Catalogue 30 – Winter 2005

70. (Paul Johnson) Small/Medium unique book. Artist’s book by Paul Johnson. [Manchester. England.] Approx. 3.5” x 2”: 4” x 3”. Handpainted and cutout book designed and made by Paul Johnson. Each unique and hand assembled with covers of painted paper over boards. Black card slipcase with painted cord. Signed by Johnson. Fine.
$35.00 - $45.00

71. (André Kertész) 3 rue Gozlin: Librairie Paul Jammes. Photographs by André Kertész. [New York.] MCMLXXV. (1975.) 7 folded sheets. 10.25” x 10.25”. 10 black and white photographs of Paul Jammes and his bookshop are tipped on to 5 folded sheets of paper. In a matching white folder. 500 copies were printed for friends of Paul Jammes’ bookshop, authorised by the photographer. These photographs were published in honor of Jammes on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of his bookshop. The original photographs were made by Kertész himself in 1963. Fine. $300.00

André Kertész (1894-1985) was one of the Twentieth Century’s foremost photographers. Born in Budapest, Hungary, he purchased his first camera at the age of 18. When Kertész moved to Paris in 1925 his career took off. There he took to the streets, wandering, observing, and developing his intimate approach to image making. He published three books of his own photographs and then emigrated to the United States in 1936. He worked for Condé Nash publications, but always continued his own artistic pursuits. Recognition finally came with exhibitions, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and publications, with his work now in major collections worldwide. A retrospective of the work of the acclaimed photographer’s 70-year career goes on view at the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, in February 2005.

72.   (Angela Lorenz) The Strength of Denham - Sir John Denham Jeans and Imitation Denhams. [Poem.] ‘Retailed’ by Angela Lorenz. Bologna, Italy. 2004. Accordion foldout book. 4" x 3.25". Printed on Ermine paper from a Bond Street stationer in London. Ink jet text in Times was washed with river water. Book bound with scraps of paper rubbed with blue color pencil on mulberry paper. Cover wrapper based on an antique tax wrapper for playing cards with inset of Denham Jean button embossed on Nile paper and portrait of Sir John Denham. One of 44 thus in an edition of 55 copies, signed and numbered by the artist. Fine. $450.00

The first 10 variant copies of this work include a pair of handmade blue jeans made of mulberry paper. They were sewn by the artist on a sewing machine, after the white paper was rubbed with a blue colored pencil. Each pair is different. The books are placed in the back pocket of the jeans. The poem is a humorous punning narrative in 696 rhyming lines. The life of Sir John Denham (1615-1654) unfolds vertically from an accordion fold deck of 51 card shaped pages bound with remnants of the 10 pairs of paper Denham jeans. Denham had many careers - including that of poet. The poem chronicles his tragicomic life - lawyer trained at Lincoln's Inn, poet, playwright, sheriff, governor, soldier, mail courier, spy, courtier, translator, diplomat, tutor to Member of Parliament. Today his work is totally unknown.