Rare books from Design Books

Paris: Chez l'Auteur, 30 Rue Des Mathurins, 1939. Text in French. This is a very good copy of this portfolio in green paper-covered boards, containing 16 pages of text and notes and 30 photographic plates and 6 hand-colored watercolor plates. The text and plates generally very good, 2 plates with some foxing. The portfolio has some damp marks to the top corners, otherwise very good. This work appears to be a record of the author's collection of architectural elements and decorative art from his many excursions to the Orient. The photos appear to be of the author's own quarters at 30 Rue des Mathurins. A late work of undoubted "Orientalism", it sets out to create an atmosphere of The Thousand and One Nights. The 6 watercolor plates depict a man and a woman in Persian costume, inside the sumptuous dwelling, in romantic, but very chaste encounters. Absolutely charming work. Folio, 13" high X 10" wide. Quite rare among d'Allemagne's works. This book will be securely… Read More

Firenze: Vallechi Editore, 1951. This is an about very good hardcover copy in a good dust jacket. The jacket front and back panels are present, but spine of jacket mostly perished. The top edges of both panels chipped, the front more heavily. Very clean inside, however the paper is very acidic and the edges of the text pages have browned. Text in Italian. The book is illustrated with 21 original serigraphs by Mino Maccari. These are printed on a lighter, better quality paper. The colors are fesh and bright. Palazzeschi's fabulous creatures are playfully interpreted by Maccari, who also used two of the decorations for the front and back panel of the dust jacket. Two different illustrations have been applied directly to the paper-covered boards. There is one brief inscription in Italian from the period on the front endpaper. The headpieces and vignettes in black & white are also by Maccari. 11" high X 8" wide, 164 pages. This book will be securely wrapped and packed in a sturdy box and… Read More

Paris: A.Levy Editeur , 1880. This is an album of 50 lithographed images in black & white of designs ca.1880 of elaborate storefronts, and doors and other pieces of furniture from stylish shops. Also kiosks, etc, each plate with metric scale that indicates relative dimensions. All designs by the architect A.Sanguineti. Quarto size, 10 1/2" high x 8 1/2" wide. There is a light brown moisture-stain to most plates, down at the lower margin, sometimes affecting the image. The back cover is a brown marbled paper, no front cover. The title-page serves as front cover, although it is hard to tell if this is intentional. The book is covered with a protective mylar jacket. This book will be securely wrapped and packed in a sturdy box and shipped with tracking.. Original Wraps. Very Good.

Strasbourg : D'Emil Simon Fils , 1834. This is a very good hardcover copy in the original binding of brown marbled paper boards with an all-over green design. There is a large printed paper label with the title inset in an elaborately lithographed Gothic style frame. Tan paper covered spine of dark green cloth. The edges of the covers have a little wear. Inside there is an elaborately detailed title-page followed by 32 of 40 numbered plates. No evidence of plates being removed, as binding still very tight, but normally with 40 plates. All plates are black & white lithographs showing an amazing variety of typefaces and alphabets. Many are composed out of very imaginatively worked animals, plants, people or inventions forming the letters. A classic of this genre, here an incomplete copy with various faults, such as browning, tiny foxing, and 2 instances of later careful coloring of initials on different plates. Quite rare in the original binding. Large oblong folio, 11" high X 13 1/2"… Read More

Paris: Charles Quinel, 1905. Fascicle 1. 12 full-page color lithographs of early 20th century ladies fashions. "Printemps & Ete 1905" Spring & Summer wear. With a title-page and 2 plates of hats & hairstyles, the other 10 plates are full length portraits of women in early twentieth century formal gowns and accessories. They are shown against pale gray or brown backgrounds, either in sumptuous interiors or in grand exteriors. The designs were created by "Louis Colas Compositions & Dessins. 74-76 Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Paris". This is an oversize thin folio in very good condition, but some slight cover soil, and a bite taken out of the bottom corner of the rear board, with the title in large gilt script on the front cover, with 12 large color lithographs on a nice rag paper, with only occasional finger marks to the margin or front edge. 18" high X 12 1/2" wide. A nice set of these 12 really beautiful prints. This book will be securely wrapped and packed… Read More

Frankfurt A.M., Germany : Verlag Zinglers Kabinett, 1920. This is a very good softcover copy in the original stiff brown paper covers, with the illustration tipped-on the front cover. With 2 original woodcuts by Heinrich Campendonk. They are printed on slightly heavier paper than the text pages, with tissue guards and full margins. They are printed with a rich chocolate brown ink, and are both in very nice condition. There are 12 other illustrations in sepia tones on different paper stock + the illustration on the front cover. A little chipping to the edges of the covers, otherwise fine. Large 4to, 11" high X 9" wide, 7 pages of text + illustrations and original woodcuts. Call or e-mail for digital photographs. This book will be securely wrapped and packed in a sturdy box and shipped with tracking.. Original Wraps. Very Good.

New York: American Art Galleries, 1929. This is a very good copy of the original catalog for the 1929 Girl Scouts Loan Exhibition, which has been bound in dark gray cloth, with red and gilt title label on the spine. The original green and gilt printed catalog cover bound in. Completely clean outside. Inside covers generally clean, but a few marks to front cover lower left, and one page with old tape repairs. This repaired page has a plate on each side (no.570-71), and the repairs are on either side of the photograph just touching its' border. A few pages have very faint tan streaks on them, possibly from the binding process. Also a few abrasions to texts. Otherwise very clean and fresh. Preface. Short texts introduce the sections. Texts by George S. McKearin, Andrew Varick Stout, Louis Guerineau Meyers and E.T.H. 926 works in the exhibition. All reproduced in black & white photographs. This historic exhibition was held at the American Art Galleries in New York from September 25th to October 9,… Read More

London: The Architectural Press, 1923. This is a very good hardcover set of the two volumes bound in gray blue cloth ruled and titled in gilt. They are both very clean inside and out. One volume belonged to the R.H. Macy Company and has a number of marks including blindstamps to a number of plates, a sign-out card on the rear endpaper, and a small paper label at the base of the spine. The other volume has a ghost of a circle on the front cover. Volume 1 is devoted to exteriors and volume 2 covers interiors and details. 200 black & white plates (100 per volume), both photographs and some measured drawings in volume 2. Volume 1 published in 1923. Volume 2 in 1924. 13" high X 8 1/2" wide, 16 & 19 text pages + plates. This book will be securely wrapped and packed in a sturdy box and shipped with tracking.. Hard Cover. Very Good.

Madrid, Spain, 1975. These are very good hardcover copies in very good dust jackets of Vallejo-Nagera's two books on Spanish primitive or naive painters. Completely clean inside and out. Dust jackets have a little wear to the corners. Text in Spanish. Both volumes belonged to Eduardo Abril Lamarque, the Cuban artist and illustrator. The first volume, 'Naifs Espanoles Contemporaneos' is inscribed by Vallejo-Nagera to Eduardo and Milagro Lamarque on the half title page above the title. There are also two exhibition catalogs for Vallejo-Nagera's own paintings exhibitons as well as a review laid in. Naifs Espanoles Contemporaneos published in 1975 by Mas Actual in Madrid. 275 text pages + many color illustrations. 'El Ingenuismo en Espana' published by Fundacion Pedro Barrie de la Maza, in Madrid in 1982. 252 text pages + many color illustrations. Both books together constitute Vallejo-Nagera's complete work on Spanish naif painters. A beautiful inscribed set. These books will… Read More

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1924. This is a near fine hardcover copy in a near fine dust jacket with virtually no wear. Completely clean inside and out. This copy has been signed by Joseph Sinel and briefly inscribed to a colleague, under the limited edition information. This is copy 1360 out of 2000 available for sale. Beautifully printed by the Pynson Printers of New York. Illustrated in color and black & white. Pages uncut as issued. 12" high X 10" wide, 64 pages. Index. This book will be securely wrapped and packed in a sturdy box and shipped with tracking.. Signed by Author. Limited Edition. 2000 Copies.. Hard Cover. Near Fine/Fine.

Vienna/Leipzig : Deutsch-Osterreichischer Verlag , 1924. This is a very good softcover copy of this scarce book signed by the author and dated in the year of publication. Text in German. Light edge-wear to the pictorial blue covers. A small piece missing from the top of the spine. Many pages still uncut, so probably never used. 4to, 9 1/2" high X 6 1/2" wide, 166 pages. A beautiful copy. This book will be securely wrapped and packed in a sturdy box and shipped with tracking.. Signed by Author. Soft Cover. Very Good.

Paris: Les Editions Nomis, 1949. This is a very good two volume set of the original edition with just light wear. Completely clean inside and out, some light browning to the edges of the soft text pages, occasional offsetting from the color plates visible on facing text pages. Light wear to edges of spine of the plate volume. All text in French. Color plates tipped on to front boards. Text volume: vii, 227 pages + 13 color plates. Various indices: lists of faience artists, place names. Bibliography. Plate volume: 140 black & white photographic plates, with images printed in photogravure. 1100 pieces of majolica illustrated. This is a limited edition of 500 sets. This set is number 14. A beautiful set of the first edition. These books will be securely wrapped and packed in a sturdy box and shipped with tracking.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good.

Toronto, Canada: Toronto Public Library, 1965. This is a fine hardcover 6 volume set (complete), with almost no wear. Uniformly bound in maroon cloth with green title labels on the spines, titles in gilt. Frances M. Staton and Marie Tremaine (eds) Volume 1: A Bibliography of Canadiana Being Items in the Public Library of Toronto, Canada, Relating to the Early History and Development of Canada, with an introduction by George H. Locke, 828 pages, reprinted 1965. Gertrude M. Boyle, assisted by Marjorie Colbeck (eds) Volume 2:, A Bibliography of Canadiana, First Supplement, Being Items in the Public Library of Toronto, Canada, Relating to the Early History and Development of Canada, with an introduction by Henry C. Campbell, 333 pages, reprinted 1969. Sandra Alston, assisted by Karen Evans. (eds.) Second Supplement, (in 4 volumes) volume 1, 1512- 1800, 353 pages, published in 1989. Volume 2, 1801- 1849, 839 pages, published in 1985. Volume 3, 1850- 1867, 910 pages, published in 1986. Volume 4, Index,… Read More

New York: Metropolis, 1983. This is a long run of 132 issues, uniformly bound in polished black buckram with title, months and year on the spine. This set was long ago released from the reference library of a major New York art museum. This is a very clean set, with just mailing labels to the museum on each individual cover and usually a small one line handstamp from the museum on the page-edges. No bookplates, cards or pockets, or other institutional marks. All covers bound in. This run starts with the year 1983 January through August. 1984: January through April. 1985: January through December. 1986: May though December. 1987: January through December. 1988: January through December. 1989: January through December. 1990: January through December. 1991: January through December. 1992: January through December. 1993: January through Decenber. 1994 January through June. 1995: January through June. A total of 32 hardcover volumes containing 132 individual issues of one the most important and interesting… Read More

Lausanne: Editions Durand-Ruel, 1971. This is a near fine hardcover copy with a near fine dust jacket with no wear at all. Small light stain to edge of front free endpaper else very clean inside and out. Dust jacket spine lightly sunned. Text in FRENCH. This is the catalogue raisonne for Auguste Renoir, it is volume 1 but no more volumes were produced by Daulte. Limited edition of 1850 copies, this is number 1137. Preface by Charles Durand-Ruel. Note by Jean Renoir, the artist's son. Illustrated mostly in black & white. 13" high X 10" wide, 429 pages. Scarce. Large heavy book, foreign shipping will be extra. This book will be securely wrapped and packed in a sturdy box and shipped with tracking.. Hard Cover. Near Fine/Near Fine.