12 columns per page, 21 characters per column. Text block: 233 x 170 mm. 28; 29; 40 folding leaves. Three vols. Large 8vo (277 x 192 mm.), orig. persimmon-stained wrappers (wrappers somewhat worn), new stitching. [Probably Kyoto]: according to Kawase, “mid-Genna”(ca. 1620).

One of the great rarities of Japanese movable type printing; according to Kawase, this is the second-earliest printing of Aesop’s Fables in kanji and hiragana characters. All movable type editions of this text are very rare; WorldCat lists no copy preceding the 1659 woodblock edition.

“Western books were first imported to Japan by Portuguese missionaries, who printed copies... More

Several illus. [46], 133 pp. 8vo, blue printed softcover, perfect-bound. Brooklyn, NY: Ugly Duckling Presse, 2020.

Handsomely printed re-publication of Ulises Carrión’s 1972 classic Sonnet(s). Fully reprinted here, in the 1972 bookwork Carrión devised 44 variations on Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s sonnet “Heart’s Compass.” With insightful essays and contributions by Veronica Gerber Bicecci, Annette Gilbert, Monica de la Torre, Michalis Pichler, Heriberto Yepez, India Johnson, and Felipe Becerra.

As new. Published through In-Out Productions in an edition of 200 copies, the first edition of Sonnet(s) is now very rare. More

Lithographed frontis. by Rot on inside of upper wrapper & many black & white text illus. 49 unnumbered pages (incl. inside of lower wrapper). 4to (229 x 170 mm.), orig. yellow printed wrappers, staple-bound. Stuttgart, London & Reykjavik: 1973.

A rare and early catalogue of artists’ books issued by Mayer, featuring a lithograph signed and numbered by Dieter Roth. We have identified three states of the lithograph, each printed in an edition of 850. This catalogue offers the work of Roth, Richard Hamilton, Tom Phillips, Stefan Wewerka, Mark Boyle, Emmett Williams, Eduardo Paolozzi, Dorothy Iannone, etc. Almost all entries are... More

Black & white illus. throughout. 61 unnumbered pages (incl. inside of upper wrapper). 4to (231 x 170), orig. printed wrappers, staple-bound. [Stuttgart: 1968].

Mayer’s very scarce 1968 catalogue, which offers the work of Ian Hamilton Finlay, Dieter Roth, Bob Cobbing, Wolf Vostell, Emmett Williams, etc. It is profusely illustrated with facsimiles and photographs of the books listed, many full-page. It includes bookworks, poetry, prints, and multiples. Also represented are Mary Vieira, Andre Thomkins, and Peter Schmidt.

“A printer, art teacher and publisher living in London, Hansjörg Mayer’s typographical experiments and publications in his edition hansjörg mayer made him into one... More

Numerous black & white illus, all rectos with full-page illus. Unpaginated. Small 4to (231 x 171 mm.), orig. printed wrappers, staple-bound. Stuttgart & London: 1981.

A scarce illustrated publisher’s catalogue offering works by Roth, Emmett Williams, Arnulf Rainer, Richard Hamilton, Stefan Wewerka, Jan Voss, Claes Oldenburg, Dorothy Iannone, etc. Also offered are videos, periodicals, prints, multiples, records, and Mayer’s previous catalogues. Most of the items are pictured. Beginning in 1966, Mayer issued a catalogue every year with his newest publications and a backlist.

A nice copy.

❧ B. Ferran, The Smell of Ink and Soil: The Story of [Edition] Hansjörg... More

Several black & white illus. Unpaginated. Small 4to (231 x 172 mm.), orig. pictorial wrappers, staple-bound. Stuttgart & London: 1983.

A rare publisher’s catalogue.

Nice copy, two pages with tiny stains.

❧ B. Ferran, The Smell of Ink and Soil: The Story of [Edition] Hansjörg Mayer (2017), Bibliography no. 325.

“A printer, art teacher and publisher living in London, Hansjörg Mayer’s typographical experiments and publications in his edition hansjörg mayer made him into one of the most important protagonists of concrete poetry and the art of the 1960s…Since 1963, as Dieter Roth’s publisher, Mayer was prepared to find ways to... More

Many black & white illus. throughout. [50] pp. (incl. inside wrappers). 4to (230 x 172 mm.), orig. pictorial wrappers offset-printed & designed by E. Williams, staple-bound. Stuttgart, London & Reykjavik: 1975.

A scarce publisher’s catalogue presenting books by artists such as Dieter Roth, Emmett Williams, Tom Phillips, Jan Voss, Richard Hamilton, Dorothy Iannone, Stefan Wewerka, Daniel Spoerri, etc. Also listed are records, prints, posters, and Mayer’s previous catalogues. Nearly every item is pictured in this catalogue. Beginning in 1966, Mayer issued a catalogue every year with his newest publications and a backlist.

Fine copy, upper wrapper a little scuffed. From... More

Many black & white illus. throughout. 64 pp. 4to (231 x 172 mm.), orig. pictorial wrappers offset-printed & designed by T. Phillips, staple-bound. Stuttgart & London: 1977.

A scarce publisher’s catalogue presenting books by Dieter Roth, Emmett Williams, Jan Voss, Richard Hamilton, Tom Phillips, Arnulf Rainer, Claes Oldenburg, Barbara Rose, Dorothy Iannone, Mark Boyle, etc. It also lists videos, prints, posters, multiples, and Mayer’s previous catalogues. Nearly every item is pictured. Beginning in 1966, Mayer issued a catalogue every year with his newest publications and a backlist.

Fine copy. A number of pencil annotations. Produced in an edition of 1500... More

Many black & white illus. 64 pp. Small 4to (231 x 172 mm.), orig. printed pictorial wrappers offset-printed & designed by M. Boyle, staple-bound. Stuttgart & London: 1979.

An uncommon publisher’s catalogue listing works by Dieter Roth, Emmett Williams, Richard Hamilton, Andre Thomkins, Stefan Wewerka, Tom Phillips, Mark Boyle, Claes Oldenburg, Dorothy Iannone, Arnulf Rainer, etc. Also offered are videos, prints, multiples, records, and Mayer’s previous catalogues. Most of the items are pictured. Beginning in 1966, Mayer issued a catalogue every year with his newest publications and a backlist.

A fine copy, with a folded flyer for “Dieter Roth’s Verlag”... More

2 p.l., 2001; 2 p.l., 2001 pp. Two vols. Small 4to (152 x 118 mm.), orig. black cloth over semi-stiff boards, gilt & silver lettering on upper covers and spines, housed in a cloth-covered slipcase. [Brussels]: Editions M. Szwajcer & M. Didier, 1999.

The scarce artist’s book revisiting On Kawara’s One Million Years. A total of 570 copies of this work were printed: 60 numbered and signed, 10 artist’s proofs, and 500 numbered; this is one of the numbered copies (no. 305). The first volume, “Past” (998031 BC to 1969 AD), begins with the phrase, “For all those who have... More

Many black & white illus. 112 unnumbered pages. 8vo (211 x 145 mm.), printed wrappers. Rochester: Visual Studies Workshop, 1986.

An uncommon collection of visual poems by the American book artist, Keith A. Smith (b. 1938); this is an early photo-digital book, created using Thunderscan. Printed offset in an edition of 500 copies on Mohawk Vellum 70 lb. There was also a leather-bound edition of 25 copies. The present example is signed by the artist on the title-page.

“In Overcast/Outcast Smith takes [it] a step farther. While [Book 115] is almost entirely graphic — a flat pattern on the page... More