14 black & white illus. 36 unnumbered pages. Irregularly shaped small 4to (200 x 200 mm.), die-cut corners (spine faintly rubbed), staple-bound. [Chicago]: The University of Chicago Library, 1986.

An important exhibition catalogue as well as reference work on artists’ books. This catalogue was designed by the book artist Buzz Spector (b. 1948), and his pencil notes for the mock-up have been reproduced in this final version. Jeffrey Abt, the organizer of the exhibition, writes in an insightful essay: “The contemporary artist’s book…represents an evolution of the book’s use from a vehicle for text and its illustration to an artistically integrated, sometimes sculptural object. Though superficially... More

47 pp. Small 4to (210 x 158 mm.), orig. black wrappers (upper corner creased), staple-bound. [London]: Nigel Greenwood Inc. Ltd., 1972.

First edition of this seminal exhibition catalogue, which features the first English translation of Celant’s essay on artists’ books, as well as an important list of nearly 300 then-unheralded artists’ books. Originally published in the first issue of the Italian magazine Data (Sept. 1971),the essay is recognized as one of the earliest in-depth examinations of the book form and its bearing within Conceptual art. Celant (b. 1940), the art historian and critic, organized several Arte Povera exhibitions in Italy in the 1960s and... More

23 silk-screened images of potatoes hand-tinted & tipped-in. 14 unnumbered leaves. Folio (430 x 310 mm.), orig. pink paper wrappers & yellow band with watercolored title, stitched. London: The Everyday Press, 2018.

A charming illustrated recipe book by the chef Jeremy Lee and British artist Simon Popper; produced in an edition of 75. Recipes include: pommes sarladaises, potato soup, Cullen skink, champ, and “Janson’s Temptation.” The silk-screened potato images were copied from 19th-century engravings of potatoes. Printed by Lesley Sharp.

As new. More

Many black & white illus. in the text. 74, [6] pp. order form & ads. 8vo, color printed semi-stiff wrappers (short split at foot), staple-bound. [New York: Printed Matter, Inc.], 1994.

Printed Matter’s 1994 catalogue consisting of 17 pages of new titles; eight pages of back list items; works from the Coracle Press; Flip Books; “Fluxus and Related Materials”; “Reflux Editions” (“continuations of the classic Fluxus editions using some vintage materials from George Maciunas’ original printings”; “Networkers, Plagiarists, Artstrikers, and other Aggressive Cultural Workers”; works from the Nexus Press; works from Sara Ranchouse Publishing; “Source Books”; issues of Edit DeAk and Walter Robinson’s Art-Rite Magazine;... More

Many black & white illus. 40 unnumbered pages. Tall narrow 8vo (215 x 105 mm.), brown semi-stiff wrappers, title & date on spine. [New York: October 1977].

One of Printed Matter’s earliest mail-order catalogues and now scarce, issued within a year of the store’s founding. It lists hundreds of early artists’ books and publications, and many are illustrated. This is probably an inventory of the store’s entire stock.

It includes the works of Andre, Mel Bochner, Broodthaers, Brouwn, Buren, Marie Combs, Darboven, Constance de Jong, Mario Diacono, Helen Douglas (and Telfer Stokes), Hans Peter Feldmann, Robert Filliou, General Idea, Conrad Gleber, Dick Higgins... More

15 black & white offset printed images. 48 unnumbered pages. Tall narrow 8vo (220 x 85 mm.), stiff silver wrappers (extremities very slightly worn), date & board members on lower cover, staple-bound. [New York: Printed Matter, Inc., December 1976].

Printed Matter’s very rare first catalogue, published in December 1976, eight months after the drafting of the organization’s mission statement. The founders established two fundamental criteria for their inventory: works in editions of 100 or more copies and works affordable to the general public. Much of the early stock came from Martha Wilson’s Franklin Furnace bookstore, which she had decided to divest and turn over to Printed Matter... More

Many illus. in the text, some full-page, & on inside covers. 2 p.l., 80 pp. & order forms. 8vo (215 x 140 mm), printed pictorial wrappers, staple-bound. [New York: Printed Matter: 1991].

A catalogue issued in Printed Matter’s 15th year. It begins with an Introduction by director John Goodwin who writes: “Printed Matter Bookstore at Dia is in its fifteenth year of distributing books by artists to an ever-widening audience that includes students, collectors, educators, librarians, and, of course, other artists. We are delighted to observe that what the founders of Printed Matter dared to assert has indeed come true: the field of artists’ books is... More

66, [10] pp. ads & index. Tall 8vo (200 x 110 mm.), pink printed wrappers, two glue-bound gatherings laid-in wrappers as issued. [Antwerp: 1976].

The scarce catalogue issued by the curator and publisher Schraenen (1948-2018), which lists hundreds of early artists’ books; one of 500 copies printed. At the beginning, it contains contributions by Schraenen, Carrión, Kostelanetz, and Klaus Groh. It then lists the works of Beuys, Burroughs, Cage, Carrión, Degottex, Downsbrough, Ehrenberg, Filliou, Ginsberg, Higgins, Jacks, Kostelanetz, Rot, Shiomi, Tuttle, Vostell, E. Williams, etc. There are also long listings of records, magazines, and posters. This catalogue was published to accompany events held in Brussels, Antwerp... More

13 black & white illus. 77 pp. & one leaf of “Addendum” laid-in. Small 4to (175 x 126 mm.), orig. pictorial wrappers, staple-bound. [Philadelphia: 1973].

The important exhibition catalogue for the pioneering shows of artists’ books, which were held at Moore College of Art, Philadelphia, and then the University Art Museum, Berkeley. Vanderlip, later a museum curator at the Denver Art Museum, writes in the Foreword: “This exhibition attempts to survey the many different types of books made by artists from 1960 to the present. For the purpose of this Exhibition the definition of ‘book’ is very flexible. If the artist conceived his work as a book... More