Printed Matter Catalog 1981

New York ; Printed Matter Inc., 1981. Quarto, printed wrappers (light rubbing and handling wear), pp. 155; (5), printed on news sheet (toned), small chips to a couple of leaves, illustrated, a very good copy.

The very rare first complete printed catalogue of the iconic New York artist’s book store Printed Matter, with bibliographic data, records and images of over 1500 rare and ephemeral artists books.

Includes iconic works by Sol Lewitt, James Rosequist, Douglas Huebler, Joseph Kosuth, Barbara Kruger, Walter Pfeiffer, Richard Tuttle, Laurence Weiner, Richard Prince, Ed Ruscha and hundreds of others, including Australian artist Robert Jacks.

‘This is the first of only three complete inventory print catalogs that Printed Matter produced. With Printed Matter’s record keeping system still an analogue affair with consignor and inventory information recorded on typewritten index cards with handwritten annotations, the production of the complete catalogs represented a gargantuan task which took the better part of a year. With ample illustrations throughout, this catalogue includes a manifesto-like introduction by Printed Matter co-founder Edit DeAk and special sections on New Arrivals (“too new to be listed”), Artists’ Periodicals and Artists’ Audioworks.’ – Printed Matter website https://www.printedmatter.org/catalog/20734/

Provenance: Robert Jacks (1943 – 2014)