A previously undocumented limited edition silkscreen print of Jim Morrison, with an excerpt of his poem ‘A Feast of Friends’, produced in 1978 by The Doors management for the band and their friends and families, at the time of the group’s final studio album An American Prayer.  For this album, the surviving Doors added musical accompaniment to Morrison’s poetry recordings, including ‘A Feast of Friends’.

The origins of this rarity are best explained in the accompanying letter of authenticity from artist Cynthia Marsh:

This letter is to authenticate a 1978 limited silkscreen and lithographic edition of prints initially commissioned by Doors’ manager, Bill Siddons and the estate of Jim Morrison.

Bill Siddons contacted me sometime in 1978, the year the album ‘An American Prayer’ was produced. We worked together for several months conceiving and creating artwork, limited-edition posters and prints, to commemorate the release of ‘An American Prayer.’

Bill gave me a small-edition poetry book, An American Prayer, self-published by Jim Morrison in 1970. I’m not exactly certain of the sequence of events. My memory is that Bill asked me to create a printed image that combined a quote from the book and a photograph of Jim. The limited-edition of silkscreen & lithographic prints was the result. The edition was produced in my studio and, I believe, the prints were meant to be distributed to The Doors and their friends, Jim Morrison’s family and Pamela Courson’s family. At the same time, I printed 20 extra copies for myself– I love to print – silkscreen, offset lithography, and letterpress (once I begin, I keep on printing).  I was a big Morrison fan, liked the project, and just kept printing.

Bill Siddons also asked me to design a poster for the project. Text from the book, and some of the words recited by Morrison on ‘An American Prayer’ were printed on the poster.

Cynthia Marsh

The different poster Marsh refers to was conventionally printed by Elektra Records in a numbered edition of 1000; an image of that poster is included as the last image here for reference only, and not included.

We acquired this print, numbered 6/20,  directly from Cynthia Marsh, who signed and dated it in 1978.  She has had it in her collection since then.  We can find no record of this print elsewhere, so the original edition must have been small, and cherished by the recipients.

Printed on fine art paper, in Mint condition.  17 1/2″” x 22 3/8″.  With a copy of Cynthia Marsh’s letter of authenticity, and Recordmecca’s written lifetime guarantee of authenticity.