Last updated: 2 November 2026
Ivor Cutler (1923 to 2006) was the Glasgow-born poet, songwriter and humorist who called himself an "Oblique Musical Philosopher". He published 29 books, released 11 albums and appeared in the Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour. Ivor Cutler prints are rare: the one we list is a numbered edition of 100 from Goldsmiths CCA, at £80.
Our take on Ivor Cutler as an artist
Cutler made very small, very strange things: songs on a harmonium, poems a few lines long, stories about life in a Scotch sitting room. John Peel played him for decades, and bands from Franz Ferdinand to Laura Marling have covered his songs.
The Ivor Cutler print on our editions page is a page from one of his notebooks. In his own hand it reads "This book belongs to", then his printed name and address, then "Please return it. It is my livelihood". It is a joke, but his notebooks really did hold the work he lived on.
Goldsmiths CCA made the edition for the first public show of his archive in 2018. For anyone who loves his records, it is the closest thing to owning a page of his.
Ivor Cutler: the essentials
- Born in Govan, Glasgow, in January 1923. He published 29 books, many with his own illustrations, released 11 albums and made more than 400 radio and TV appearances, according to The Horse Hospital.
- Appeared in the Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour (1967). George Martin produced his album Ludo (1967), and he played on Robert Wyatt's Rock Bottom (1974), according to Goldsmiths CCA.
- Taught for about 30 years, at A. S. Neill's Summerhill School and in inner London schools (Goldsmiths CCA).
- Recorded more John Peel sessions than any act except The Fall (Books from Scotland).
- Died in London in March 2006, aged 83, as Chortle reported.
Ivor Cutler exhibitions and tributes
There is no Ivor Cutler exhibition on now. The most recent shows and tributes:
- Hamish Hawk: Life in a Scotch Sitting Room (Vol. 0), Edinburgh International Book Festival, 16 and 17 August 2025, with an encore in August 2026. The singer sets Cutler's work beside his own (interview).
- An Evening with Ivor Cutler, The Horse Hospital, London, 26 July 2023, for his centenary.
- Ivor Cutler: Good Morning! How Are You? Shut Up!, Goldsmiths CCA, London, 1 October to 4 November 2018, the first public show of his archive.
Where to buy Ivor Cutler prints
The Ivor Cutler print we list is This Book Belongs To..., 2018, from Goldsmiths CCA, published with the Ivor Cutler Estate. It is printed on Somerset photosatin 300gsm, 36 x 29cm (14.2 x 11.4in), in a numbered edition of 100, for £80 (£72 for CCA members) plus £10 UK postage. It is numbered, not signed.
For reading, Goldsmiths Press publishes Y'HUP: Ivor Cutler, edited by Natasha Hoare, at £10. Bruce Lindsay's 2023 biography, Ivor Cutler: A Life Outside the Sitting Room, is a £25 hardback but was sold out at the London Review Bookshop when we checked.
Ivor Cutler FAQs
Who was Ivor Cutler?
A Scottish poet, songwriter and humorist (1923 to 2006) who wrote absurd songs and poems, performed them on a harmonium, and was a John Peel favourite for decades.
Was Ivor Cutler in a Beatles film?
Yes. He appeared in Magical Mystery Tour in 1967, and George Martin produced his album Ludo the same year.
Is the Goldsmiths CCA Ivor Cutler print signed?
No. Cutler died in 2006, so the edition is numbered out of 100 but carries no signature.
Where can I find out more about Ivor Cutler?
Goldsmiths Press's Y'HUP: Ivor Cutler (£10) and Bruce Lindsay's biography are the best places to start.
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- The Creative Act by Rick Rubin: a producer on making things.
- Gifts for bookworms: books and bookish presents.
- Navidrome: the self-hosted music streaming app for your own record collection.
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Main image: Ivor Cutler at home in Gospel Oak, 1973. Photo: Roger Kohn, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. The original photograph is small, so it is shown smaller than usual in the frame. Exhibition dates, prices and edition details last checked: 2 November 2026.
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