Wipe Out (The Catcher in the Rye). Richard Prince's intervention on a copy of his own appropriation of the Salinger classic, with a signed Band Painting to rear panel of the dust jacket. See item 16 below.

New York International Antiquarian Book Fair
Booth A22
April 27–30, 2023
VIP Preview: Thursday, April 27, 5–8pm

Park Avenue Armory
643 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10065

Harper's Books is pleased to announce our participation in this weekend's New York Antiquarian Book Fair, organized by the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America. You can find us at Booth A22, with a selection of our booth highlights below.

1. Charlie Ahearn (director) and Fred Braithwaite (Fab 5 Freddy)

Wild Style: "Hip Hop" from N.Y.

Tokyo: JICC, 1983. First Edition. Octavo-sized booklet (60 pp.) and audio cassette in plastic housing. Promotional publication—and sub-cultural primer—issued to coincide with the Japanese release of the 1983 hip-hop film Wild Style and the accompanying Japanese tour of the film's director and cast. With the four elements of hip-hop—break dance, scratch, rap, graffiti—clearly articulated to the front cover, and represented throughout the booklet in full-color, full-bleed photographs. Accompanied by the soundtrack cassette with Fred Braithwaite (Fab 5 Freddy) credited as Musical Director: two M.C. battles and tracks from the likes of Grandmaster Caz, the Cold Crush Brothers, DJ Grand Wizard Theodore, Double Trouble, and Rammellzee. Original design by Kazu Kuzui and the film's director Charlie Ahearn; the latter supplying a brief text in English, also printed in Japanese translation. Staple-bound booklet in illustrated wrappers, as well as audio cassette, in fine condition. The plastic folder/enclosure has a split to the seam of the back panel, else near fine. This copy with the original obi. Scarce, with single OCLC record located (Cornell).

$3000.00

2. Josef Albers

Interaction of Color

New Haven: Yale University Press, 1963. First Edition. Thick folio. Featuring 80 folders with original silkscreen prints, some with moveables and die-cuts, exploring the nature of color; over 200 illustrations in total. This ambitious project followed 30 years of artistic and pedagogical experimentation from Albers, which culminated in a sequence of color exercises offered through his coursework at Yale (1950–1958) and formalized with the present publication; "perhaps the most unusual ever to come from a university press." The 80 image folders are cross-referenced to two volumes of text—one clothbound (80 pp.), and one in wrappers (40 pp.)—offering concrete examples of Albers' aesthetic instruction. One of 2000 copies printed; this set includes the additional prospectus folder, with an introduction from Albers, a publisher's statement, a table of contents, and samples of two folders (VIII-2 and XIII-1). All elements housed in large drop-back clamshell box. Signs of handling to the exterior of a handful of folders, and remnants of tape to lower margin of folder IV-3 (not affecting prints). A complete set and near fine overall. Despite a robust print-run for this edition, complete copies are rare in commerce, as the portfolio is often broken up for the prints.

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3. Vanessa Bell and Virginia Woolf

The Waves

London: The Hogarth Press, 1931. First Edition. Octavo. Arguably Virginia Woolf's most experimental work. This copy features the Vanessa Bell-designed jacket in exemplary condition. Purple boards with gilt lettering to spine; fine. In remarkable jacket, unclipped, with quite minor chips to head of spine and minimal toning; close to fine. 

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4. Marcel Broodthaers

Musée d'Art Moderne a Vendre pour Cause de Faillite

Köln: Galerie Michael Werner, 1971. Limited Edition. Folio. Another mise-en-abyme structure from Marcel Broodthaers, produced as one of the final installments—i.e. the Section Financière—to his conceptual Musée d'Art Moderne cycle (1968–1972). For the 1971 edition of the Köln Kunstmarkt catalogue—with neon-green inflected wrappers—Broodthaers was granted a take-over of the Galerie Michael Werner spread, designing a fire-sale advertisement for his imaginary modern art museum, "for reasons of bankruptcy." (Not coincidentally, the next spread in the catalogue belonged to Wide White Space, which was illustrated by an inventory of Broodthaers' published works). To complete this time-based work, Broodthaers then offered a limited edition of the appropriated catalogue at Werner's Köln gallery (Nov. 8–13), each of these copies wrapped in a Broodthaers-designed dustjacket, which was an almost exact replica of his advertisement within, albeit with the names of Werner's represented artists replaced by a group of 19 honorary "eagles" curated by Broodthaers: e.g. Baudelaire, Hugo, Buster Keaton, Magritte, Edgar Allan Poe, Rothko, Schwitters, Jonathan Swift. Fine copy of the catalogue, with some scuffing to white printed jacket, else near fine. This copy unsigned; of the purported 19 copies from this edition, our research reveals that only six include Broodthaers' legendary inscriptions to his artist-eagles, with another six unsigned. Scarce outside of museums, with no OCLC records located.

$38,000.00

5. Sam Gilliam, Jacob Lawrence, Hale Woodruff (curator), and others

Dix Artistes Negres des Etas-Unis / Ten Negro Artists from the United States

New York: Distributed by October House, 1966. First Edition. Oblong octavo. Exhibition catalogue for the American program at the first iteration of the World Festival of Black Arts in Dakar. Exhibited artists being: Barbara Chase, Emilio Cruz, Sam Gilliam, Richard Hunt, Jacob Lawrence, William Majors, Norma Morgan, Robert Reid, Charles White, and Todd Williams. Featuring an introductory text by Hale Woodruff, acting as Chairman of the American Committee, on the curatorial challenges of representing Black art. Contents: [36] pages; illustrated after b&w photographs of works and artists. With text in both English and French. Minor surface wear to colorful wrappers, with light tape-ghosting to head of spine; otherwise near fine.

$750.00

6. David Goldblatt

Particulars (Deluxe Edition with Photograph)

Johannesburg: Goodman Gallery Editions, 2003. Deluxe Edition. Folio. Number 73 of 100 copies; SIGNED and hand-numbered by Goldblatt. Accompanied by an original silver gelatin print of "Man Sleeping (Joubert Park, Johannesburg, August 1975" (9.75 x 7.75 inches, sheet); one of four variants, each printed in an edition of 25, SIGNED and numbered to verso. Goldblatt's "particulars" are formalized close-ups of bodies shot in his native South Africa, mostly from 1975 to 1982. Themes of race and class evident here in minute detail: from the manicures of rich Afrikaners to the calloused feet of a grandmother and child in black Transkei. Highly sought after; the limited edition is increasingly difficult to find. Fine in black boards and near fine matching black slipcase. Print is in fine, excellent condition.

$3500.00

7. Jenny Holzer

Truisms and Essays: Abuse of Power Comes as No Surprise (with Poster)

Halifax: The Press of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, 1983. First Edition. Square quarto. Important, early artist's book from Holzer, printing both her Truisms and Inflammatory Essays; the latter on green paper. The texts appearing in four translated variants: English, Spanish, French, and German, with translations credited to Bibianna Burton, Douglas Fairbairn, and Benjamin Buchloh. This copy complete with the Truisms poster, often missing, which is laid-in at rear. The iconic red wrappers with light rubbing and a 1-inch scratch to front panel, else fine. Folded poster also near fine, with just a hint of toning at fold-lines.

$2500.00

8. Langston Hughes

Fine Clothes to the Jew: A New Book of Poems

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1927. First Edition. Octavo. A remarkably well-preserved copy of Langston Hughes' second book, introduced with a brief Note on the blues genre that patterned his poems; "the mood of the Blues is almost always despondency, but when they are sung people laugh." With the boards and jacket masterfully designed by Harlem Renaissance artist Aaron Douglas. Minor rounding to corners and fading to black topstain, else a near fine copy in patterned boards with cloth spine. Illustrated jacket with minute chip to top of rear panel and hint of foxing to top of rear flap, else near fine. Housed in half-leather slipcase with pull-tab chemise. A striking copy.

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9. Terry Jones (editor)

i-D Fashion Magazine (First 10 Issues)

London: T.J. Information Design, Ltd., 1980–1982. First Editions. Oblong quartos. A sharp run of the first 10 issues of Terry Jones' iconic street-style magazine. Side-stapled illustrated wrappers. Some creasing to cover of Number 5, else a near fine set. Number 3 includes gold vinyl flexi-disc. Rare.

$4500.00

10. (James Joyce), Samuel Beckett, and others

Our Exagmination Round his Factification for Incamination of Work in Progress (Limited Edition)

Paris: Shakespeare and Company, 1929. Limited Edition. Thick octavo. Copy number 93 of 96 printed on Arches paper. A symposium of critical texts published by Sylvia Beach reflecting upon Joyce's Work in Progress (i.e. what would become Finnegans Wake). This collection beginning with Samuel Beckett's first appearance in print ("Dante... Bruno. Vico.. Joyce"), followed by texts from Marcel Brion, Frank Budgen, Stuart Gilbert, Eugene Jolas, Victor Llona, Roebrt McAlmon, Thomas McGreevy, Elliott Paul, John Rodker, Robert Sage and William Carlos Williams. Printed wrappers in contemporary glassine. Minor chip to glassine at head of spine, with minimal wear to wrapper underneath, else fine. A remarkably sharp copy of this landmark Shakespeare and Company publication, with unopened gatherings. Housed in half-leather slipcase with pull-tab chemise.

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11. Jacob Lawrence

The First Book of Moses, called Genesis: The King James Version: Silkscreens by Jacob Lawrence

New York: Limited Editions Club, 1989. Limited Edition. Over-sized folio. Featuring 8 brilliant color silkscreen prints from Jacob Lawrence; SIGNED by him to colophon and hand-numbered as 359 of 400 copies. Having earlier worked with the Limited Editions Club on their production of John Hersey's Hiroshima (1983), Jacob Lawrence was here commissioned with the formal challenge of illustrating the Book of Genesis (in its King James Version). Seizing upon the metaphor of the stain-glass window, Lawrence discovered a most elegant solution: "My inspiration came from memories of the preachers at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York City, the church in which I was baptized and which I faithfully attended in my youth." A fine copy in navy blue cloth boards, with elegant gilt lettering to front panel. Housed in cloth clamshell case, with suede lining and leather lettering piece to front panel; very minor scuffing to front panel, else fine. Accompanied by the corresponding LEC newsletter (Number 558, May 1990).

$9500.00

12. Bernard Malamud

The Natural (with Trial Jacket)

New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1952. First Edition. Octavo. A remarkable copy of Malamud's classic first book, featuring a trial version of the now-iconic jacket design, printed before-letters in blue, rather than green, colorway. Accompanied by typescript letter signed by Gerald N. Greenberg of Harcourt, Brace and Company, suggesting that this jacket was likely used as a sample copy. The book itself is near fine with minor wear to corners; bound in the red cloth variant (in addition to those in blue and gray cloth, without priority). Some stress to front joint of jacket, with wear to corners and closed tear to rear panel; overall a bright and sharp specimen from an alternate history of American book design.

$18,000.00

13. Agnes Martin

Paintings and Drawings, 1974–1990 (Limited Edition)

Amsterdam: Stedelijk Museum, 1991. First Edition. Large quarto. A truly impressive production that accompanied a 1990 Agnes Martin retrospective exhibition, with stops at four European museums. Exhibition catalogue (160 pp.), illustrated with both black-and-white and color reproductions of Martin's works, along with a number of her writings. Housed in card portfolio along with 10 lithographs on vellum, after her drawings. The production of the lithographs was overseen by Martin, and represents one of her few print projects. The portfolio also includes the string-bound pamphlet Agnes Martin: Recipient of the Alexej von Jawlensky Prize for 1990. Both catalogue and pamphlet are fine, in illustrated wrappers. With the suite of prints also in fine condition. Housed in a near fine folding card portfolio with matching design to catalogue wrappers.

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14. Charles Olson

The Maximus Poems: 1-10 / 11-22 (Signed Deluxe Editions)

Stuttgart: Jonathan Williams, Publisher, 1953 and 1956. Deluxe Editions. Slim quartos. Two-part publication of Olson's magnum opus, with textured wrappers designed by Jonathan Williams; both volumes present here in their deluxe states. The first volume, published by Williams as Jargon 7, being one of fifty SIGNED by Olson and accompanied by prospectus leaf for second volume, featuring an introductory text by Robert Creeley. This association copy further INSCRIBED by Olson to writer Fielding Dawson, one of his students at Black Mountain College. The second volume, published as Jargon 9, being one of 25 from the scarce Patron's Edition. Of the patrons named in the colophon, we note Robert Duncan, the Menils, and Robert Motherwell. Near fine copies, save for rounding to corners of second volume, with faint stain to lower portion of half-title page. Volumes each housed in original card-stock portfolios, further housed in cloth clamshell cases with leather lettering pieces to spines.

$12,500.00

15. Elizabeth Peyton and Vladimir Nabokov

Prince Igor: Imaginary Portraits (Deluxe Edition, with Original Drawing)

New York: Karma, 2014. First Edition. Octavo. One of 50 deluxe copies bound in red cloth, each unique, featuring an original artwork from one of the 22 participating artists; this copy SIGNED by Elizabeth Peyton, who also supplies an original marker drawing that stretches across the front endpapers. Conceived by Dodie Kazanjian on the occasion of the production of Prince Igor at the Metropolitan Opera, the book contains Vladimir Nabokov's 1960 translation of The Song of Igor's Campaign, alongside speculative portraits of the epic poem's eponymous hero contributed by the likes of John Baldessari, Peter Doig, Rachel Feinstein, Alex Katz, Ragnar Kjartansson, Raymond Pettibon, Elizabeth Peyton, Peter Schjeldahl, and Sophie von Hellerman. Fine in illustrated, gold-debossed cloth boards. No jacket, as issued. Housed in custom clamshell case.

$9500.00

16. Richard Prince

Wipe Out (The Catcher in the Rye)

New York, 2013. Special Edition. Octavo. One of 3 unique copies (two numbered, one AP) of Prince's legendary appropriation of Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. With a signed Band Painting to rear cover, dated 2013. Further SIGNED by Prince to front endpaper, where he also titles the work "Wipe Out" and hand-numbers this copy as 1 of 2. Staples and rubber band elements in fine, excellent condition. Minor rubbing to top edge of jacket, else a fine copy of a true Prince rarity.

$42,000.00

17. Edward Ruscha and Jack Kerouac

On the Road (Limited Edition, Signed)

New York / Göttingen: Gagosian / Steidl, 2009. Limited Edition. Oblong folio. Number 104 of 350 copies, SIGNED and dated by Ruscha to colophon. "They steal cars and just want to be on the road the whole time. I've always liked that notion." The artist's book that Ruscha seemed destined to make; his own edition of the holy Beat scroll, with Kerouac's text in-dialogue with almost 100 tipped-in black-and-white photographs and photo-objects either taken or commissioned by Ruscha. Published as the centerpiece to the Gagosian Gallery exhibition "Ed Ruscha: On the Road: An Artist Book of the Classic Novel by Jack Kerouac" (London, Oct. 12 – Nov. 28, 2009), itself coinciding with the Hayward Gallery's retrospective exhibition "Ed Ruscha: Fifty Years of Painting." Save for some minor scuffing, a fine copy in gray leather-bound boards, housed in a fine example of the matching slipcase; both featuring black-stamped design derived from a Kerouac drawing.

$8500.00

18. Lucas Samaras

Samaras Album: Autointerview, Autobiography, Autopolaroid (Signed, with original Polaroid)

New York: The Whitney Museum of American Art and Pace Editions Inc., 1971. Deluxe Edition. Quarto. "When I say I, more than one person stands up to be counted." With this photobook Samaras plumbed the narcissistic aesthetic, in anticipation of our coming digital culture. This being 65 of 100 copies SIGNED by Samaras and issued with an original Polaroid; the latter also numbered and signed, housed in glassine envelope affixed to front endpaper. (Roth 212). Minor rubbing to photo-illustrated boards with embossed lettering and photo inset to front panel; these boards black-and-silver, whereas those for the trade edition were black-and-white. Near fine.

$3500.00

19. Daniel Spoerri and François Dufrêne

L'Optique Moderne

New York: Fluxus, 1963. First Edition. Octavo. Artist's book cataloguing the collection of absurd eyeglasses that Daniel Spoerri had been gathering, modifying, and/or inventing since 1961, accompanied by "useless" commentaries from François Dufrêne. Designed and published by George Maciunas as the second issue of his Special Editions programme scheduled for 1963-1964 (i.e. FLUXUS b.). Contents: [124] pages, illustrated after black-and-white photographs of Spoerri modeling his glasses by Vera Spoerri and Christer Christian. Some scuffing to printed wrappers, with foxing to versos; but overall a sharp copy of an uncommon work from the Fluxus canon, with only 3 OCLC records located.

$1800.00

20. Gertrude Stein

The Making of Americans: Being a History of a Family's Progress (with Holograph Letter)

Paris: Contact Editions, 1925. First Edition. Quarto. An exceptional copy of Gertrude Stein's monumental anti-novel; one of only 500 printed by Maurice Darantiere in Dijon. This copy accompanied by a truly remarkable 4 pp. holograph letter, in which Stein offers her feedback on an unpublished analysis of this work. In addition to being a source of witty quips ("I am not yet quite sixty, age is honorable but do not shove me along"), the letter addresses the real-life models for a number of Stein's characters; some of these revelations still running counter to modern scholarship. "Martha Hersland was not at all me, far from it, and although Alfred Hersland was partly Michael Stein, Julia Dehning was drawn from a cousin and David Hersland was not at all Leo Stein, but the man Leon Solomons with whom I did the studies in automatic writing." Contents: [2], 925, [3] pages; some gatherings unopened. Printed orange wrappers in exemplary state; save for slight cosmetic split to bottom of front joint, this is a near fine copy of an often-worn book. Housed in cloth clamshell case, with leather lettering pieces to spine.

$10,000.00

21. John Kennedy Toole

A Confederacy of Dunces (Review Copy)

Baton Rouge and London: Louisiana State University Press, 1980. First Edition. Octavo. A pristine copy of the 1981 Pulitzer Prize Winner in Fiction. This being a review copy, accompanied by an enthusiastic letter from Louisiana State University Press, echoing the posthumous work's origin story: "Several years ago Toole's mother, who still lives in the French Quarter, approached Walker Percy with her son's novel in the hope of getting it published. His enthusiasm for the book led him to send it to us for consideration and we are indeed happy to have the opportunity to publish it." Fine in a fine, first state jacket. Housed in half-leather slipcase with pull-tab chemise.

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22. Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol's Index (Book) (Signed Deluxe Edition)

New York: Random House, 1967. Deluxe Edition. Quarto in slipcase. Hand-numbered as 138 of 365 copies. SIGNED by Warhol to bottom of front panel, and initialed by him a further nine times on the various pop-ups and surprises inside, each also numbered 138/365. The quintessential '60s Pop Art Book, complete with disjointed black and white images, pop-ups, fold-outs, bags, discs, balloons, records, and other artifacts manufactured at Warhol's Factory. (Roth 188-189; Parr / Badger, v2 144-145). Touch of scuffing to boards and minor smudging to Warhol's signature, else a sparkling, near fine copy. Housed in the exceedingly rare silver-stamped slipcase.

$12,500.00

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