Sims Reed Rare Books×

LONDON BULLETIN. Vols. 1 - 20. [All Published]

.

London. London Gallery. Apr 1938–Jun 1940
Sold
A complete set of the London Bulletin, the most influential English Surrealist periodical.

Edited by E.L.T. Mesens, this was the most influential English language Surrealist magazine and the only one to be published in England. Although it described itself as an avant-garde review, Surrealist contributions were numerous; the periodical also featured Constructivism and more abstract art, not Surrealist in tone, but Surrealism was the dominant mode throughout.

Contributors included Paul Eluard, Herbert Read, Mesens, André Breton, Nash, Tanguy, Beckett, Peret, Picabia, George Reavey, Humphrey Jennings, Roland Penrose, Eileen Agar, John Banting, Conroy Maddox and many others.

The series includes three double numbers and the final triple number: 4 / 5: 'The Impact of Machines'; 8 / 9: 'Living Art in England'; 15 / 16: 'Picasso in English Collections'; 18 - 20: 'Surrealism'. In this set, issue 1 includes the original printed order slip on thin blue paper, loosely inserted.

' ... it was not until 1938, when E. L. T. Mesens published the Bulletin of the London Gallery, of which he had become director in 1937, that the Surrealist group in England found a voice, although theirs was not the only voice in it.' (Dawn Ades).

'London Bulletin has assumed the position of the only avant garde publication in this country concerned with contemporary poetry and art. Although its first number was practically a monograph, by various hands, concentrated on the work of the surrealist René Magritte, it has rapidly expanded its range, reflecting besides exhibitions of painting, other activities of living interest in its pages. The July double number, devoted to 'The Impact of Machines', further increased the value of its position by arousing the attention of numerous readers abroad ... '. (Introduction to issue no.7).

[Ades 14.53, see pp. 349 - 357; Fonds Destribats 403].
20 vols. in 15. 4to. (250 x 190 mm). Profusely illustrated throughout in colour and monochrome with text and illustration on a variety of paper stock of differing colour; the final triple number (18 - 20) also includes two hors-texte full-page woodcuts in two colours by Stanley William Hayter and John Banting and John Buckland Wright's original monochrome woodcut. Original publisher's wrappers, each of a different colour and with titles to front covers in various colours, later blue cloth chemise with leather title label to spine and matching slipcase.
#44704

Other Items

Bigarrure
From the edition limited to 1162 copies.
£300
Icart, Louis. Hermant, AbelBigarrure1928
La Petite Classe
An excellent, complete example of the de luxe issue of Louis Legrand's beautiful 'La Petite Classe'.
£12,500
Legrand, LouisLa Petite Classe1908
Ainsi Va L'Amitié
An excellent copy of this scarce book by PAB marking the friendship of the four contributors in a beautiful binding by Martin.
£4,500
Char, René, Georges Braque, Mariette Lachaud, Pierre André BenoitAinsi Va L'Amitié1962
Pantagruel. Les Horribles et Espouvantables Faictz...
André Derain's superb woodcuts - the only colour illustrations he made for a book - for François Rabelais' 'Pantagruel'.
£9,500
Derain, André. Nasier, Alcofrybas (Pseud. of François Rabelais)Pantagruel. Les Horribles et...1943
Les Fleurs Animées, par J.-J. Grandville
Grandville's 'Les Fleurs Animées', an excellent copy in the first publisher's cartonnage.
£5,500
Grandville, (Jean-Ignace-Everard Gérard)Les Fleurs Animées, par...1847
Un Autre Monde: Transformations, visions, incarnations,...
An excellent copy of Grandville's finest book and magnum opus, an extraordinary imaginative tour de force in the original publisher's polychromatic binding.
£9,500
Grandville, (Jean-Ignace-Everard Gérard). Delord, TaxileUn Autre Monde: Transformations,...1844
Les Papillons. Métamorphoses Terrestres des Peuples...
'Les Papillons' in the publisher's polychromatic binding.
£4,750
Varin, Amédée. Nus, Eugène & Antony MerayLes Papillons. Métamorphoses Terrestres...c.1852
Petrificada Petrificante. (Pétrifié Pétrifiante)
Tàpies illustrating Paz.
£5,500
Tapies. Paz, OctavioPetrificada Petrificante. (Pétrifié Pétrifiante)20th October, 1978
A Catalogue of Superobjects - Supercomfort...
The superb, subversive photographic portfolio satirising capitalism and communism.
£20,000
Komar & MelamidA Catalogue of Superobjects...1977
Aesop's Fables with his Life: in...
A superlative large paper copy in a contemporary English binding by the Barlow's Aesop Binder of Barlow's undoubted masterpiece of English book illustration.
£35,000
Barlow, Francis. (Aesop). Behn, AphraAesop's Fables with his...1687