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

Many illus. 77 pp. & ads. 4to, orig. pictorial wrappers, upper wrapper by C. Andre, staple-bound. New York: 1977.

A celebrated issue of the intrepid New York newsprint art magazine, which ran from 1973 to 1978. This issue was devoted to the subject of “artists’ books” and introduced many to the then embryonic concept. It opens with an “Idea Poll” that solicited responses to the relevance and potential of artists’ books. Responses from Acker, Baldessari, Carrion, Buren, Denes, Hoffberg, Huebler, Kaprow, Kostelanetz, LeWitt, Lippard, Nannucci, Piper, Schneemann, Steir, Tuttle, Weiner, are recorded. They project a mix of optimism and fatalism about the future... More

Many text illus. 86 pp. Large 4to, printed semi-stiff wrappers. London: 1970.

An important exhibition catalogue that is now scarce. This was an impressive survey of artists’ multiples undertaken by the Arts Council. The catalogue begins with essays by Janet Daley, Karl Gerstner, Reyner Banham, Jiddu Krishnamurti, and Anthony Wedgwood Benn, along with a reprinting of John Berger’s “Love of art”. A handful of books and book objects were featured, including the work of Ruscha, Samaras, Ulrichs, and Vostell. Two Beuys entries The chief and How to explain paintings to a dead hare (on p. 21) are included “free with this catalogue.”... More

Large illustrated single sheet poster (420 x 300 mm. unfolded). [Lund, Sweden]: Beau Geste Press, 1976.

An extremely rare poster issued by Beau Geste Press for an exhibition at the Galerie S:t Petri in Lund, Sweden; one of 500 copies produced. Managed by Felipe Ehrenberg, Martha Hellion, and David Mayor, Beau Geste Press, based in Devon, UK, was active from 1970 to 1976. The press collaborated with numerous artists and authors, all of whom are listed on this poster: Beuys, Carrión, Filliou, Gibbs, Higgins, Hompson, Kostelanetz, Maciunas, Saito, Schneemann, Shiomi, Valoch, etc., etc. For example, two of Ulises Carrión’s bookworks, Looking for poetry/Tras... More