SIC. Sons. Idées. Couleurs. Formes. No. 1. (Janvier 1916). - No. 53 / 54. (Décembre 1919). [All Published].

Paris.: SIC, 37 rue de la Tombe-Issoire., Janvier 1916 - Décembre 1919.. Original publisher's wrappers as issued, with Albert-Birot's device 'SIC' to covers where applicable, issues 26 - 34 with 'SIC' replaced with a reproduction of a work of art.. 54 issues in 40 vols. 4to. (282 x 225 mm).. Single issues with four pages, double numbers of eight pages and triple numbers of twelve pages (the memorial issue for Apollinaire is thirty-two pages): printed text and illustration throughout, with the hors texte plate with pochoir colour 'Tapis de Martine' by Alice Rutty in issue 7. The scarce complete series - with the majority of issues from the édition de tête - of the avant garde review SIC.The limitations of the tirage de luxe of SIC were as follows: Nos 1-12 in 10 examples on Japon; Nos 13 -24 in 6 examples vieux Japon; Nos 25 - 36 in 6 examples on Chine; Nos 37 - 54 in 4 examples on Chine.In the present set, all issues from no. 12 onwards are from the deluxe issue; the first 11 numbers are printed on the standard edition paper.Founded by the poet, painter, sculptor, publisher and typographer Pierre Albert-Birot (1876 - 1967) in 1916, SIC, with its focus on the avant garde was one of the most influential literary, musical and artistic periodicals of the period. From issue number two, Albert-Birot was aided by Gino Severini and in issue number 7, Apollinaire makes his first - but by no means his last - appearance with the poem 'Deux lacs nègres ... '; Apollinaire continued to contribute until his death in 1918 and the triple issue 37 / 38 / 39 was 'composé en mémoire de Guillaume Apollinaire'. Of particular note is the fact that SIC sought to represent the whole of the avant garde and promoted Cubism, Futurism, dada, with Tzara contributing regularly, as well as contributions from Breton, Aragon and others who would develop Surrealism.The main contributors were: Apollinaire, Cocteau, Cendrars, de Drieu, Roch Grey (Hélène d'Oettingen), Léonard Pieux (the same), Paul Dermée, Raymond Radiguet, La Rochelle, Max Jacob, Tzara, Albert-Birot, Aragon, Breton, Picabia, Soupault, Paul Reverdy, and André Salmon. Poems, art essays and literature with woodcuts and illustrations by Chana Orloff, Gino Severini, Boussingault, Balla, Depero, Prampolini, Survage, Picabia, Picasso, Matisse, Serge Férat, Ossip Zadkine, Irène Lagut, and others.'I had absolutely no intention that my review should be a demolition exercise, the war was looking after destruction, I believed on the contrary that the times demanded that one should only think of constructing and more especially that, from the point of view of art, when you bring forward new tendencies obsolete ideas disappear of their own accord.' (Pierre-Albert Birot).[Le Fonds Paul Destribats 65; Ades I.36].