Rare books from Derringer Books

Tucson: Nazraeli Press, 2001. First Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. Special limited edition of this young and important photographer's first book. One of 25 copies (plus five artist proofs) with original chromogenic print (#2745) signed on the rear of the photo. Comes with a fine copy of the first edition of the book which also has been signed. Both book and photo housed in gray clamshell box. All elements in fine condition.

New York: Random House, 1932. First edition. Full Leather. Fine. Small folio. 167 pp. One of only 300 special copies SIGNED by Gershwin and the illustrator, Alajalov. Handsomely rebound in full leather with gilt art deco design elements. This copy includes the rare separate booklet of music for Mischa, Yascha, Toscha, Sascha contained in a special pocket at rear of book. A beautiful example of this 20th century music rarity.

Nice: Self-Published, 1963. First edition. Loose Sheets. Very Good. Rare collection of collages, editions, texts, and multiples in printed folder. Created between 1962 and 1963, an early and scarce offering by Vautier (sometimes just known as "Ben"). Loose pages laid into folder. This copy retains only a small fragment of the 45 rpm record that was part of the edition. Edition size unknown. SIGNED by the artist on a card laid in at rear. This copy has also been hand-addressed by Vautier and mailed to fellow Fluxus artist Jackson Mac Low. Comparing this copy to the one held at Fondazione Bonotto it should be noted that there are several difference. Their copy has sheets not in this example and vice-versa. In fact, given the ephemeral nature of this collection of objects it seems likely that there will be some differences in content between any two copies. Sold as-is. Quite rare and early offering from Vautier.

No Place: Privately Printed, 1955. First edition. Loose Sheets. Very Good. Marvelous framed work by Warhol from his pre-pop days. An offset lithograph with watercolor of his patented Butterflies print. Measuring approximately 12 1/2 x 18" wide. With a mixture of yellows, greens and tans, Warhol has painted several of the butterfly images within the print. Light wear to edges, but easily in very good or better condition. Recently re-framed under glass. Not signed or dated, but likely from circa 1955-56 during the days when Warhol was employed in the world of advertising. No written provenance, but this piece comes directly from the estate of a family once closely connected to the women's fashion and print advertising world of the 50's and 60's. More specifics will be provided to the purchaser.

New York: Stackpole Sons, 1938. First edition. Cloth. Very Good +/good +. Author's first book. INSCRIBED on the front endpaper by the author. A clean, square very good plus copy in green cloth binding. Minor wear to spine tips. Sharp copy in price intact dustwrapper which has chipping along edges and small tears. Uncommon in dustwrapper, and particularly so with author inscription.

Ottawa: National Gallery of Canada, 1975. First edition. Hardcover. Very Good +/good +. Large hardbound quarto in dustwrapper. Judd's catalogue raisonne with 355 works made between 1 August 1960 when he moved his studio at 53 East 19th Street and 1 July 1974. Essay by Roberta Smith. Curated by Brydon Smith. Text in English and French. 320 pp. Profusely illustrated. Book has a few small age spots to page edges else a near fine copy in the scarce red cloth binding. The matching dustwrapper has a tape mend, some small wear at edges and shows some of the typical toning to spine color. Overall the wrapper is in good to very good condition. This copy stands out for two reasons: the book has been INSCRIBED BY JUDD and dated in 1979. Inscribed copies of the hard-bound edition of this book rarely come to market (the 2006 Wright Art + Design auction sold a copy for $15,600 hammer, just to give some idea of value). Secondly, afixed to the front endpaper beneath Judd's inscription is a postcard entitled "Bird's… Read More

San Francisco: Hermes Free Press, 1972. First edition. Paperback. Very Good +. Folio. Sewn wrappers. 6 pp. Printed on Bergstrom papers with the text set on Centaur & Cloister types. Rare anonymous collaboration between Allen Ginsberg and Gary Snyder. Subtitled "Being the Assignment of Same to the Honorable Senators, Lawmakers of the United States Government, toward the Preservation of Life and Spirit in these Lands. This Investiture Proclaimed in Grace Cathedral at the Autumnal Equinox, 1971." Published by the Hermes Free Press, an offshoot of the Zephyrus Press of San Francisco. Noted on page 175 of Alistair Johnston's "Zephyrus Image: A Bibliography" who notes "10 1/4 x 14 3/4" 12 page book, sewn into brown Tweedweave cover, "printed on Bergstrom papers at Hermes Free Press in San Francisco Spring 1972" Centaur type in brown on cover. This book assigns specific endangered plants and animals to each U.S. Senator. Originally in printed manila envelope (lacking with this copy). One copy was mailed to… Read More

Frankfurt: Galerie Loehr, 1964. First edition. Paperback. Near Fine. Artist book. 16 unpaginated sheets stapled twice at top. Title page extends out over four separate pages. Extremely rare publication documenting the actions and happenings that were taking place at Loehr Galerie on June 26, 1964. Among other things this booklet includes a short manifest by Stanley Brouwn, a collage by Franz Mon, a typewriter poem by Tomas Schmit, a description for a Nam June Paik symphony and more. This catalog was produced as a cut version of the double-sided poster created for this event. A most handsome near fine copy with just a hint of rust at staples. Truly scarce item. Only one example shown in O.C.L.C. at The Getty.

Santa Cruz: Lime Kiln Press, 1975. First edition. Paperback. Fine. Oblong elephant portfolio. A single poem by Jeffers of 33 leaves "rubbings from the rock poems gathered from his stonemason years when submission to the spirit focused his imagination & gave massive permanance to his verse. Published by William Everson's Lime Kiln Press in 1975 and SIGNED by Everson at the colophon. One of only 100 copies printed under the direction of William Everson. The title page woodcut is by William Prochnow. Types used are Goudy Newstyle and Castellar initials. The paper is Hayle an English handmade. The slipcase is of Monterey Cypress; its window of granite from Jeffers' own stoneyard. Publisher's prospectus booklet laid in. A magnificent work of book arts that combines form and function. The book is in fine condition. The cypress wood slipcase is lightly marked. This copy lacks the wooden stand.

Hartford: James Thrall Soby, 1934. First edition. Paperback. Near Fine. First edition, first printing, first state with the original title page. Quarto. Plastic comb binding. With 104 heliogravures by Man Ray. With text in English and French by Man Ray, Paul Eluard, Andre Breton and Tristan Tzara and in English and German by Rrose Selavy (Marcel Duchamp). An exceptionally bright and clean copy. White plastic comb binding, which is often found damaged or partially detached is here found in excellent condition. Man Ray's first monograph and a Roth 101 selection as one of the most influential and important photo books of the 20th centure. Quite scarce in the first issue and often not found in such exemplary condition.

Paris: Europa Press, 1935. First edition. Paperback. Very Good +/very good +. Simple unprinted bound wrappers in printed paper dustwrapper. Unpaginated. Becket''s second book of poems. A clean very good copy. This is Copy I of XXV special copies SIGNED by Beckett and printed on Normandy Vellum. Exceptionally rare thus. Includes Beckett's bold signature from his early years.

Paris: The Hours Press, 1930. First edition. Paperback. Good +. Slender stapled printed wrappers. 5 pp. A poem by Beckett which represents his first separately published work. This is copy 69 of only 100 special copies SIGNED and numbered. With the truly scarce publisher's printed paper belly band. The band reads "This Poem was awarded the 10 (british Sterling) prize for the best poem on TIME in the competition judged by Richard Aldington and Nancy Cunard at THE HOURS PRESS, and published in an edition of 100 signed copies at 5 s and 200 unsigned at 1 . This is also Mr. Samue Beckett's first separately published work". Staples rusty. Outer wrappers lightly worn and stained. Glue stain to the front endpaper. Otherwise internally bright and clean. The belly band has a stain on the front panel, but is still completely readable. A rare book in any form, especially with the band present.

New York and London: Harper & Brothers, 1924. First edition. Hardcover. Good. 8vo. 294 pp. Stated first edition. The great escape artist, Houdini documents his skepticism with the work of mediums and other individuals who claimed to have the ability to contact the dead. In 1923 Houdini joined a committee sponsored by The Scientific American which offered a prize to any medium who could demonstrate "physical" psychic ability under scientific protocols and controls. The committee investigatory panel included among others Dr. William McDougall, a Harvard University psychologist. This copy is INSCRIBED by Houdini to Prof. McDougall, and is dated in 1925 in Worcester, Massachusetts. A marvelous association copy. Condition of this book is only good with considerable wear to spine tips. The book is lightly bowed and has a neat prior ownership name stamped on the rear endpaper. The book is otherwise clean and still well-bound. Meaningful association copies of works by Houdini are few and far between.

Palma de Mallorca and Black Mountain, North Carolina: Black Mountain Review, 1957. First edition. Paperback. Very Good. Seven volume complete set of perhaps the most distinguished and sought after small press poetry magazine. Edited by Robert Creeley with assists variously by Charles Olson, Irving Layton, Allen Ginsberg and others. The house organ of Black Mountain College in the waning years of the school's existence. Featruing a who's who of mid-century American poets and artists. each of the first four issues featured illustrations by a different artist in each issue. Condition varies slightly between issues, but all are in very good condition. Issue 6 is signed by poet Charles Tomlinson. Issue 5 has a couple of small ink underlinings on one page. Issue 7, perhaps the rarest of the bunch is in particularly high condition and is distinguished by the fact that it has been SIGNED by Allen Ginsberg at his contribution. Issue 7 also features William Lee (a.k.a. William S Burroughs) who contributes a… Read More

San Francisco / Sausalito / Berkeley: Six Gallery / Sausalito Little Theater / Town Hall Theater, 1957. First edition. Paperback. Very Good. Original wrappers with silkscreened covers by Jack Gilbert and Joan Hartmann-McClean. Three separate items sold here together all related to three poetry readings by these seven "cats" in the SF Bay Area (January 19, 1957, February 8, 1957, and March 3, 1957 in SF, Sasalito and Berkeley, respectively. Wrappers thrice stapled at the top and printed on rectos only. Each version includes an opening statement and list of the poets. Followed by unnumbered pages with poems from the cats. 19 leaves, 18 leaves, and 17 leaves, respectively. These books represent the first published works of poet Jack Gilbert excepting any college publications. Each version contains different poems by Gilbert. The tan version was published in an edition of 150 copies and is slightly smaller in dimension than the the other versions. There are a couple of marginal ink lines to a couple of… Read More