Detail from the Western-themed issue of Spirit (no. 8), the promotional magazine from Japanese distiller Suntory, distributed at nightclubs in Tokyo, New York, London, Frankfurt, Paris, Rome, Madrid, and Rio de Janeiro. See number 10 below.

Harper's Books: May Selections

Below, our 22 monthly selections; a range of books, ephemera, and other printed matter relating to art, photography, modern literature, and design. Follow the links for additional images and purchasing options. To browse similar materials, visit our New York bookshop at 504 West 22nd St. and our East Hampton gallery at 87 Newtown Lane, where the Summer season will kick-off with 36 Paintings; opening reception this Saturday, May 25 (6–8 pm).

1. Ruth Asawa

California Sculptors' Annual Exhibition for 1959

Oakland: Oakland Art Museum, 1959. First Edition. Octavo. Catalogue published for the Oakland Art Museum's annual sculpture exhibition, juried by gallerist Felix Landau. For this iteration, Ruth Asawa won the Women's Board of the Oakland Museums Association Purchase Award for "perhaps the most distinctive style yet developed by a California sculptor." Reproductions of her winning sculpture grace the front cover and its verso. Contents: 16 pages, illustrated after black-and-white photos of works from Robert McFarland, Kim-Chung, Jon Sagen, and Anne Van Kleeck. Some scuffing to rear of illustrated self-wrappers, with very minor rusting to staples; near fine.

$350.00

2. Paul Auster

The New York Trilogy: City of Glass / Ghosts / The Locked Room (Signed)

Los Angeles: Sun and Moon Press, 1985-1986. First Editions. Octavos. A lovely set of the late Paul Auster's postmodern detective trilogy, each SIGNED by Auster to title pages in black ink. City of Glass present in the elusive first state jacket, without publisher's seal to spine. Fine copies in blue cloth boards. In unclipped, illustrated jackets; near fine, save for mild sunning to rear panels. Complete set housed in handsome custom clamshell case, featuring three faux spines with leather lettering pieces.

$2500.00

3. The Cockettes

The Official Cockettes Paper Doll Book

San Francisco: Last Gasp / Pentagram, 1971. First Edition. Quarto. A fabulous cut-up fashion book from the gender-bending San Francisco performance troupe, The Cockettes. With art by John Flowers and photography by Clay Geerdes. Contents: 44 pages, fully-illustrated in black-and-white. An excellent copy in stapled illustrated wrappers; fine.

$250.00

4. Larry Clark

[Stamp-signed Vintage Photograph]

Circa 1993 (printed 1999). Vintage commercially-developed photographic print with glossy finish (4 x 6 inches), SIGNED to verso with Clark's hand-stamp. In recent years, Larry Clark has been selling his personal archive of thousands of 4 x 6 in. photos at pop-up events and galleries in New York, Paris, Berlin, etc. This image issuing from Clark's ongoing series photographing adolescent males off television screens, most often associated with his controversial 1993 book The Perfect Childhood. A fine copy, date stamped to verso.

$350.00

5. Robert Crumb, Vincent Moscoso, Spain Rodriguez, Various Others

Zap Comix #13 (Signed by All Contributors)

San Francisco: Last Gasp, 1994. First Edition. Slim octavo. Number 13 in the underground Zap Comix series, with an impressive list of contributors—Robert Crumb, Victor Moscoso, Spain Rodriguez, Gilbert Shelton, Robert Williams, and Clay Wilson; each of whom have SIGNED this copy over the first two pages. Psychedelic covers designed by Moscoso, in homage to recently deceased Zap Comix comrade Rick Griffin. Stapled wrappers clean and bright; a fine copy.

$950.00

6. Jean Dubuffet

Les Lithographies de Jean Dubuffet sont Exposées chez Berggruen (Exhibition Poster)

Paris: Galerie Berggruen, 1960. Offset poster (27.5 x 17 in.). An exceptional copy of this poster announcing the exhibition of Dubuffet's lithographs at Heinz Berggruen's legendary Paris gallery. Dramatically illustrated after an example of the textural lithographic style that Dubuffet developed in the late 1950s. Printed by Mourlot. A fine copy; archivally-hinged in wooden frame (30.5 x 20 inches) with UV plexiglass.

$1500.00

7. Günther Förg and Ezra Pound

Alba: 7 Gedichte von Ezra Pound (Signed with Illustrated Prospectus)

Köln: Gesellschaft für Moderne Kunst / Walther König, 1996-1997. Limited Edition. Oblong folio. Number 193 of 260 copies from the trade edition, SIGNED by Förg; accompanied by illustrated prospectus, also signed. In 1996, Günther Förg became the third recipient, after James Lee Byars and Lawrence Weiner, of the Wolfgang Hahn prize, awarded by the Gesellschaft für Moderne Kunst in Köln. To commemorate the occasion, Förg requested that the Society publish an artist's book based on the watercolors that he'd been developing as interpretations of Ezra Pound's poetry; namely, Alba and similarly condensed poems. For the publication, Förg would further execute a series of interpretative etchings. Clothbound contents: [160] pages, with 28 plates after etchings and an additional 30 plates after watercolors, interspersed with seven of Pound's short poems, printed in both English and German translation. Accompanied by an essay on the process from Reiner Speck. Minor blemish to front panel of blind-stamped cloth boards; near fine. Uncommon, with 5 OCLC records located in North America. This copy accompanied by the 1996 prospectus sent to members of the Society, with oblong portfolio housing three loose gatherings of contents, including a summary of the production history, a detailed colophon, specimens of the text, and full-page reproductions of one etching and one watercolor, the latter SIGNED by Förg to opposite page. Prospectus with cloth spine over thick boards titled in red and blue to front panel; near fine. Scarce, with only a single OCLC record discovered in Germany.

$850.00

8. John Giorno, Les Levine, and Robert Rauschenberg

Poems by John Giorno (Signed Limited Edition)

New York: Mother Press, 1967. Limited Edition. Octavo. Hand-numbered as copy 49 of 50, from a total edition of 1000. A selection of poems from John Giorno, edited by Peter Schjeldahl, with frontispiece designed by Les Levine and a pulsing cover design from Robert Rauschenberg. The 50 limited copies SIGNED by Giorno, Levine, and Rauschenberg (as Bob R.). A fine copy in staple-bound wrappers.

$1000.00

9. David Hammons

Global Fax Festival: Arkestado por David Hammons

Madrid: Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, 2000. Published on the occasion of the elegant multimedia installation "arkestrated" by David Hammons for Madrid's Crystal Palace (Jun. 1–Nov. 6, 2000), in which incoming messages rained down from nine fax machines installed within the glass ceiling of the 19th century conservatory. Contents: [60] pp. brochure, fully-illustrated after black-and-white installation photographs, with exhibition credits published to verso of rear wrapper; a folded exhibition poster, visualizing the openness of the space; a trifold brochure inviting participants with corresponding fax numbers; an invitation to the October 1st concert conducted by Butch Morris to animate the space; a CD documenting Morris' performance (Conduction #113, Interlight); and loose facsimiles of 300 specimen faxes that were transmitted and printed during the event. All elements housed within thick plastic portfolio, with titles printed in red and black. Minor scuffing to portfolio; close to fine.

$2000.00

10. Kōichi Hara / Suntory

Spirit: Entertainment for High / Tropical / Hot / [Etc.] Society (Complete Set)

Tokyo: Suntory, 1980-1983. First Editions. Folios. Complete run of this glamorous promotional magazine from the famed Japanese distiller Suntory—think Bill Murray from Lost in Translation—with nine thematic issues dramatically designed by Kōichi Hara: Entertainment for High / Tropical / Hot / Sparkling / Tropical / Traditional / Asian Tropical / Western / Sweet Society. Hara would win the Grand Prize from the Tokyo Art Directors Club for his efforts. Contents, ranging from 24 to 48 pages, illustrated after mostly color—and often softcore—photography, along with cocktail recipes and interviews, tailored to each issue's theme. Originally distributed at select nightclubs worldwide, with the front covers sporting prices for Tokyo, New York, London, Frankfurt, Paris, Rome, Madrid, and Rio de Janeiro. Printed to newsprint. Save for minor rubbing to color covers, and some chipping to spine of final issue, an overall near fine set. Scarce, with no OCLC records located.

$4000.00

11. Ellsworth Kelly and John Coplans

Ellsworth Kelly (Signed)

New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1971. First Edition. Thick quarto. SIGNED by Kelly to half-title page. A beautiful copy of the definitive Ellsworth Kelly monograph, from the golden age of Abrams monographs. With text from Artforum's then Editor-in-Chief John Coplans accompanying 225 illustrations, 68 of those tipped-in color plates. Beige cloth boards, with hint of foxing to upper board edges; near fine in close-to-fine illustrated jacket.

$3500.00

12. Martin Kippenberger

Schlau Sein Dabei Sein

Berlin: Merve Verlag, [1980]. First Edition. Folio. A remarkably stylish reader published to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Berlin post-structuralist publisher Merve Verlag, with covers designed by Martin Kippenberger, who'd published the artist's book Frauen with Merve earlier that year. Other contributors: Brian Eno, Paul Virilio, Jean-François Lyotard, Harald Szeemann, Philip Glass, Gilles Deleuze, and Roland Barthes. With a Kippenberger spread on pp. 34-35 and the loose insert from Heiner Müller, often missing. One of 1500 copies, printed on newsprint. (Koch 4). A fresh copy, save for pencil impression to top corner; fine. With 4 OCLC records located in North America.

$850.00

13. Martin Kippenberger

Durch die Pubertät zum Erfolg (with Launch Brochure)

Berlin: Neue Gesellschaft für bildende Kunst, 1981. First Edition. Octavo. Artist's catalogue published on the occasion of Kippenberger's first solo museum exhibition ("Werner/Kippenberger: Lieber Male male mir," Mar. 6–Apr. 16, 1981), for which the artist conceived of 12 large works to be realized by the renowned cinema poster painter Werner. In addition to reproducing a selection of Kippenberger's artworks and writings, the catalogue functions as a loose autobiography—"from puberty to success"—with reproductions from his childhood letters, diaries, employment records, address books, and social exploits. Contents: 160 pages, illustrated in black-and-white. One of 500 copies. (Koch 10). This copy accompanied by the over-sized announcement brochure (32 x 11.5 inches, unfolded), with illustrated cover, interior collage, and a calendar of events printed to the rear cover, including the book launch at Berlin's Paris Bar on February 25th and the Lampersberg Trio concert for which Kippenberger would publish Was Immer Auch Sei Berlin Bleibt Frei. Very minor scuffing to illustrated wrappers; close to fine.

$2500.00

14. Martin Kippenberger

VIT 89 (Exhibition Poster, Signed and Numbered)

Köln: Galerie Max Hetzler, 1989. An impressively large screenprint poster (46.5 x 33 inches) from Martin Kippenberger, produced on the occasion of his exhibition at Max Hetzler (Nov. 17–Dec. 23, 1989); an installation composed from an ensemble of objects and sculptures. Keeping with that theme, Kippenberger assembled an array of international mineral waters and seltzers for this screenprinted exhibition poster, each rendered uniform by a VIT 89 stencil to their labels; Kippenberger famously revering these drinks as hangover tonics. This copy hand-numbered as 25/25 and SIGNED by Kippenberger to lower right corner (M.K. '90); one of 28 posters selected for his 1990 portfolio Mut zum Druck. (Curiger 137). Bright and clean, with some creasing at centerfold line; close to near fine. Hinged in wooden frame (49 x 35 inches). One of a selection of two dozen Kippenberger posters now on view at our Chelsea bookshop.

$5000.00

15. Sol LeWitt

Concrete Block Structures (Inscribed)

Milano: Milano: Alberto Cetti Serbelloni Editore, 2002. First Edition. Quarto. An impressive monograph on the concrete works of Sol LeWitt, INSCRIBED by the artist to the front endpaper. Designed by LeWitt himself, this volume features a lengthy essay by Michael Brenson, in both English and Italian; illustrated after dozens of color photographs, cross-referenced with a catalogue raisonné at rear. A fine copy in gray cloth boards in illustrated jacket; fine, save for the original price sticker to rear.

$850.00

16. JJ Manford

JJ Manford (Special Edition of 26 Unique Copies)

New York: Derek Eller / Harper's, 2024. Special Edition. Unique composition, with oil pastel and Flashe on front panel (11.5 x 9.25 inches). Quarto; 96 pages. The first in-depth monograph on the work of JJ Manford, thoroughly illustrated with over 70 color reproductions of his recent and most notable paintings. Accompanied by an essay entitled "JJ Manford: In Living Color," by Gilles Heno-Coe. Book design by Tod Lippy. For the Special Edition, Manford hand-painted 26 copies of the book, each of these granted one of his distinctive titles; for the above example: Deconstructed Tibetan Tapestry. Inquire here for an illustrated list of available copies from the Special Edition; for copies of the trade edition, click here.

$850.00

17. Raymond Pettibon

Other Christs (Embellished Copy)

Lawndale, CA: SST Publications, 1982. First Edition. Octavo. Staple-bound zine. With cover illustration heightened in red marker by Pettibon and the letters OGB to lower margin; red ink bleeding through first few pages. A thematic grouping of gods, devils, and mortals. Bright self-wrappers, with minor crease to upper rear corner; near fine.

$750.00

18. Jason Polan

[Unique Book with 16 Original Drawings]

New York: Self-published, 2015. Unique artist's books. Octavo. SIGNED "9.7.2015 / Jason" to rear endpaper, in the same year that Every Person in New York was published. Composed of 16 remarkably expressive geometrical drawings from Polan; executed in black marker to both front and back boards, as well as to rectos of 14 interior leaves. White boards, with minor scuffing to edge of front panel; close to fine.

$1250.00

19. Edward Ruscha and Joe Goode 

Ed Ruscha - Joe Goode: An Exhibition Presented by the Fine Arts Patrons of Newport Harbor (Exhibition Poster)

Balboa, CA: Fine Arts Patrons of Newport Harbor, 1968. Offset poster (14 x 11.25 inches) produced to promote an exhibition of works from Oklahoma City pals Ed Ruscha and Joe Goode, with the two depicted as cowboys by photographer Jerry McMillan. (A color photograph from the same session would grace the cover of the corresponding exhibition catalogue). This copy with invitation to March 24 vernissage stapled to top edge. Faint foldlines, with some tanning to edges; postmark and manuscript address to verso. Archivally-hinged in black lacquer frame (16.5 x 13.5 inches) with UV plexiglass.

$1250.00

20. Alec Soth

Broken Manual (Special Edition)

Göttingen: Steidl, 2010. Special Edition. Quarto. Number 19 of 300 unique copies of Alec Soth's Broken Manual; "an underground instruction manual for those looking to escape their lives," documenting monks, survivalists, hermits, and runaways. In keeping with this clandestine theme, each of the Special Edition copies were housed/hidden in their own unique "shell-books;" in this case, a hollowed-out copy of Asa Briggs' The Nineteenth Century (Thames and Hudson, 1970). SIGNED and numbered by Soth to the library card sleeve affixed to the bottom of the shell's lined tray. The work has also been signed by Soth to rear wrapper, along with Little Brown Mushroom stamp. Accompanied by two effaced photographic prints; one self-portrait of Soth (8 x 10 in.), SIGNED and numbered to verso, and a a color print (sometimes mistaken as an original photograph) of a family scene, with the father's face aggressively scratched out. The latter laid into a copy of Soth's Liberation Billfold Manifest. Fine in printed wrappers; minor rubbing to the shell-book. Prints also fine.

$4000.00

21. Karl Wirsum

Hare Toddy Kong Tamari: Objects Selected by Karl Wirsum

Chicago: Museum of Contemporary Art, 1980. First Edition. Oblong octavo. Catalogue designed by Karl Wirsum for an exhibition of his personal objects and sculptural works at Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art (Dec. 2, 1980–Feb. 22, 1981). A descriptive catalogue of 95 works is interspersed with dozens of original drawings from Wirsum; introduced by a text from Dennis Adrian on Wirsum's three-dimensional works. Staple-bound illustrated wrappers; near fine. Uncommon.

$350.00

22. Christopher Wool and Ann Goldstein (curator)

Christopher Wool (Signed)

Los Angeles: The Museum of Contemporary Art  / Zurich: Scalo, 1998. First Edition. Quarto. A lush monograph published on the occasion of Christopher Wool's mid-career exhibition at MoCA, Los Angeles (Jul. 19–Oct. 18, 1998) and the Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh (Nov. 21–Jan 31, 1999); the first American survey of the artist's works, organized by Ann Goldstein with Wool's collaboration. This copy SIGNED by Wool to title page (New York, 2008). Fully-illustrated with more than 180 black-and-white images of Wool's works—mostly in situ, whether in studio or galleries; a concluding section offers essays from Goldstein, Thomas Crow, Madeleine Grynsztejn, Gary Indiana, and Jim Lewis. Minor scuffing to lower board edges, else close to fine. In illustrated jacket with minor rubbing to rear panel; near fine.

$850.00

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