Lush cobblestone spread from Brassaï's celebrated photobook Paris de Nuit; here in its English version, published for a London exhibition of his nocturnal Paris photos. See number 4 below.

Harper's Books: August Selections

Below, our 22 monthly selections; a range of books, ephemera, and other printed matter relating to art, photography, modern literature, and design. Click the links for additional images and purchasing options. To browse similar materials, visit our Chelsea bookshop at 504 West 22nd Street and our East Hampton gallery at 87 Newtown Lane.

1. Josef Albers

Josef Albers: Homenaje al Cuadrado / Homage to the Square

New York: The International Council of the Museum of Modern Art, 1964. First Edition. Square octavo. A bilingual catalogue produced on the occasion of a traveling Josef Albers exhibition organized by MoMA's International Council; the Council's first exhibition, which would tour throughout South America, including this stop at Buenos Aires' Instituto Torcuato Di Tella (Jun. 9–Jul. 5, 1964), for which this jacket was especially printed. Albers was involved in the design of the exhibition—focused on his Homage to the Square series—as well as the catalogue design, which includes 4 color plates and a series of his short programmatic texts. A remarkably fine copy, boasting sharp yellow wrappers with embossed titles. Textured jacket with sharp corner crease to rear flap, else also fine.

$350.00

2. Matthew Barney

Drawing Restraint 7

Ostfildern: Cantz Verlag, 1995. First Edition. Oblong quarto. Artist's catalogue published to accompany the seventh installment in Matthew Barney's Drawing Restraint series. Fully illustrated with grainy images of satyrs traveling in a limousine, traversing New York City's bridges and tunnels. Includes four gatefolds. Accompanied by a short text from Klaus Kertess ("F(r)iction"), printed in both English and German. Photo-illustrated wrappers with minor bump to foot of spine. Near fine. 

$125.00

3. Louise Bourgeois

Louise Bourgeois: Uno y Otros / One and Others

Habana: Centro Wifredo Lam, 2005. First Edition. Folio (16 inches tall). Bilingual catalogue published to accompany Louise Bourgeois' first Cuban exhibition at Havana's Centro Wifredo Lam (Feb. 4–Apr. 26, 2005). From the preface, written by the President of the National Council for the Plastic Arts: "Louise Bourgeois, a genuine humanist, is coming to Havana. Her work, one of the most radical experiences of abstract and conceptual expression, will create a sensation among us. It will probably be the most important solo exhibition of the past five years... At ninety-three, she continues to be the oldest of young artists. [Cuba's] youngest artists will understand this better than anyone." Contents: [32] pages, beautifully illustrated with full-bleed color photography, complemented by a series of curatorial texts, artist statements, and a lengthy artist chronology. Minor edge-wear to illustrated wrappers, with small abrasion to rear cover; close to near fine. An uncommon Bourgeois catalogue, with no OCLC records located.

$250.00

4. Brassaï and Paul Morand

Paris de Nuit / Paris After Dark

Paris: Edition Arts et Métiers Graphiques / Draeger, 1933. First Edition thus. Small quarto. This English version of the celebrated collaboration between Brassaï and Paul Morand was published shortly after the original French, on the occasion of an exhibition of Brassaï's photographs at the Batsford Gallery in London. One of the most iconic of the great Paris photobooks, featuring 64 full-bleed gravure plates expertly printed by Draeger—"arguably the most luscious gravure ever seen, the blacks being so rich and deep that after handing the book one expects to find sooty deposits all over one's fingers" (Parr / Badger, v1, 134). With Paul Morand's essay on nocturnal Paris translated into English by Stuart Gilbert. A superb copy, with only minor edge-wear to spiral-bound wrappers; near fine. This English version uncommon, with only 2 OCLC records located.

$4500.00

5. The Diggers / Richard Brautigan / Victor Moscoso

The Invisible Circus (Three Announcements)

San Francisco, 1967. Three variant announcements for the legendary Invisible Circus; "a 72 hour environmental community happening" organized by The San Francisco Diggers and the Artists Liberation Front at the Tenderloin's progressive Glide Church. The event was already cancelled by early Saturday morning, after more than 5000 visitors transformed dozens of specially-themed rooms into "the set of a Fellini wet dream" (as per Emmett Grogan). Grouped together here are the three known announcements for the event: two of them gestetnered by The Communication Company, with the circus-themed version illustrated by Dave Heath and the pink version, with its psychedelic typography, introducing Richard Brautigan's experimental "Cloud's Computor," as one of the earliest forms of social media. The third announcement—being more of a handbill (7 x 5 inches)—was commissioned by Brautigan to be designed by the psychedelic poster virtuoso Victor Moscoso, who scaled back his trademark use of color in solidarity with The Diggers' core principle of keeping things Free. All three announcements preserved in fine condition.

$1200.00

6. Peter Doig

Peter Doig: Homely

Bremen: Gesellschaft für Aktuelle Kunst, 1996. First Edition. Quarto. An early Peter Doig catalogue, published on the occasion of his exhibition at Bremen's Gesellschaft für Aktuelle Kunst (Jun. 22–Aug. 25, 1996). Featuring 11 tipped-in color plates of the exhibited works; accompanied by short text from Eva Schmidt ("Worlds within Worlds within Worlds"), printed in both German and English. Close to fine in textured yellow wrappers with pale pink lettering. Uncommon, with five OCLC records located in North America.

$300.00

7. Marcel Dzama and Raymond Pettibon

Dzama / Pettibon (Signed with Original Drawing)

New York: David Zwirner Books, 2015. Limited Edition. Staple-bound quarto. Hand-numbered to verso of rear wrapper as 68 of 200 copies. First collaborative work between Marcel Dzama and Raymond Pettibon; the duo developed a series of exquisite corpse drawings with which to produce this zine, issued at Printed Matter's 2015 New York Art Book Fair, where it quickly sold out. Subsequent collaborations were then exhibited at David Zwirner in 2016 ("Forgetting the Hand," Jan. 14–Feb. 20), where the zine was reprinted. This copy of the first printing SIGNED by both artists to rear cover, which also boasts an original collaborative drawing from the duo, playing-off their thematic affinities ("All our Bats"). Fine in illustrated wrappers.

$950.00

8. Richard Hamilton

Polaroid Portraits (Complete Set)

Stuttgart: Edition Hansjörg Mayer, 1972–2001. First Editions. Duodecimos. A complete, four volume set documenting Richard Hamilton's long-term self-portraiture project (1968–2001), in which he invited fellow artists to capture his likeness via Polaroid cameras. The result is not only something of "A Portrait of the Artist as an Aging Man," but also a reflection of the distinctive styles of each of the participating artists; a veritable who's who of post-War art, including: Adami, Arakawa, Bacon, Baldessari, Beuys, Boltanski, Brecht, Broodthaers, Bury, Cage, Cartier-Bresson, Chaimowicz, Christo, Copley, Creeley, De Maria, Dibbets, Filliou, General Idea, Gilbert and George, Haacke, Hockney, Hopper, Iannone, Indiana, Jarman, Johns, Kaprow, Katz, Lichtenstein, Merz, Nevelson, Oldenburg, Ono, Paik, Pistoletto, Rauschenberg, Richter, Rosenquist, Rot, Ruscha, St. Phalle, Schneemann, Segal, Spoerri, Ulrichs, Vautier, Vostell, Warhol, Wiener, Wilke, and Yokoo. A fine clothbound set in elegantly printed jackets, which are near fine save for minor scuffing to two of the covers.

$650.00

9. Ray Johnson

[Rauschenberg at the Opening]

Self-published, circa 1983. Xerographic print (11 x 8.5 inches). A quite telling specimen of Correspondence art from Ray Johnson, in which he collages a Fred McDarrah photograph of Black Mountain classmate Robert Rauschenberg—at his New Year's Day opening at Castelli Gallery in 1983—with a multiplying series of his trademark bunnies, each of them keeping score of one Rauschenberg opening per calendar year. The collage's tone is perhaps best revealed in the typed-over specimen reproduced in the compilation Not Nothing: Selected Writings (pg. 164), in which Johnson—famously not one for exhibitions—systematically types to the sheet's verso: "Ray Johnson at the opening of an envelope 1983 / Ray Johnson at the opening of an envelope 1982 / ... Ray Johnson at the opening of an envelope 1957." Faint foldlines from mailing, else fine.

$650.00

10. Gerd Kippenberger / Martin Kippenberger

Nachzulesen... Briefe und Lebenserinnerungen aus der Ahnenfamilie unserer Kinder (Inscribed with Letter)

Essen: Self-published, 1968. Limited Edition. Octavo. A family history compiled by Martin Kippenberger's father Gerd, reproducing a series of letters and memoirs from 1618 through 1968; published on the occasion of his 80th birthday. With endpapers creatively illustrated after a cartographic genealogy of Kippenberger's family, charting their international diffusion. Contents include a number of letters sent from Martin to his parents from his boarding school in Honneroth. Family genealogy printed at rear. This copy INSCRIBED by Gerd on front endpaper, to local historian Lothar Irle; accompanied by corresponding typescript letter addressed to Irle, also SIGNED, identifying this as copy 325. A fine copy with black leatherette boards and gilt lettering. Scarce, with only two OCLC records located (both in Germany).

$950.00

11. Martin Kippenberger and Albrecht Fuchs

M.K.: 9 Fotografien. Martin Kippenberger in Dawson City, August 1995

[No publication details], 2002. Limited Edition. Oversized folio. A portfolio of nine C-Print photographs (10.5 x 8.25 inches) by Albrecht Fuchs documenting Martin Kippenberger’s time in Dawson City, Yukon, while he was working on the second leg of his absurdly-global Metro-Net subway system in 1995. A number of these portraits would be reprinted in Fuchs’ MK95: Martin Kippenberger 1995 Portraits (Snoeck, 2008). Loose title page SIGNED by Fuchs and hand-numbered as 14/15 (+ 3 APs). Each of the prints further SIGNED, dated (1995/2002), and hand-numbered to versos; matted with photo corners (14.5 x 12.5 inches). All elements housed in cloth clamshell, with M.K. monogram printed red to front panel. Minor blemish to one of the mats, else fine. Scarce, with no OCLC records located.

$7500.00

12. Ketty La Rocca

In Principio Erat (It Was in the Beginning)

Firenze: Centro Di, 1971. First Edition. Square octavo. Published on the occasion of a series of Italian exhibitions of Ketty La Rocca's works; 39 black-and-white plates reproducing photographs of various hand gestures, poses, and contortions, somewhat more sculptural than Bruno Munari's earlier handbook of Italian gestures. Introduced by text from Gillo Dorfles, printed in both Italian and English: "Let us be aware of the importance of these spontaneous gestures, taught to man by no one; the gesture that we all acquire by tradition, heredity, and instinct, and which constitute—before, after, and together with words—the most elevated and peculiar, the most inimitable and authentic, communicative quality of humanity." Some thumbing to glossy photo-illustrated wrappers, and minor bumping; close to near fine.

$450.00

13. Deana Lawson / Zadie Smith / Arthur Jafa

Deana Lawson (First Printing)

New York: Aperture Foundation, 2018. First Edition. Folio. First printing of this first monograph on the Rochester-born photographer Deana Lawson, reproducing forty of her carfeully composed portraits—captured across the United States, the Caribbean, and Africa between 2002 and 2018—in striking glossy colors. Accompanied by an essay from Zadie Smith and the transcript of an interview between Lawson and Arthur Jafa. A fine copy in silken purple boards with gilt lettering to front panel and spine. Includes original promotional band in its first state. Uncommon; most copies now circulating in the trade are from Aperture's second printing, which adds the New Yorker credit to colophon.

$250.00

14. Marisol

Marisol (Catalogue and Announcement Card)

Rotterdam: Museum Boymans-van Beuningen, 1968. First Edition. Staple-bound quarto. A handsome catalogue from Marisol Escobar's exhibition at the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam (Nov. 16–Dec. 15, 1968), which featured eight of her idiosyncratic Pop sculpture works, including her 1962 representation of Andy Warhol. Exhibition organized with the participation of Sidney Janis. Contents: 8 pages, with black-and-white photographs and a 3 pp. text from art historian Clara Diament de Sujo. Text in Dutch. This copy accompanied by the matching bifolium invitation (8.25 inches square, unfolded), with vernissage details and announcement of a related film screening on the contemporary New York art scene. A near fine copy in illustrated wrappers, save for minor offsetting to rear cover. Invitation is clean and bright; fine.

$250.00

15. Helmut Newton

Helmut Newton: Nouvelles Images (Inscribed to Ralph Gibson)

Paris: Paris Audiovisuel, 1988. First Edition. Duodecimo. Published on the occasion of an exhibition of new portrait photography from Helmut Newton at Espace Photographique de Paris (Nov. 5, 1988–Jan. 29, 1989). This association copy warmly INSCRIBED by Newton to his contemporary Ralph Gibson: "For my friend and / comrade in arms / against all comers! / Forward March! / Ralph Gibson / from / Helmut Newton / Monte Carlo / 21.4.1989." Contents reproduce 32 unpublished black-and-white portraits of actors, writers, and artists (e.g. Botero, Jodie Foster, David Hockney, David Lynch, Gabriel Garcia Márquez, Sigourney Weaver); introduced by text from Henry Chapier. Red cloth boards with die cut window revealing half-title page underneath. Minor stain to blank verso of one page; near fine.

$750.00

16. Sigmar Polke

Parkett No. 2: Collaboration Sigmar Polke

Zurich: Parkett Verlag, 1984. First Edition. Quarto. The desirable second issue of the seminal art journal Parkett, featuring an elaborate insert from Sigmar Polke: Desastres und andere bare Wunder, a 27 panel leporello printed on thin spider-web paper, measuring 5.5 meters in length when unfolded. The leporello derives from an experimental film shot by Polke in 1982, with its Goya imagery distorted by a development process that involved raspberry brandy, coffee, and laundry detergent. Additional contributions from Jean-Christophe Ammann, Bice Curiger, and David Salle. A remarkably well-preserved copy of this issue, which often suffers from binding issues; the Polke insert still folded neatly and tipped-onto page. Save for some minor rubbing to illustrated wrappers; near fine.

$750.00

17. Ed Ruscha

Babycakes with Weights

New York: Multiples, Inc., 1970. First Edition. Small octavo. One of Ruscha's more playful artist's books, with a black-and-white photo of a baby—an uncredited Edward Ruscha Jr. (born 1968)—followed by 21 images of various types of cakes; each of the subjects captioned only by their weights, making good on the work's full title. Originally issued as part of the Artists and Photographs box published by Multiples Inc. Baby blue wrappers with flocked lettering and pink satin ribbon; save for slightest lean to wrappers, a remarkably fine copy.

$3500.00

18. Jim Shaw

Dreams

Santa Monica, CA: Smart Art Press, 1995. First Edition. Octavo. An engrossing volume of drawings from Destroy All Monsters alumni Jim Shaw, revisiting dozens of his dreams from the period 1987–1995; each of the drawings, often executed in multiple panels, accompanied by brief textual summary of the corresponding dream. Minor shelf-wear to illustrated wrappers; near fine.

$125.00

19. Jack Smith / Jonas Mekas

Flaming Creatures (Flyer)

New York: Tivoli Theatre, [1963]. Offset print (11.5 x 9 inches). Legendary flyer designed by Jack Smith for a December 7th screening of his notorious Flaming Creatures, which had premiered in April of that year. Organized by Jonas Mekas' Film Culture, this midnight screening was supposed to double as an award ceremony for Smith, but was canceled at the last instance after the Tivoli Theatre bowed to censorious pressure from the City. Mekas, who would be arrested the following year for organizing another screening of the film, would describe the aftermath of the Tivoli cancellation: "As an act of protest, the Independent Film Association presentation took place on the tops of the cars in the busy New York street. A beautiful thing happened. People refused to leave. A few hundred took the theatre by force... The time has come to disobey openly the censors of free expression in cinema... We'll find places to show our work. We'll screen our movies in public places, on the highway billboards and in the streets, if necessary." At the event, Smith was also scheduled to perform his live film Normal Love. Minor creasing to top edge; close to fine.

$450.00

20. Valerie Solanas

S.C.U.M. (Society for Cutting Up Men) Manifesto

New York: The Olympia Press, 1968. First Commercial Edition. Octavo. The first version of Valerie Solanas' militant feminist manifesto was self-distributed in mimeograph form in 1967. The following year, after Solanas had gained notoriety for shooting Andy Warhol, Maurice Girodias followed-through with his earlier agreement to publish the manifesto, justifying it as a "contribution to the study of violence" (in the wake of the Robert F. Kennedy assassination). His Olympia Press edition boasted the striking cover portrait of Solanas by Fred McDarrah, with the text accompanied by a commentary from Paul Krassner, addressing Solanas' "misanthropic evangelism." Moderate rubbing to edges of illustrated wrappers and faint creaseline to lower corner of first few pages. Overall, a pleasing copy of an otherwise prone-to-wear book; close to near fine.

$950.00

21. Shomei Tomatsu

Oh! Shinjuku

Tokyo: Shaken, 1969. First Edition. Oblong quarto. Arguably Shomei Tomatsu's most important work, this dynamic portrait of Tokyo's Shinjuku district was published at the height of the New Left movement in Japan, with Tomatsu skillfully juxtaposing Shinjuku's traditional backdrop of corporate culture with counterculture scenes of sexual decadence and explosive street protests. The poetic text to rear cover stamps this as one of the great city photobooks: "Shinjuku is the town of young people... the stage for happenings... a town of vagabonds. Shinjuku is a modern jungle... a town that reeks of crime. Shinjuku is a town of night... a ghost of bloated desire that swallows everything. There are countless words that try to capture Shinjuku, but no matter how tightly you wrap the rope of language around it, it slips away with the speed of a loach" (our translation). (Parr / Badger, v1, 290). A remarkably well-preserved copy, with some rubbing to illustrated wrappers, else near fine.

$3000.00

22. Karl Wirsum

Hare Toddy Kong Tamari: Objects Selected by Karl Wirsum (Exhibition Poster)

Chicago: Museum of Contemporary Art, 1980. Exhibition poster (24 x 18 inches). For the exhibition of his personal objects and sculptural works at Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art (Dec. 2, 1980–Feb. 8, 1981), Karl Wirsum designed both the accompanying catalogue and this striking poster, animated by four of his distinctive personnages. Near fine. Archivally-hinged in black lacquer frame with UV plexiglass (26.75 x 20.75 inches).

$1500.00

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