Primitives. Poems and Woodcuts
Weber, Max. Casseres, Benjamin de. (Intro.)
New York. The Spiral Press. 1926
An excellent example of this very early American artist book / livre d'artiste.
From the edition limited to 350 copies numbered by hand on English hand made paper, signed by Max Weber to the final print and the publishers, Joseph Blumenthal and A. George Hoffman, to the justification.
There appears to be some doubt as to whether Weber's prints are woodcuts, or, as suggested in an inserted bookseller's description, 'in fact relief prints from copper plates taken from the original blocks, which were not strong enough to print from'.
Although the slipcase is worn at the edges, there is some rubbing to the binding and very minor internal spotting from the paper and glue used, the book is often in a poor state and this copy, in very good overall condition, remains an excellent example.
Max Weber (1881 - 1961) was a pioneering American painter and printmaker who studied in Paris in the early years of the twentieth century where he was exposed to the work of Cézanne, Picasso and Matisse, met Guillaume Apollinaire, attended Gertrude Stein's salon and made friends with Douanier Rousseau (Weber helped organise his first US exhibition). On his return to the US in 1909, Weber is credited with the introduction of Cubism to the New World.
Also included, inserted loose, is the following:
- the original prospectus for the book, a bifolium of the same paper (246 x 156 mm) - described in the prospectus as 'English hand made paper' - with an introduction to the book itself ('This is the first book made and published at THE SPIRAL PRESS'), a speciment woodcut, a specimen of the text and a brief biography of Weber;
- the announcement of the establishment of the Spiral Press, a bifolium (219 x 155 mm) with printed text recto and verso within decorative three-colour typographical borders and with the device of the press, introductory text on the spiral and details of the press itself ('The Spiral Press was originally established by Joseph Blumethal and A. George Hoffman with the intention of continuing privately, solely for the pleasure in conceiving and carrying out unusual pieces of printing. Due, however, to requests from friends that we accept commissions from them we shall hereafter devote our full time to such efforts.').
'Primitives is Weber's second book of poetry (in 1914 he had published 'Cubist Poems', unillustrated, in London). Many years earlier he had first become interested in primitive art, to which the title and the style of the woodcuts both testify. This little-known book is one of the very few American 'livres de peintres' published as early as the 1920's.' (Eleanor M. Garvey).
[The Artist and the Book 321].
From the edition limited to 350 copies numbered by hand on English hand made paper, signed by Max Weber to the final print and the publishers, Joseph Blumenthal and A. George Hoffman, to the justification.
There appears to be some doubt as to whether Weber's prints are woodcuts, or, as suggested in an inserted bookseller's description, 'in fact relief prints from copper plates taken from the original blocks, which were not strong enough to print from'.
Although the slipcase is worn at the edges, there is some rubbing to the binding and very minor internal spotting from the paper and glue used, the book is often in a poor state and this copy, in very good overall condition, remains an excellent example.
Max Weber (1881 - 1961) was a pioneering American painter and printmaker who studied in Paris in the early years of the twentieth century where he was exposed to the work of Cézanne, Picasso and Matisse, met Guillaume Apollinaire, attended Gertrude Stein's salon and made friends with Douanier Rousseau (Weber helped organise his first US exhibition). On his return to the US in 1909, Weber is credited with the introduction of Cubism to the New World.
Also included, inserted loose, is the following:
- the original prospectus for the book, a bifolium of the same paper (246 x 156 mm) - described in the prospectus as 'English hand made paper' - with an introduction to the book itself ('This is the first book made and published at THE SPIRAL PRESS'), a speciment woodcut, a specimen of the text and a brief biography of Weber;
- the announcement of the establishment of the Spiral Press, a bifolium (219 x 155 mm) with printed text recto and verso within decorative three-colour typographical borders and with the device of the press, introductory text on the spiral and details of the press itself ('The Spiral Press was originally established by Joseph Blumethal and A. George Hoffman with the intention of continuing privately, solely for the pleasure in conceiving and carrying out unusual pieces of printing. Due, however, to requests from friends that we accept commissions from them we shall hereafter devote our full time to such efforts.').
'Primitives is Weber's second book of poetry (in 1914 he had published 'Cubist Poems', unillustrated, in London). Many years earlier he had first become interested in primitive art, to which the title and the style of the woodcuts both testify. This little-known book is one of the very few American 'livres de peintres' published as early as the 1920's.' (Eleanor M. Garvey).
[The Artist and the Book 321].
[22 unnumbered leaves]. Tall 8vo. (265 x 165 mm). Printed title with large vignette in dark sanguine, leaf with de Casseres' 'Introduction', leaf with list of poems recto, verso and following leaves with 10 original woodcuts (see below) printed in dark sanguine and 15 poems by Weber, leaf with final woodcut and Weber's signature recto, final leaf with justification and publishers' signatures recto. Original publisher's grey printed paper-covered boards with two colour woodcut design by Weber, title to spine, original black board slipcase.
#48817
