A/P IV/XVII, signed and dated lower right, Sharp 1981, 34 x 22.5 cm. Edition of 50
1981

Just for fun? Screenprint, limited edition of 50, numbered, titled, signed and dated, lower centre, 36.5 x 34 cm
1981

Mammy / Ginger Meggs. Postcard, 1981, 16 x 20 cm
1981

Nimrod 10, 1980. Colour screenprint, initialled "S" in image lower right, signed in ink on image lower right, 88.1 x 73.9cm. Repaired pinholes and minor tears to edges. Linen-backed. Poster promoting Nimrod Theatre's 10th anniversary. Held in the Powerhouse Museum collection. The Nimrod Theatre Company, founded in 1970 by John Bell, Richard Wherrett and Ken Horler, quickly gained a reputation for producing first-rate Australian drama. The company retained its name when it moved from Nimrod Street, Kings Cross to Belvoir Street, Surry Hills, Sydney in 1974. The Nimrod closed in 1988.
1981


Alistair Jones, Late Show, Stables. Screenprint, 48 x 101cm.
1982


Vaudvillains. Mic & Jim Conway. Dave Clayton. B.T. Baldwin. Nimrod Late. Screenprint, 75 x 101cm.
1982


Adelaide Festival - 5-21. Mar. 82. Two sizes. Silkscreen, initialed in plate 'S', 150.5 x 87 cm; Coloured screenprint, signed, dated, inscribed with title and numbered lower margin M. Sharp '82 64/100, 121.5 x 73.5 cm.

Version on vinyl also printed, 117 x 237 cm.
1982

Jeannie Lewis and Red Symonds Orchestra - So you want blood - Kinselas. Screenprint, 75.5 x 101cm.
1982

Art Sale for Land Rights, Paddo Town Hall, Nov. 6-14, 11am - 7pm - Daily. Screenprint, 52 x  76cm.
1982

The Festival of Sydney 1982. Silkscreen, 75 x 100cm.
1982

Ginger's Last Stand? Jan 3 - Feb 8 - New Nimrod. Screenprint, limited edition of 1000, signed 'M Sharp' lower right, 44.5 x 58cm.
1982
 
Kaspar - Nimrod Nov 7. Screenprint, limited edition of 1000, signed lower right, 44.5 x 58.5 cm.
1982

Kold Komfort Kaffee - Nimrod. Colour screenprint, limited edition of 1000, signed, dated and numbered below image, 43 x 108cm.
1982



MO - Nimrod. Colour screenprint, limited edition of 1000, signed, dated and numbered below image, 45.5 x 89.5cm.

A variant (66 x 75 cm) poster is also known containing specific information about the performance of the play.

Small Christmas poster 37 x 48cm.
1982

Circus OZ, Wentworth Park, 23 June - 8 August, Mitchell Bass. Screenprint, 75.5 x 101cm.
1982

Tiny Paddo Masquerade, 22.8.82 $10.00. Screenprint, signed lower right, 74 x 100cm.
1982

Sideshow in Burlesco - Nimrod. Colour screenprint, limited edition of 1000, signed lower right, 43 x 108cm.
1982


Cold Chisel - An evening with the circus animals, Wentworth Park, April 17-18. Screenprint, 71.5 x 96cm, plus an additional, large size 6-sheet poster.
1982

Tiny Tim - The Chameleon. Screenprint, 51.5 x 75.5cm.
1982
 
Tiny Tim, Eternal Troubadour, Opera House 5 Sept 1982. Screenprint, signed and dated 'Martin Sharp 4.4.92' lower left, signed 'Tiny Tim' lower right, 75.5 x 102cm.



1982

The Venetian Twins - Nimrod. Screenprint, numbered and signed below image, limited edition of 1000, 75 x 101cm.Editions from 1979 and 1992.
1983

Fashion Show, The Sydney Textile Museum, Mosman, 29 September 1983.
1983

Sydney Opera House is Ten. Screenprint, signed and dated 'M Sharp 83.' lower right, 2 sizes - 51 x 68cm and 76 x 101.5cm.
1983

Tiny Tim and Friends, Late Show, Kinselas. Screenprint, 75.5 x 101cm.
1984


Martin Sharp Exhibition - Art Poster, Chameleon Gallery and Studio, Hobart, 15-30 July, circa 1984.
1984

POL 1984, poster and cover of the magazine, edited by Richard Walsh.
1984

Festival of Sydney. Silkscreen, 2 sizes - 45 x 45.5 cm and 74 x 97cm. There was a poster, a program and a completely different image by Sharp in a newspaper advertisement.
1985

Orange Festival of Arts. Screenprint.
1985

Music Week, Sept 8-15, 1985. Screenprint, 52.2 x 74.5 cm.
1986

Circus OZ Big Top. Screenprint, signed and inscribed by the artist, 66 x 130cm.
1986

Circus OZ, Hot from L.A.! Big Top, Seymour Centre. Screenprint, 89 x 134cm.
1986

Pentecost. Silkscreen print, limited edition of 80, signed and dated lower right: M. Sharp 86, titled lower centre, 77 x 108cm.
1986

 
 
Wave. Silkscreen, limited edition of 30, signed and dated lower right '86, 65 x 65cm. Adaptation of the classic Japanese woodblock print by Hokusai, featuring the Australian cartoon character Boofhead surfing and about to be swamped by the Hokusai wave.

A monotone version in black with red ink monograms is also known. The image was also featured on the cover of his 1986 Rosyln Oxley9 Gallery retrospective exhibition.
1988

Brighton Festival. Screenprint, 51 x 76cm. May 1988.
1988

The World Professional Non-Stop Singing Record Challenge. Screenprint, signed and dated by M. Sharp and Tiny Tim below image, 102 x 152cm.
1989


World Famous Circus OZ - non-stop energy. Colour screenprint, signed lower right, 63 x 93cm.
1989

Regular Record 1979, 1989 Greatest Hits. Screenprint, limited edition of 100, editioned, dated signed and titled lower centre, 3.4.90, Sharp Record Cover', 59 x 59 cm.
1989

The fool has said in his heart there is no God (Psalm 14:1), Cross Purpose, Number Two. Screenprint. Signed and dated lower right.
1990

Ginger Meggs. Offset lithograph and screenprint, 34 x 50cm. Produced in conjunction with an exhibition at the Josef Lebovic Gallery, Sydney. The image is a combination of Sharp's 1968 Vincent poster and a Ginger Meggs cartoon.
1990

Eternity. Screenprint, limited edition of 100, dated 6 November 1990.
1990

OZ Tapestry. Colour screenprint ed: 37/100, signed and dated lower right, 104 x 55cm. Copy of a tapestry hanging in the State Library of New South Wales.
1990

Record Cover. Screen print. Signed and dated '1/100 3/4/90 Sharp'.
1990

Vincent. Colour print, limited edition of 99, numbered, titled, signed and dated below image, 53.5 x 82cm. Produced in conjunction with an exhibition at the Josef Lebovic Gallery, Sydney. Reproduction of Sharp's original 1968 print.
1990
 
Wave. Screenprint, limited edition of 99, 85 x 85cm.
1990

Circus OZ. Non Stop Energy. Silkscreen.
1990

Hokusai's Wave, Mambo shirt, circa 1990.
1991

Art Galaxy. Colour screenprint, limited edition of 100, numbered, titled, signed and dated below image lower right M. Sharp, 82 x 82cm
1991

Fragments of an (F)Unfair, Lest We Forget, Greenway Gallery. Screenprint. L̀una Park, The exhibition was sponsored by the Luna Park Reserve Trust as part of the Festival of Sydney and presented at the Greenway Gallery, Hyde Park Barracks from 11 December 1991 to 2 February 1992. It also included a 7 page catalogue with accompanying essay by Martin Sharp.
1991

Krazy 4 You. Print, limited edition of 100, signed and dated lower right: M. Sharp 1.4.91, titled lower centre, 82 x 82 cm.
1992

Sydney Harbour. Colour screenprint, signed and dated '92 and numbered 54 lower centre, 73 x 99cm. Revised version of 1983 poster Sydney Opera House is Ten, with text removed.
1992

The Invitation. Silkscreen, limited edition of 10, signed and dated lower right 6.4.1992, 84 x 89cm.
1992

Tiny Tim, Paddo RSL, 11 April 1992. Screen print, small poster on card. For a concert at Paddington RSL.
1992


Thirroul. Etching. A copy is know which was signed and inscribed 'Thirroul / Dear Beryl, for your dear boy, / love Marty / M Sharp' under image, 14 x 21.5cm.

A limited edition of 5 photographic prints in black and white ink was issued during1999, with the inscriptions 'AP 4/5 'Thirroul' M.Sharp '99.'

The design of this etching is a variation on the 1970 Moratorium poster.
1992

The Arias, Australian Record Industry Awards for 92. Silkscreen, original poster, 50 x 75cm.
1994

Societe International D'Urologie [International Society of Urology], 23rd Congress, 18-22 September 1994, Sydney. T-shirt design.
1995

Jeannie Lewis. Viva Diva, 1995. Colour screenprint, 59.1 x 77.5cm. Panel of text attached to lower portion. Text reads "For two nights only - don't miss that incredible voice - Jeannie Lewis. 50th birthday concert with very special guests. Friday 10th & Saturday 11th Feb. Harbourside Brasserie. Bookings 252 3000 & Ticketek."
2001

Australia, newspaper cover, 39 x 49 cm, 1 January 2001.
2001

'O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, of all the trees so lovely,' Xmas card, 2001. A street banner of the left panel is also known, 150 x 440 cm.
2002

Jimi. Screenprint, signed and dated 'A.P. [Artist's proof] Jimi 2002', 73 x 83 cm.
2003

Pentecost. Photographic print A/P 7, 49 x 74cm.
2004

Disraeli Gears. Screenprint, signed and dated 'M Sharp 2004' lower right; inscribed 'Disraeli Gears' lower centre; inscribed 'A/P. 8.' lower left, 68.5 x 87.5cm. Also printed in offset lithograph series of 980 in the United States.
2004
 
Japan (after Vincent). Screenprint on canvas, limited edition of 20, signed and dated 2004, 36 x 43cm.
2006

Pentecost, 2006. Screenprint, 75 x 101 cm. Signed and dated lower right.Various dates are known, as is the paper and size of the print.
2006

The Thousand Dollar Bill (David Gulpilil), silk banner, 145 x 430 cm. Part of the Sydney Open Gallery, 2006.
2006

In our tears we found you. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5.4. Screen print. Undated.
2009

Jimi. Screenprint, limited edition of 200, signed and dated 'M Sharp 2009' lower right; inscribed 'Jimi' lower centre, 97 x 85cm.
2009

Dungog Film Festival, 2009 [original collage artwork by Sharp], 90 x 110 cm. Poster never printed. Sold at auction at the festival for $5,000.
2010

Abraxas 1968. Martin Sharp and Roger Foley. Cibachrome print on photographic paper, circa 2010. Reconstructed copy of the original work in acrylic paint on  acrylic panel created at The Pheasantry in London during 1968 and later displayed in the Yellow House, Sydney, 1970‐2. The Abraxas image first appeared on the outer and inner cover of the Cream double album Wheels of Fire (1968) and later on the cover of the London edition of Timothy Leary’s The Politics of Ecstasy (1970). The reconstruction poster was produced by Martin Sharp and Roger Foley, based on the original, damaged artwork.
2011

Still Live (Marilyn and Vincent), giclee print on mounted perspex, 56 x 76 cm. Circa 2011. Variant of a work which first appeared in OZ magazine in 1968.
2011

A curiosity in her own country, screenprint 2011. Based on a famous Phil May cartoon of 1888 and a painting Sharp did in 2009.
2011


During 2011 four of Martin Sharp's iconic Big O posters on foil from 1967, plus Jimi Hendrix, were reprinted and offered for sale through http://www.martin-sharp.com/.
2013

Cream - Disraeli Gears, screenprint, 89 x 88 cm, limited edition of 100 prints. Signed in silver ink 'Record Cover - Martin Sharp 12.8.2013.'
2013


During 2013 a series of large, poster-size digitally enhanced prints of OZ magazine (Sydney and London) covers were produced, with the support of Martin Sharp and Richard Neville. Martin and Richard signed and dated a number of these prints.

Martin Sharp died on 1 December 2013.

Acknowledgements
In the compilation of this list I would like to particularly thank Roger Foley and Lowell Tarling, along with all those other fans of the work of Martin Sharp who have written about him or referenced him in their work.

Michael Organ
Last updated: 19 July 2022

Comments

  1. There are many more editions of the Hendrix Explosion and DIsraeli Gears posters. Mine are from 2003 and 1991 and have different sizes to those mentioned and are both hand signed. My Disraeli Gears one has "Record Cover" written outside image at bottom centre. Some of the other posters you say are screenprints are not screenprints but litho. I know the version I have of the ARIAS POSTER is not a screenprint and it looks exactly like the one you show with the same credits underneath. The OZ #5 does have an orange variant which I own but as far as I know having spoken to many other experts there was never a silver or black and white one. That was just the original artwork shown in some books.
    There are yellow and pink/purple versions that are very common. I have only ever seen two orange ones come up for sale. Andy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Andy - thank you for that information. I will incorporate it into the list. Yes, there are a lot of variants of the Hendrix and Disraeli Gears posters. The aim of this list is to be brief but comprehensive. All the best.
      Michael

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    2. Michael, you describe the edition of digitally enhanced prints of Oz covers being from 2013 but I have a couple of these from 2011 (signed by Richard Neville & Martin, numbered from an edition of 200). Do you know who printed them or have any further info about these?

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