Unpaginated. Small 4to, printed wrappers, staple-bound. Fen Ditton, UK: [1997].

Scarce bookseller’s catalogue with 562 items offered. Fine copy.

❧ Not in A. Desjardin, The Book on Books on Artists Books (2nd ed.: 2013). More

54 pp. Large 4to (275 x 212 mm.), orig. pictorial wrappers, staple-bound. Toronto: 1996.

A rare catalogue distributed by Art Metropole, the first large-scale North American distributor of artists’ publications. The upper wrapper is adorned with General Idea’s “untitled cockroach drawing,” advertising a new series of artists’ pamphlets. The catalogue was designed by Barr Gilmore.

In fine condition. More

Pictorial wrappers designed by Daniel Buren & several black & white illus. Unpaginated. Large 4to (268 x 198 mm.), pictorial wrappers (a little browned), staple-bound. [Toronto: 1983].

A rare catalogue published by Art Metropole, with the design of the wrappers done by Daniel Buren.

Nice copy, a bit browned. More

Cover artwork by Stephen Ellwood. 71 pp. Large 4to (270 x 212 mm.), pictorial wrappers, staple-bound. Toronto: 1998.

[with]:

—. Catalogue No. 20 (Wholesale). Cover artwork by S. Ellwood. 11 pp. Large 4to (265 x 211 mm.), orig. pictorial wrappers, staple-bound. Toronto: 1998. More

68 pp. Large 4to (274 x 214 mm.), orig. pictorial wrappers, staple-bound. Toronto: 1992.

A scarce bookseller’s catalogue of artists’ books and publications. Founded in 1974 by General Idea, Art Metropole was the first large-scale North American distributor for this kind of material. The cover was designed by Lise Melhorn-Boe. This catalogue offers the usual array of artists’ publications, many of which are now very scarce.

In near fine condition; small tear on the spine around the lower staple. More

Cover artwork by Stephen Ellwood. 71 pp. Large 4to (270 x 212 mm.), pictorial wrappers, staple-bound. [Toronto]: 1998.

An uncommon catalogue of artists’ books, multiples, audio works, video works, and periodicals. In fine condition.

❧ See “Art Metropole’s Publications and Events History with Related Ephemera, January 1971 – April 2006,“ on the National Gallery of Canada website. More

46 pp. Large 4to (270 x 210 mm.), orig. printed wrappers, staple-bound. [Toronto: 1979].

A very rare and early catalogue published by Art Metropole; unrecorded on WorldCat. On the inside of the upper wrapper, Art Metropole’s archivist Tim Guest lays out a definition of the artist’s book: “Since the early 1960‘ [sic] artists have been producing bookworks as a completely autonomous artform. Different in that they exist outside the traditions of either the ‘literary text’ or the ‘illustrated book’, they are instead books as works of art in themselves. They belong to that movement in art history which seeks to de-emphasize form and aesthetics... More

Unpaginated. 59 pp. & ads. Large 4to, orig. printed wrappers designed by Holzer, staple-bound. Toronto: 1989.

[bound with]:

—. [From first sheet]: Catalogue Update, December 1989. Eight stapled sheets, printed on both sides. Toronto: 1989. More

Black & white frontis. Unpaginated. Large 4to, orig. printed wrappers, staple-bound. Toronto: 1986.

A scarce bookseller’s catalogue of artists’ books and publications. Founded in 1974 by General Idea, Art Metropole was the first large-scale North American distributor of this kind of material. The present catalogue, printed in an edition of 2500 copies, was designed as a work by the artist Ian Murray (b. 1951), and contains hundreds of entries. The compilers have denoted “bookworks” — their preferred term for artists’ books — with a black square next to the listings. This catalogue presents an impressive and vast array of materials, including video and audio works.

Near fine copy, the spine is a trifle sunned. A few pencil notes in the text. More

24 pp. 8vo (198 x 125 mm.), modern aubergine cloth, title on upper cover. Paris: Félix & Regnault-Delalande, 1819.

A very scarce auction catalogue marking the dissolution of Pierre Blaizot’s inventory; WorldCat records no copy in North America. Despite the lengthy interval between his death and this sale, we can identify the seller as Pierre Blaizot (1740-1808) due to the offerings in the present catalogue — prints, maps, and luxury paper — that match the description of his business on the BnF Data site. Blaizot’s page on the site notes that he was orphaned at age 9, but managed to set up an office... More

xvi, 246, [4], 4 pp. 8vo, cont. attractive antique half-calf & marbled boards. Paris: G. de Bure, 1780.

An important sale of 1604 lots; this copy has been priced throughout in a contemporary hand. Gouttard's collection was rich in first editions of classical literature and history and many of the books were on large paper or vellum and in the finest possible condition. There is a biographical sketch of Gouttard serving as the Preface in which it is noted that Gouttard edited texts of Horace and Virgil. All the great collectors and dealers of the period purchased at this sale, including Comte d'Artois; d'Hangard; Le... More

Engraved frontis. port., one folding engraved plate, & four engraved facsimiles (three folding). Three vols. 8vo, cont. vellum over boards, spines gilt. Paris: G. De Bure, 1783.

An attractive set of the celebrated catalogue of the first part of the most important book and manuscript collection of the 18th century. The catalogue, prepared by De Bure and Van Praet, contains MSS., noteworthy incunabula, and books printed on vellum or large paper. The sale, consisting of 5668 lots, made the enormous sum of 464,677 liv. 8 s.

"The manuscripts constitute an amazing collection of early French poetry and romances."­Taylor, Book Catalogues, p. 248. More