Detail from Hiroshi Sugimoto's arresting artist's book, Sea of Buddha (1997); elegantly bound accordion-style in brushed aluminum boards. See number 20 below.

Harper's Books: January Selections

22 monthly selections; a range of books, ephemera, and other printed matter relating to art, photography, and subcultures. Follow the links for additional images and purchasing options. To browse similar materials, visit our Chelsea bookshop at 504 West 22nd Street. Please note our Winter hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 11am to 6pm; Tuesdays by appointment or chance.

01. Eugène Atget and Berenice Abbott

Atget: Photographe de Paris

New York: E. Weyhe, 1930. First Edition. Quarto. The influential first monograph on Eugène Atget, with its 96 images selected mostly from the collection of a young Berenice Abbott, who came to admire Atget through her position at Man Ray's studio in Montmartre. Published in parallel with an exhibition of Atget's photographs at New York's Weyhe Gallery, this American version features a lengthy preface from Pierre Mac-Orlan (in French), 96 collotype plates, and a frontispiece portrait of Atget by Abbott herself. (Parr/Badger v1, 127). A fine copy in silken boards with gilt titles; accompanied by the publisher's original cardstock slipcase. All housed in custom clamshell case, with leather lettering piece to spine. One of the key publications in photography's self-documentation, preserved in original condition.

$2500.00

02. Bill Brandt

Perspective of Nudes

New York: Amphoto, 1961. First American Edition; simultaneous to British. Quarto. A pleasing copy of this classic photobook from Bill Brandt. Contents: 90 lush black-and-white plates of Brandt's nude landscapes, introduced by a preface from Lawrence Durrell: "Brandt uses the camera as an extension of the eye—the eye of a poet; he is to photography what a sculptor is to a block of marble." (Parr/Badger, v1, 216; Roth 160-161). Near fine copy in patterned boards, with elegant ownership inscription of Arnold Crane to front pastedown. In photo-illustrated jacket with modest wear to spine ends; close to near fine.

$1500.00

03. José Luis Castillejo

La Caida del Avión en el Terreno Baldío (Signed)

Madrid: Zaj / Artes Graficas Luis Perez, 1967. Limited Edition; no. 187 of 500 hand-numbered copies. Quarto. 88 leaves (10.5 x 8.25 inches) housed in printed cardboard box; this copy SIGNED by Castillejo to the interior of the box's lid (Köln, 1969). Translating its title from a passage in John Cage's Silence—"beware of that which is breathtakingly beautiful, for at any moment the telephone may ring or the airplane come down in a vacant lot"— this is one of the more literary instances of the cartón genre developed by the Spanish artist's collective Zaj; a form of concrete poetry closely aligned with minimalism, performance, and mail art. Critic, poet, and diplomat for the Spanish government, José Luis Castillejo here mobilizes wordplay, suggestion, and visual composition to create a flexible sequence of 88 physical poems, with key references to a number of contemporary artists and writers, including William S. Burroughs, John Cage, Yves Klein, R. D. Laing, Susan Sontag, and Andy Warhol. A near fine copy, with minimal toning to loose leaves; housed in a remarkably well-preserved copy of the printed cardboard box. Uncommon, especially signed, with 8 OCLC records located in North America.

$1500.00

04. Larry Clark

Punk Picasso (Signed)

[New York: PPP Editions], 2003. First Edition. Quarto. Press-numbered as 438 of 1000 copies; SIGNED and dated by Clark in green ink to colophon. A loosely-chronological scrapbook from Larry Clark, published alongside his Luhring Augustine exhibition of the same name; the title lifted from a review of his film Bully by David Denby—"as the camera wanders-grazes among naked thighs and tattooed torsos, this punk Picasso combines the multiple desires of lover, artist, and voyeur." Fully illustrated after personal snapshots, correspondence, newspaper clippings, unpublished images from both Tulsa and 42nd St., and behind-the-scenes photos from the sets of Kids and Ken Park. Three panel poster laid-in loose. Near fine copy in illustrated wrappers, with minor edge-wear. In original cardstock slipcase.

$750.00

05. George Condo and [Diego Cortez]

George Condo: Gemälde / Paintings, 1984–1986 (Presentation Copy with Original Drawing)

Munich: Kunstverein München, 1987. First Edition. Slim quarto. Catalogue published on the occasion of George Condo's exhibition at Kunstverein München (Mar. 28 - May 3, 1987). This copy lovingly INSCRIBED by Condo to no wave curator Diego Cortez, above an original pencil drawing of a clown. Catalogue illustrated with 30 plates reproducing Condo's exhibited works, in both color and black-and-white; supplemented by fragments from the novel Orest by Demosthenes Davvetas, printed in both German and English. This presentation copy subject to binder's error, with the German and English translations bound out-of-sequence; the remainder of contents not affected. Some scuffing to printed yellow wrappers, else near fine.

$6500.00

06. [Robert Crumb]

LOVE is here (Matchmaking Service Questionnaire)

Staten Island, NY: LOVE, circa 1968. Single sheet (11 x 8.5 inches), illustrated to recto after Robert Crumb's cover image for Yarrowstalks No. 3 (1967). A blank questionnaire for LOVE, the Staten Island-based "liberated dating service... for creative, sensitive people (without prejudices) who want exciting, stimulating, real relationships with other REAL people." Featuring slightly more intriguing prompts than Hinge: e.g. "Do you get high? How? On what?" / "What's Happening?" / "On an extra sheet of paper, write an original poem of love for us, for someone you care for, for man or for God." After receiving the filled-in questionnaires—along with $5 for men and $2 for women—"our loving matchmaker-freak [reads] all applications in your area and picks the best dates for you. Within a few weeks, their names, addresses, and phone numbers, as well as an extra gift of love from us, will be mailed to you." Marginal toning to sheet with minor creasing to lower corner; close to near fine.

$250.00

07. Noah Davis, Helen Molesworth, and Henry Taylor

Young Blood: Noah Davis, Kahlil Joseph, The Underground Museum

Seattle: Frye Art Museum, 2016. First Edition. Folio. Published on the occasion of a memorial exhibition at Seattle's Frye Art Museum (Apr. 16 - Jun. 19, 2016) for the late Noah Davis, with special focus on his relationship with his older brother, the artist and filmmaker Kahlil Joseph. Richly illustrated, including color reproductions of Davis' Seventy Works (2014) series of works-on-paper; accompanied by insightful essays from the likes of Helen Molesworth and Henry Taylor. A fine copy in illustrated purple wrappers, in a near fine copy of the purple-on-purple printed jacket.

$350.00

08. Jean Dubuffet

L'Oeuvre Gravé et les Livres Illustrés par Jean Dubuffet: Catalogue Raisonné (2 Volume Set)

Paris: Baudoin Lebon, 1991. First Edition. Two volumes. An updated catalogue raisonné of Jean Dubuffet's prolific output of prints and illustrated books, documenting a sprawling 1474 works, with an appendix of a further 15. Illustrated throughout with both color and black-and-white reproductions. Edited by Sophie Webel; text in French. A near fine set in white glossy boards, illustrated after grainy scenes of Dubuffet at work.

$450.00

09. Marcel Dzama and Raymond Pettibon 

Marcel Dzama: Sower of Discord (Inscribed by both Dzama and Pettibon)

New York: Abrams, 2013. First Edition. Quarto. The first comprehensive survey of Marcel Dzama's idiosyncratic universe, featuring contributions from an impressive cast of characters, including a preface from Raymond Pettibon, an interview of Dzama by filmmaker Spike Jonze, three original short stories by Dave Eggers, and a visual taxonomy of Dzama's archetypes and themes by art historian Bradley Bailey. Thoroughly illustrated in color; 288 pages. This copy INSCRIBED by Dzama to half-title page along with a bat drawing ("live well / all my beast"), and further INSCRIBED by Pettibon to the beginning of his contribution in black marker. Illustrated boards with minor rubbing; near fine. In matching illustrated jacket with minor scuffing; also near fine. Accompanied by folded color poster (Grand Presentiments of What Must Come).

$850.00

10. Leonor Fini

Carnet des Chats

Geneva: Galerie Lambert Monet, circa 1972. First Edition. Oblong quarto. A wordless artist's book featuring Leonor Fini's eccentric cat drawings; 49 fully illustrated leaves, with a 50th illustration trimmed and mounted to the front panel of the fine cloth boards, next to a facsimile of Fini's signature. An uncommon work from the Argentine-Italian Surrealist, who was known to keep a large clowder of Persian cats in her home. Minor darkening to orange boards, else near fine.

$850.00

11. Günther Förg

Günther Förg

Düsseldorf: Richter Verlag, 1996. First Edition. Quarto. An impressive publication, supplementing the baroque exhibition of paintings, sculptures, photographs, and drawings from Günther Förg, installed at both Kunstverein Hannover and Orangerie Herrenhausen (Dec. 8, 1995 - Feb. 25, 1996); an exhibition verging on a site-specific installation, as per the essayists printed here in both German and English translation. Contents: 174 pages; thoroughly illustrated with color reproductions of the works, installation shots, and schematics. Gray cloth boards with blind-stamped design to front panel; near fine. In matching illustrated jacket with some edge-wear; close to near fine.

$150.00

12. Gilbert & George

The Bar: Autumn 1972. A New Sculpture by George and Gilbert (Announcement)

London: Anthony d'Offay, 1972. Duodecimo. Announcement brochure, with printed cardstock covers; 4 pp. interior illustrated after a tipped-in photograph of George slyly tilting straight, with a gin-soaked rhyme printed en face. Anthony d'Offay here announces The Bar, an exhibition of Gilbert and George at his London gallery (Nov. 21 - Dec. 8); at a time when the duo explored alcohol as artistic medium. With d'Offay announcing a private viewing for late-afternoon Monday. A bright, crisp copy; near fine. Uncommon, with only 2 OCLC records located worldwide.

$350.00

13. David Hammons and Jannis Kounellis

David Hammons: Give Me a Moment

Athens: The George Economou Collection, 2016. First Edition. Quarto. An elegantly designed catalogue from the first survey of David Hammons' works in Europe, organized by the impressive private museum of George Economou in Athens. Beautifully printed, with full-color reproductions of the exhibited works and installation views; complemented by an essay from curator Mark Godfrey, three poems from Ben Okri, and an original text from Hammons' Arte Povera confrère Jannis Kounellis. Near fine copy in cloth boards, in fine illustrated jacket.

$250.00

14. Keith Haring

Subway Drawings and New York Street Art

Milano: Mazzotta / Galleria Giulia, 1997. First Edition. Slim quarto. Published on the occasion of an exhibition at Milan's La Posteria (Oct. 17 - Nov. 30, 1997); this monograph recreates the process of Keith Haring's subway drawings from the contemporary documentation of Italian artist Paolo Buggiani. Accompanied by text from Gianluca Marziani. Contents: 64 pages, well-illustrated with photographs; some color. Text in both Italian and English translation. Minor edge-wear to illustrated wrappers, close to near fine. 

$350.00

15. Harmony Korine

Raiders (Signed with Drawing)

Los Angeles: Gagosian, 2015. First Edition. Slim quarto. A clever artist's catalogue from Harmony Korine, published on the occasion of his exhibition at Gagosian, Los Angeles (Jan. 10 - Feb. 14, 2015). This copy boldly SIGNED by Korine to the verso of the front cover, above his black marker drawing of a masked figure. Contents: [48] pages, printed to glossy sheets; fully illustrated after full-bleed color photographs of Korine's cycle of Raiders paintings, dramatically installed in a series of abandoned office spaces. Very much not white cube. A fine copy in side-stapled wrappers with cover design by Rachel Korine. 

$750.00

16. Roy Lichtenstein and Lawrence Alloway

Roy Lichtenstein: "The Mirror Paintings"

New York: Mary Boone, 1989. First Edition. Quarto. An extravagant catalogue published on the occasion of Roy Lichtenstein's 1989 exhibition with Mary Boone. Illustrated with 19 impressive reproductions of the exhibited mirror paintings; introduced with a black-and-white portrait of a bashful Lichtenstein, photographed by Renate Ponsold. Accompanied by an essay from Lawrence Alloway. Decorative endpapers—resembling tarnished mirrors—protected by original tissue guards. Some toning to textured boards, with rubbing at corners; a close to near fine copy of an uncommon catalogue.

$650.00

17. Richard Prince

Richard Prince / De Kooning

New York: Gagosian Gallery, 2011. First Edition. Quarto. Hardcover catalogue published as supplement to Richard Prince's de Kooning cycle of paintings at Gagosian's Paris gallery (Mar. 30 - May 21, 2011). Featuring 8 tipped-in color plates reproducing the exhibited paintings, along with an energetic 40 pp. collage of detail views, printed in full-bleed color on buff paper. Introduced by a robust artist's statement from Prince: "Beauty becomes petulant to me. I like the grotesque. It's more joyous." A fine copy in blue cloth boards, with an additional color plate affixed to front panel. Uncommon.

$350.00

18. Tom Sachs

Tea Ceremony Manual (Inscribed)

New York: The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum, 2016. First Edition. Quarto. INSCRIBED by Sachs in black marker to front endpaper: "Joachim's / Copy / ABK / Tom Sachs." An over-the-top handbook published on the occasion of Tom Sachs' exhibition at the Isamu Noguchi Museum; the first solo exhibition at the museum of an artist other than Noguchi, for which Sachs wholly reworked the traditional Japanese tea ceremony (chanoyu) in his distinctive fashion. Thoroughly illustrated contents separated by a series of tabbed dividers, including sections on: Host Preparation, Outer Garden, Inner Garden, Ceremony, and Conversation and Games. A fine copy in cloth boards, with sake-heavy menu printed to rear panel.

$500.00

19. Daniel Spoerri, Dieter Roth, Emmett Williams, Various Others

Le Petit Colosse de Symi: The Nothing Else Review (Complete Set)

Symi, Greece: Self-published, 1966-1967. First Edition. Octavo; 4 vols. complete. With a nod to Dick Higgins' Something Else Press, Daniel Spoerri published The Nothing Else Review from his idyllic retreat on the Greek island of Symi. Three of the four volumes were composed as uncut color sheets, so that reading the texts involved unfolding and turning the sheet, or cutting it into 32 pages. Contributors included: George Brecht, François Dufrene, Robert Filliou, Claes Oldenburg, Jean Tinguely, Dieter Roth, and Emmett Williams, as well as Spoerri's partner Kichka Baticheff. The third volume was dedicated to Spoerri's own Eat Art essay ("Dissertation sur le ou la Keftédès..."); self-proclaimed as the first erudite treatment of the meatball. Slight toning to sheets, with minor abrasion to rear panel of fourth volume; overall close to near fine. Uncommon, with four OCLC records located in North America.

$1250.00

20. Hiroshi Sugimoto

Sea of Buddha

New York: Sonnabend Sundell Editions, 1997. Limited Edition; no. 329 of 1000 copies. Quarto-sized leporello. Artist's book from Hiroshi Sugimoto, featuring an unfolding sequence of his photographs from the Sanjūsangen-dō temple in Kyoto, with its thousand statues of Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion. Multiplied by the 1000 copies in this edition, Sugimoto thus released one million bodhisattvas into the world; a virtual sea of Buddha. (Parr/Badger, v1, 308). A fine copy, accordion-bound in brushed aluminum boards, similar to its sister publications Time Exposed (1991) and Theaters (2000). Minor scuffing to silken slipcase, else near fine. An impressive construction.

$2500.00

21. Andy Warhol and Kurt Benirschke

Vanishing Animals (Signed by Warhol and Benirschke)

New York: Springer-Verlag, 1986. First Edition. Quarto. A curious publication from academic publisher Springer, published to raise awareness about species extinction. With Andy Warhol commissioned to create original screenprints for 15 near-extinct species, such as the California condor, the Mongolian wild horse, the whooping crane, and the Puerto Rican parrot; reproduced in glossy full color plates. Warhol's images complemented by a lengthy essay from cryo-conservationist Dr. Kurt Benirschke, the founder of San Diego's "Frozen Zoo." This copy SIGNED to title page by both Warhol and Benirschke; accompanied by a 2004 letter inscribed by Benirschke to the book's former owner. A fine copy bound in black cloth boards with silver-stamped design. In near fine illustrated jacket.

$1250.00

22. Stanley Whitney 

Stanley Whitney: Sketchbook (Signed)

New York: Lisson Gallery, 2017. First Edition. Slim quarto. A facsimile of Stanley Whitney's sketchbooks, reproducing dozens of his color drawings and evocative handwritten notes; published on the occasion of an exhibition at Lisson Gallery (Sep. 8 - Oct. 21, 2017). This copy SIGNED by Whitney to top of first page; dated 2018. Minor scuffing to printed black wrappers, with original sticker to lower corner of front panel.

$350.00

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