Scroll (270 x 3380 mm.). [Japan]: at end (in trans.): “1839, August 29th, copied [by] Ken Hayashi.”

From the label that has been pasted-on at the end of this finely illustrated dissection scroll, we learn that it was presented at “the 49th dissection meeting” held on “October 23rd [but corrected in red ink to 27th] 1842.” We assume that the scroll was prepared at the time of a dissection taking place in 1839.

There are 12 finely painted depictions of the anatomy of the chest and abdomen, all in delicate colors and shadings, giving a nearly three-dimensional effect. In one case, the artist has applied... More

Many color illus. 135 pp. Oblong 4to (212 x 300 mm.), pictorial semi-stiff wrappers. Buenos Aires: 2013.

First and only edition of the rare Carrión catalogue raisonné; we locate just one copy in North American institutions. This is an essential book for understanding Carrión’s life and work, not just for its recording of all of his known bookworks (unique and editioned), but also for the insightful essay by Heriberto Yepez, entitled “The Four Periods of Ulises Carrion,” published here for the first time and not reprinted since.

The catalogue records each of the artist’s books with several pictures, beginning with La Muerte de Miss O. (1966), then the final bookwork published during his lifetime, For Fans and Scholars Alike (1987), and finally posthumous publications and re-publications of his earliest bookworks. The majority of Carrión’s earlier books were made in small editions, and today are extremely scarce. Most interestingly, this book has a section for the artist’s “One-of-a-Kind Bookworks”; these are largely unknown and are now held at the Archivo Lafuente outside of Santander, Spain. More

Many full-bleed black & white illus. throughout. 260 pp. (incl. wrappers). 12mo (160 x 117 mm.), orig. printed semi-stiff wrappers, pictorial flaps, perfect-bound. Paris: C. Daviet-Thery, September 2011.

An exhibition catalogue mostly unrelated to the exhibition for which it was published. This volume originates from Christoph Schifferli’s show Books on Books (2009) which he curated at the invitation of gallerist Christophe Daviet-Thery. He displayed 26 artists’ books that concern books and their representation. Daviet-Thery then commissioned book designer Saint-Loubert Bié to create the show’s catalogue. The designer invited artists Yann Sérandour and Jonathan Monk for a conversation about 12 artists’ books he selected. That conversation... More

Black & white illus. throughout Vol. II. 78; [45] (incl. inside of lower wrapper) pp. Two vols. 8vo (216 x 140 mm.), orig. printed wrappers (spines sunned), staple-bound, housed in a slipcase. [San Francisco]: 1996.

An important catalogue (no. 21) issued by Leiber in association with Louisa Riley-Smith’s 20th Century Art Archives. The majority of items offered came from the collection of Leif Eriksson, the great Swedish collector and champion of artists’ books, who in 1978 created the Swedish Archive of Artists’ Books. The present set imitates Christian Boltanski’s artist’s book Inventaire des objets appartenant à un habitant d’Oxford… (1973).

The two volumes, the first with descriptions and the second with photocopied illustrations of the listings, present works by artists such as Kathy Acker, Armleder, Boltanski, Carrión, Helen Douglas, Felipe Ehrenberg, Filliou, Gibbs, Higgins, Hompson, Jacks, Knowles, Kostelanetz, Kruger, Messager, Nannucci, Ono, Rot, Joyce Cutler Shaw, Keith A. Smith, Buzz Spector, Spoerri, Stokes, Tuttle, Vautier, Warhol, Emmett Williams, Zweig, etc. There is a photocopied image of each book’s cover in the second volume, mimicking Boltanski’s clinical presentation. More

Illus. throughout. [64] pp. Square 4to (245 x 245 mm.), orig. printed semi-stiff wrappers, title on spine, perfect-bound. Frankfurt am Main: W. König, 1990.

The now scarce auto-bibliography of LeWitt’s early artists’ books. Each book is presented in quintessential LeWitt style, with each page simply laid out in squares with reproductions of openings from the works listed. In several cases, a whole book is reproduced at a smaller scale. With a list of LeWitt’s books on the final page, this is an important reference work.

In near fine condition. More

Many black & white illus. xii, 377 pp. 8vo, pictorial semi-stiff wrappers, perfect-bound. New York: Granary, 1995.

First softcover edition of Johanna Drucker’s invaluable contribution to the literature on artists’ books/artists’ publications/bookworks. This book is largely based on her research of artists’ books in the New York Public Library collection.

Near fine copy. More

Many text. illus. [24] pp. 8vo, printed wrappers, staple-bound. Alsbach: 1978.

Scarce catalogue issued by an important publisher of artists’ books. We note works by Ulises Carrión, Fritz Schwegler, George Brecht, Alexander Schleber, Günter Uecker, Servie and Janssen. Carrión’s The Muxlows (1978) is offered for 12 DM. It is interesting to note that Carrión’s partner Aart van Barneveldt is listed as one of the distributors of the company’s publications.

The catalogue also presents the first four issues of Leaman’s Reaktion periodical, with contributions by Gibbs, Thomkins, Spoerri, Rainer, Carrión, Nannucci, Morellet, de Vries, etc. Each... More

Paper cutout in the shape of two hands. [Paris: A L’Etoile Scellée, 1953].

The scarce and delightful invitation — in the shape of two hands — for a Toyen exhibition held at A L’Etoile Scellée in May 1953. Managed by André Breton, the gallery was financially supported by the gallerist Sophie Babet. Located on rue du Pré aux Clercs in the 7th arrondissement, the gallery served as an influential center of Surrealism from 1952 to 1956. Breton was responsible for a bold program, inviting unheralded abstract and Surrealist artists.

Toyen (1902-80), born Marie Cermínová, was one of the earliest Surrealists in Czechoslovakia, and from 1935 developed a close relationship with Breton. For much of their life, Toyen preferred the gender-neutral name “Toyen,” taken from the French citoyen. They had two solo exhibitions at A L’Etoile Scellée; this piece marks the first, and the second took place in May 1955. Galerie Denise René had given them their first postwar solo show in June-July 1947. More

68 unnumbered double-page full-bleed illus. 4to, orig. translucent printed dust-jacket, title on spine, perfect-bound. Frankfurt am Main: Revolver, 2002.

A nice copy of Jonathan Monk’s response to Ed Ruscha’s Every Building on the Sunset Strip (1st ed.: 1966), in which Monk photographs the intersections which Ruscha skipped. The artist has engaged with Ruscha’s work on several occasions including a video work on Monk’s large and growing collection of Crackers, which highlights their varied defects and imperfections to contemplate the artist as collector. The artist lived in Los Angeles from 1997 to 1999, during which he took the present photographs. More

Color illus. throughout, printed with 4-color offset lithography. [84] pp. Square 4to (200 x 200 mm.), orig. printed wrappers, perfect-bound. New York: Multiples, Inc. & Colombes, France: Générations, 1977.

First edition of LeWitt’s first artist’s book published with Marian Goodman’s Multiples, Inc. Up to this point the artist had produced a number of prints and portfolios through Goodman, but this was the first “multiple” made in book form. This work consists of 78 combinations of the components listed in the title.

Fine copy. Printed in an edition of 2000 copies. More

[3], 61 pp., printed on rectos only. Large 4to, silver covers, port. of Dittmar on title visible through hole in upper cover, title on spine. Stuttgart: Antiquariat Fritz Eggert, [1979].

A rare collection catalogue. A valuable listing of 1241 items from Dittmar’s collection, including important examples of artists’ books and Concrete poetry from the 60s. Dittmar also assembled massive collections of illustrated books, cook books, and later artists’ books. Many of his artists’ books were shown at the famed 1978 exhibition The Book of the Art of Artists’ Books at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art. The bookseller Fritz Eggert compiled the present... More

Many text illus. Unpaginated. Large 4to, pictorial wrappers, staple-bound. Antwerp: 1994.

Scarce bookseller’s catalogue: 506 books, exhibition catalogues, ephemera, etc. offered. It is divided into three sections: “The Isms of Art and Literature,” “Marcel Broodthaers,” and “Art after 1945.” The Broodthaers material listed is outstanding and ample.

In fine condition. Laid-in advertisement for books published by Marcel Marien’s Les Lèvres Nues. More