1971 Booklist.
Single sheet with two vertical folds, forming [6] pp. New York: 1971.
The very rare second catalogue published by Seth Siegelaub’s International General book publishing and distribution firm. In 1970, Siegelaub (1941-2013) founded the company in an effort to streamline the dissemination of his legendary exhibition catalogues as well as celebrated books & catalogues by Lippard, Ruscha, Weiner, Barry, Ruppersberg, and Merz.
In the announcement letter of International General’s founding — a copy of which is found in the Museum of Modern Art’s Library (NY) — Siegelaub writes: “Because of the increasing demands for catalogues and books dealing with the international activity in art and the need to distribute art information quickly and efficiently, I have organized INTERNATIONAL GENERAL, whose sole purpose will be to distribute art catalogues and books. The administration will be from New York.”
The firm’s first catalogue was issued at the end of 1970. Siegelaub sent out this one shortly thereafter. The listings represent some of the earliest appearances of these materials in a bookseller/publisher catalogue. Some prices of note:
— “Xerox Book” - $20.00
— Third printing of Ruscha’s Twentysix Gasoline Stations - $4.00
— Second ed. of Every Building on the Sunset Strip - $8.00
— First printing of Crackers - $5.00
— Lippard’s 557,087 & 955,000 card exhibitions - $4.50
In fine condition. The present catalogue is a fascinating document that exemplifies Siegelaub’s foresight on the specialized distribution of artists’ publications. It has just one record on WorldCat, at MoMA, which houses the Seth Siegelaub’s archive.
❧ Stedelijk Museum’s catalogue Seth Siegelaub: Beyond Conceptual Art (2016), pp. 221-23 (pictured).
Price: $350.00
Item ID: 8010
