LUCIO FONTANA : CONCETTO SPAZIALE, LE CHIESE DI VENEZIA (SPATIAL CONCEPT, THE CHURCHES OF VENICE) 1961. Sotheby's catalog for the auction that took place in London on 26 June 2013.

Single Item Auction Catalog. The art work had an estimate of 4,000,000 to 6,000,000 GBP and sold for 4,450,500 GBP.

Softcover Auction Catalog, 9x11.5 inches, 36 unnumbered pages. Single lot auction, with essays about the painting, Fontana, and Fontana's works. Fully Illustrated.

NEAR FINE condition, a touch of shelf wear to the covers, corner tips lightly worn, overall tight, bright, clean and unmarked.

About this auction (from Sotheby's website):

******A supreme example of Lucio Fontana's tireless conceptual and artistic exploration, Concetto Spaziale, Le Chiese di Venezia exists as undeniable proof of the artist's critical and innovative role in the history of art. This work belongs to the extremely rare and highly venerated Venezia cycle of paintings, which collectively form the crescendo of the Olii corpus that spanned over a decade of his career. Famously created in an inspired burst of artistic activity, the Venezia paintings have acquired a mythic aura within Fontana's oeuvre. Having remained in the most respected private collections since its creation, the appearance of this work for auction denotes an exceptional event. Indeed, though standing alongside fellow constituents of the Venezia Corpus that belong in the prominent collections of the Museum Ludwig, Cologne; Museo Thyssen Bornemisza, Madrid; and Fondazione Lucio Fontana, Milan; the present work stands out for its intensely evocative composition; one intrinsically linked with the physical landmass and opulent ornament conjured by its namesake.******

MAKOTO SAITO SCENE [0].

This is the first book of Makoto Saito's Paintings. It was published in conjunction with Makoto Saito's first solo exhibition which took place at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan, from August 2 through November 3, 2008.

Published by Art Design Publishing (ADP), 2008. Designed by Hideki Nakajima and featuring commentary by Akira Asada and an interview with Makoto Saito.

Large Format Softcover Book, French folds, 10x13 inches, 123 pages.

Illustrated throughout with 80 color plates reproducing Saito's paintings.

NEAR FINE condition, tight, bright, clean, clear and unmarked. A solid, very nice copy.

INTERNATIONAL BUYERS PLEASE NOTE: This book is heavy and will require additional shipping charges. After placing your order you will be notified of the additional charges and be able to accept or reject them before your payment is processed. Or you can contact us ahead of time to find out the shipping charge to your country. Thanks.

JOURNALISM VERSUS ART, by MAX EASTMAN. Published by Alfred A. Knopf, 1916. First edition, first printing, with the date 1916 on both the title page and copyright page with no indication of additional printings.

HAND SIGNED, PLACED, and DATED by MAYNARD DIXON on the verso of the half title page:

"MAYNARD DIXON / SAN FRANCISCO / 1917". Dixon added his small ICONIC 'THUNDERBIRD' DRAWING beneath his signature.

The book is also SIGNED by the AUTHOR, MAX EASTMAN, on the front free endpaper.

Hardcovers, blue cloth covered boards, yellow embossed titling on the front cover (for yellow journalism?), 146 pages plus [2] pages of Publisher's ads at the rear.

GOOD condition:The printing on the front cover is faded but legible, the rear cover has two lines of small pokes / indents (as if from a closed pen), and there is light wear to the cover corner tips and spine ends. Internally, light toning to the first and last few pages, otherwise just lightly used and still tight, bright, clean and clear. A solid, nice copy.

SCARCE and WONDERFUL with the SIGNATURE and DRAWING of MAYNARD DIXON.

MEL RAMOS Illustrated Catalog for the Exhibition that took place at the Levy Gallery in Hamburg, Germany, in 1996.

Contains 17 pages of reproductions of Ramos's Pin-Up art from the show. The exhibition was titled; "Unfinished Paintings and The Lost Paintings of 1965".

SIGNED and INSCRIBED by MEL RAMOS on the page with a NUDE PIN-UP PAINTING of HIS WIFE LOLITA (aka LETA). The inscription reads:

"To Lolita / The love of my life / Mel Ramos / May 1996".

Mel and Leta fell in love in High School, got married in 1955, and stayed married for 63 years until Mel Ramos' death in 2018. Sweet. Leta died two years later.

The catalog has a yellow post-it note on the title-page that says "LETA'S", which I presume means this was Leta's copy. On the backside of the title-page is a b&w photo of "Leta and Mel Ramos in 1995".

Softcovers, 8.5x11 inches (21x28 cm), 32 pages. Text in German and English, some only in German.

NEAR FINE condition, tight, bright, clean and clear.

RARE MEL RAMOS ITEM made UNIQUE with the LOVING INSCRIPTION to HIS MODEL and WIFE.

About MEL RAMOS (from Wikipedia):

******Melvin John Ramos, b.1935 d.2018, was an American figurative painter, specializing most often in paintings of female nudes, whose work incorporates elements of realist and abstract art. He gained his popularity as part of the pop art movement of the 1960s. One of his earliest art teachers was Wayne Thiebaud, who is considered his mentor, and who remained his friend. Ramos received his first important recognition in the early 1960s; since 1959 he has had more than 150 solo shows and participated in more than 120 group shows. His work is held in the permanent collections of the New York Museum of Modern Art, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Whitney Museum of American Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Norton Simon Museum, and the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, DC. Ramos married Leta (Helmers) Ramos in 1955, who was the model for many of his early nude paintings.******

F. GYGI + CO. BERN : INSERATE UND NEUJAHRSKARTEN 1942-1954. (F. GYGI + CO., BERN : PAINTERS AND PLASTERERS.)

Bound portfolio with 76 full-page, 2-color plates of graphic and typographic advertising and promotional art commissioned by Fritz Gygi + Co. of Bern, and created by some of the best Swiss graphic artists of the day, including: Herbert Auchli, Franz Fedier, Adolf Fluckiger, Hans Hartmann, Bernhard Luginbuhl, Dieter Roth, Robert Sessler, Hans Thoni, Otto Tschumi, Kurt Wirth and Ernest Witzig. The book is basically a "who's who" of Bern based graphic designers of the day.

These ads for F. Gygi + Co. were featured on the back covers of KUNSTHALLE BERN (BERN ART MUSEUM) exhibition catalogs of the 1940s and 1950s. The New Year cards were sent out in the 40s and 50s to the Company's customers.

Softcovers, 9.5x13 inches (24x33 cm), 6 prelim pages (title page, introduction) + 76 plates, each printed on its own leaf on paper stock of various colors and weight.

Published by Fritz Gygi + Co., Bern, Switzerland; Printed by Stampfli & Cie, Bern, 1954. First Edition. The book was selected as one of the "Most Beautiful Swiss Books" of 1954.

GOOD condition: The covers are toned / sunned, have shelf rubs, and a scrape to the spine; the inner pages are toned at the margins, otherwise tight, bright, clean, clear and unmarked. The graphic artwork is brilliant. A solid, presentable copy.

A rare, inspirational resource for that graphic artist in your life or soul.

MONDINO NUMÉRO. A Book of Photographs by Jean-Baptiste Mondino. Published on the occasion of the MONDINO NUMÉRO EXHIBITION that took place at Studio des Acacias, Paris, France, from July 5th to July 20th, 2019.

Hardcovers, large format, 11x14 inches (28x36 cm), 171 pages. Text in French and English.

Illustrated with 109 full-page photographs by Jean-Baptiste Mondino from the exhibition. Includes many of Mondino's best images from his 20 years as a photographer for NUMÉRO, the French magazine of Fashion, Beauty, Art, Music and Culture.

Included are great photographs of Johnny Depp, Bjork, Laurie Anderson, Laetitia Casta, Julian Schnabel, Linda Evangelista, Karl Lagerfeld, Natalia Vodianova, and many others. The photos are Energetic, Sexy, and Very Cool.

GOOD condition, the covers are bumped at the corner tips and spine ends, and have some shelf rubs, but remain solid and bright; internally very nice, tight, bright, clean and unmarked. All the photos are brilliant.

About the Mondino Numéro exhibition (from the Studio des Acacias website):

******From July 5 to 20, 2019, the Studio des Acacias will transform into a photo studio to reveal, in over 100 shots, the profusion of creativity of Jean-Baptiste Mondino, a brilliant image creator. A long-time friend of Numéro, the artist has immortalized some of the world's greatest personalities.******

MOUNT OMEI. A NEW EDITION of the OMEI ILLUSTRATED GUIDE BOOK by HUANG SHOU-FU and T'AN CHUNG-YO A. D. 1887-1891, with an English Translation by Dryden Linsley Phelps.

ILLUSTRATED with WOODBLOCK PLATES redrawn from the ORIGINAL PLATES by YU TZU-TAN.

Published by West China Union University - Harvard Yenching Series, CHENGTU, SZECHWAN, 1936. First edition, first printing of this English translation.

Wrappers, lacking front wrapper, sewn binding, 454 pages (227 double leaves), 7.25x12.75 inches (18x32 cm). Bound in sewn-on contemporary silk covered boards with a silk brocade decoration on the front cover, and partial of the front wrapper (title portion) glued to the inside front cover.

Condition: The front and rear silk covered boards that are sewn on over the original work are coming loose, hanging on with just a few threads, and the silk brocade on the front board has some loose threads; the front original wrapper is only partially present as noted above, the rear wrapper is present and has a few inch closed tear and some edge chips, the blank front free endpaper has creases, chips, and a previous owner's lovely bookplate (Hazel Rhodes), otherwise the inner pages are very nice, just a bit of corner and edge wear here and there, overall complete, tight, bright, clean and unmarked. The illustrations are gorgeous.

RARE and BEAUTIFULLY BOUND COPY of the 1936 FIRST ENGLISH EDITION.

Original vintage 1967 FLY PAN AM TO SAN FRANCISCO, U.S.A. Poster. From an original photograph believed to be taken by long time Pan Am staff photographer Chester "Blackie" Kronfeld who died tragically at the age of 49 while on assignment in the horrific American Airlines plane crash that killed 95 people in New York on March 1, 1962.

Off-set Color Lithograph, published by [Pan American Airlines], May, 1967 (as indicated by the printing code 5/67 in the lower right margin), large format 34.5" x 44", printed on matte paper. VERY GOOD CONDITION: light age toning, light edgewear, a quarter size old water droplet to the blank backside of the poster that is barely visible in the sky above the Bridge, no rips, tears, holes or chips, overall a bright, clean and uncommon 1967 Pan Am advertising poster. Will be shipped safely rolled in a sturdy tube. A striking vintage poster that would make a powerful statement framed.

In the 1960s Pan Am produced a series of large format promotional travel posters depicting fabulous shots of iconic destinations with bold red and blue text and airplane icon at the bottom stating "Fly Pan Am To ..."

PAINTINGS BY RENOIR. Catalogue of the exhibition that took place at The Art Institute of Chicago from February 3 - April 1, 1973. Warmly SIGNED and INSCRIBED by JEAN RENOIR (the GREAT FRENCH FILM DIRECTOR and SON of the Painter PIERRE-AUGUSTE RENOIR) on the half-title page: "For Lilian / affectionately / Jean Renoir / Sept 7, 1973". ("Lilian" is Lilian Kaufman, wife of the noted pianist Harry Kaufman who was a student of Josef Hofmann and who headed the piano department at the Curtis Institute of Music for 17 years. Harry and Lilian Kaufman were friends with many noted musicians, artists and writers.) Published by the Institute, 1973. First Edition. Softcovers, 8x10", 214 pages. VERY GOOD condition, tight, bright and clean. RARE with the AFFECTIONATE INSCRIPTION and SIGNATURE of the GREAT FILMMAKER JEAN RENOIR. About JEAN RENOIR (from Wikipedia): ******Jean Renoir (15 September 1894 - 12 February 1979) was a French film director, screenwriter, actor, producer and author. As a film director and actor, he made more than forty films from the silent era to the end of the 1960s. His films GRAND ILLUSION (1937) and THE RULES OF THE GAME (1939) are often cited by critics as among the greatest films ever made. As an author, he wrote the definitive biography of his father, the painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Renoir, My Father (1962). Jean Renoir was ranked by the BFI's Sight & Sound poll of critics as the fourth greatest director of all time.****** About HARRY KAUFMAN and his wife LILIAN KAUFMAN (from the UCLA Library Special Collections and other Internet sites): ******UCLA SPECIAL COLLECTIONS - HARRY KAUFMAN PAPERS 1900-1961. Harry Kaufman (born 1894, died 1961) was a PIANIST and MUSIC TEACHER at the CURTIS INSTITUTE OF MUSIC, Philadelphia. For 17 years he headed the Department of Accompanying. During this time his former piano teacher JOSEF HOFMANN was director of the Institute. Harry Kaufman was also a very successful piano soloist, performing with orchestras in the U.S. and Europe. He accompanied such artists as Joseph Szigeti, Toscha Seidel, Nathan Milstein, George London, William Primrose, and many others. He usually traveled with his wife, LILIAN. The Harry Kaufman collection consists of correspondence between HARRY KAUFMAN, his wife LILIAN KAUFMAN, and people in the worlds of classical music, literature, painting, and various other arts. Correspondents include: Samuel Barber, Leonard Bernstein, Van Wyck Brooks, Dorothy Chandler, George and Ira Gershwin, Josef Hofmann, Joseph Levine, Henry Miller, Eugene Ormandy, JEAN RENOIR, Arthur Rubenstein, Gertrude Stein, Igor Stravinsky, Louis Untermyer, Meredith Willson, Efrem Zimbalist, and many others. The Kaufman Archive belongs to the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections.******

WATER-COLOUR PAINTINGS OF CHRYSANTHEMUMS AT DR. SUN'S MAUSOLEUM - PAINTED BY ONG SCHAN TCHOW.

HONG KONG: Yik Mui Art Association, 1939. From the copyright page: "First Edition, Printed January 1939...Engraved and Printed by The Asiatic Litho. Printing Press / 390, King's Road, Hong Kong."

Hardcovers, cord binding, 10.5x15 inches oblong. Pagination: [1] Title Page / Table of Contents, [4] Preface Pages, [2] Comment Pages, [20] Twenty Plates of Chrysanthemum Watercolors side-by-side with Calligraphic Poems. Each leaf is printed on one side only.

VERY GOOD condition, the covers have some rubs, a few scrapes and wear to the top of the spine, otherwise they are solid and doing their job well; internally the pages are complete, tight, bright, clean and unmarked.

SCARCE and IMPORTANT WORK by the CHINESE / HONG KONG ARTIST ONG SCHAN TCHOW. This book almost never comes up for sale, the last copy I am aware of was incomplete - missing plates.

About ONG SCHAN TCHOW (from Wikipedia):

******Ong Schan Tchow, b.1900 d.1945, was born in the Longyan prefecture, Southern Fujian Province, China. He was known for Chinese ink wash painting, color paintings of flowers (Chrysanthemums in particular), and Calligraphy. He was one of the first Chinese artists to study in Paris and one of the early artists to integrate traditional Chinese and Western art techniques,

In Paris, Ong studied at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts. In addition, he obtained a Master of Arts in Law, French and Political Science from the University of Paris.

In Nanjing Ong produced one of his MONUMENTAL WORKS - a compilation of paintings of chrysanthemums with accompanying poems and commentary from well known persons. This compilation was succinctly called the "BOOK OF CHRYSANTHEMUMS" [and un-succinctly titled WATER-COLOUR PAINTINGS OF CHRYSANTHEMUMS AT DR. SUN'S MAUSOLEUM]. The book contained paintings of the vast variety of Chrysanthemums planted at the newly completed mausoleum of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the "Father of Modern China", at Nanjing, the former Capital of China.

During the Second Sino-Japanese War, Professor Ong exhibited his works extensively and gave all the proceeds to the war relief effort. The war destroyed many of his paintings but he managed to salvage some important works. The advancing Japanese army forced him to move his exhibitions to Hong Kong and later to Singapore and Malaysia.

Ong died in 1945, at the age of 45, while exhibiting his works in Ipoh, Malaysia. In the Annals of Longyan, Ong is considered one of her most famous citizens.******

Young Extreme Athletes Defying Gravity! Got Milk?

GOT MILK GRAVITY TOUR : 174 PHOTOS of the EXTREME SPORTS CAMPAIGN TOUR to PROMOTE MILK. A 3 ring binder holding plastic sleeves with pockets for 2 photos on a side. The photos are mostly in color and measure 6x4 inches, about 30 of the photos are in b&w and somewhat smaller in size. The photos are mostly of the EXTREME SPORT ATHLETES in ACTION on BIKES and SKATEBOARDS and even one on INLINE SKATES, performing at various locations of the GOT MILK GRAVITY TOUR.

The photos show athletes in the air and on the ground performing "Gravity Defying" stunts at various arenas where the tour event took place. Some of the photos are of crowds behind GOT MILK advertising barriers.

These photos are of the 2000 GOT MILK GRAVITY TOUR and I do not know exactly who the athletes that year were, but those of you who know your extreme athletes will be sure to recognize at least some of them. Thirty of the photos are b&w group publicity photos in front of a GOT MILK backdrop.

This 2000 Got Milk Gravity Tour was one of the early manifestations of the event that grew larger year by year. I found the following information about the athletes in the 2001 Got Milk Gravity Tour, though I do not know if the athletes were the same in 2000 as 2001. Here is what I found:

******The Got Milk Gravity Tour will feature skateboarders, BMX bike riders, and even an inline skater. The following people will be participating at the Stockton event: CHRIS GENTRY is a professional skateboarder who is ranked as one of the top ten Vert competitors in the world. At the 2000 X Games, Chris placed seventh in Vert Competition and fourth in Vert Doubles. JOHN PARKER, whose name is synonymous with BMX riding, placed fourth in the 2000 X Games in BMX Vert. He consistently places in the top 5 in every contest he enters. CHRIS LIVINGSTON was a vert skateboard Finalist in the 1997 Vans/Hard Rock Triple Crown of Skateboarding. ART THOMASON specializes in flatland bicycle stunts, in which he finished 10th in the world at the 1999 ESPN X Games. Before his professional career, he won the amateur flatland title in the 1996 ESPN Destination Extreme series. JIM BURGESS is an ESPN X Games competitor and consistent top 10 finisher in professional contests. JEFF FERRIS, team manager/skateboarder, was a finalist in the 1998 Vans Shoes World Skateboard competition. BILL ROBERTSON is the veteran on the Gravity Team. Bill has been skateboarding for more than 20 years. He specializes in "old-school" flatland skateboarding, wowing the crowds with spins, kickflips, and handstands. When not skating, Bill is the tour master of ceremonies.******

PLEASE INSPECT THE PHOTOS TO SEE IF THESE ATHLETES WERE IN THE 2000 TOUR.

All the photos are in VERY GOOD condition, bright, clean and clear.

INCLUDED with the binder full of photos is an unopened / sealed copy of the GRAVITY TOUR MILK CD (produced in 1999).

Comes from the St. Helena, California, estate of an ADVERTISING MAN.

INTERNATIONAL BUYERS PLEASE NOTE: This item is heavy and will require substantial additional shipping charges. After placing your order you will be notified of the additional charges and be able to accept or reject them before your payment is processed. Or you can contact us ahead of time to find out the shipping charge to your country. Thanks.

A SUITE OF 180 DRAWINGS BY PICASSO : November 28, 1953 - February 3, 1954. Preface by Tériade. PICASSO AND THE HUMAN COMEDY, by Michel Leiris. With an appreciation by Rebecca West.

NEW YORK: Harcourt, 1954. First American edition (the American edition of Verve 29/30).

ILLUSTRATED with 16 LITHOGRAPHS by PICASSO and printed by MOURLOT FRÈRES, and numerous b&w heliogravures printed by Draeger Frères. Twelve of the lithographs have tissue guards; the frontispiece, the color title page, and the two lithographs that are bound in among the introductory do not have tissue guards, as issued.

Picasso also designed the book's covers. They feature a profile of Geneviève Laporte with a ponytail. Geneviève Laporte was one of Picasso's last lovers, during the period in which he created these works.

Hardcover book, illustrated covers, no dustjacket, 10.5x14 inches (26.5x35.5 cm), containing 180 illustrations, 16 of which (the lithographs) are printed on the own leaf (e.g. blank backsides), the remainder of which (the b&w heliographs) are printed on their own page, one on each side of the leaves.

GOOD condition: The covers are worn at the corner tips and have some edge and spine fold scrapes; the spine folds have been professionally reinforced and much of the paper spine strip that overlaid the cloth covered spine has been professionally replaced; overall the covers are sturdy, attractive, and doing their job well. Internally, the front and rear hinges and endpapers have been professionally repaired and reinforced; there is a previous owner's 1968 inscription on the front pastedown, the front dj flap has been pasted onto the front free-endpaper, and the bottom corner of the text title page has a blindstamp of "John Arthur / Newton Highlands, MA"; otherwise the pages are just light toned, especially the page margins, and there is the normal light offset toning to the lithograph plates from the brown tissue guards. The plates are all present, clean and clear, with brilliant colors, beautiful. What Picasso can do with just a few lines is utterly amazing.

A complete, sturdy, clean, presentable copy of this book with all its lithographs and illustrations.

INTERNATIONAL BUYERS PLEASE NOTE: This book is heavy and will require additional shipping charges. After placing your order you will be notified of the additional charges and be able to accept or reject them before your payment is processed. Or you can contact us ahead of time to find out the shipping charge to your country. Thanks.

PHOTO ALBUM with 500+ COLOR PHOTOS of QUILTS from QUILT SHOWS 1992-1996. Photo Album / 3-Ring Binder containing 110 pages (55 sheets with multiple photos laid in on each side), pages covered with clear plastic sheet protectors that cling to the page and hold the photos in place (usually). ALL THE PHOTOS SEEM TO BE OF QUILTS FROM VARIOUS QUILT SHOWS that took place from 1992 to 1996. The owner of this photo album obviously attended quite a number of quilt shows and took lots of color snapshots. There are small notes about the shows and/or quilters on many of the pages, i.e. Pacific International Quilt Show 10/92 Hyatt Regency, Burlingame (California); Dec. 2, 92 - Black & White & Color All Over - Quilts by Gretchen Hill - New Pieces; San Ramon (California) 92; Nancy Freeman 12/92; Quilts by East Bay Heritage Quilters - Kaiser Center Art Gallery, 93, Oakland (California); Guild of Quilters of Contra Costa County - 93 Anniversary Quilt Show; Virginia Levine 10/93; etc. Most of the photos are in the range of 4" x 6" to 3" x 5", some smaller, some larger, approximately 4 - 6 per page. These are actual photos, with "Kodak" on the backsides of the photos. Most photos appear to be laid in loosely, held in place by the clinging plastic page coverings. Most can be removed and examined on both sides. The photos all appear clean and in generally GOOD to VERY GOOD condition.

THE JOURNAL OF BLACK POETRY, Fall 1967, Volume 1, Number 6

Published and edited by Joe Goncalves for all Black people everywhere, San Francisco, 1967, first printing. Illustrated wrappers, side staple bound, 10" x 7", 38 pages, illustrated with 3 b&w photographs, graphics and a powerful centerfold image by Black Panther artist Emory Douglas before he joined the Black Panther Party. Also includes work by Sonia Sanchez, Marvin X, Gwendolyn Brooks and others. GOOD CONDITION: covers are lightly toned and have light foxing mainly to the edges, rear cover has offsetting to its upper portion and a light horizontal crease, the staples are rusted but holding well, the inner pages have a small spot here and there but are overall tight, bright, clean and unmarked. A complete, respectable copy.

The Journal of Black Poetry is a radical example of an independently published poetry journal that popularized the imagery and racial characteristics of the Black Arts Movement, the only American literary movement to merge art with a political agenda. More than a poetry journal, it published criticism, reviews, and news about Black cultural issues. The Black Arts Movement was a controversial literary faction that emerged in the mid 1960s as the artistic arm of the Black Power Movement, a militant political mobilization that rejected the integrationist tactics of the Civil Rights era that preceded it.