Glenview, IL: Karen Hanmer, 2010. Hardcover. Number 21 of 25 copies in the Deluxe Edition. The edition consists of 125 copies of which 25 are deluxe, 50 are standard, and 50 are printed as chapbooks. Noted book artist Karen Hanmer examines the writings of Edgar Allan Poe and compares modern events to his stories. She examines Poe's "The Premature Burial" and compares nineteenth century fears of being buried alive to modern day people being buried in dept and unemployment. Perhaps most relevant to current events (even though Hanmer wrote this in 2010) is her examination of Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death" in which the plague is an "uninvited guest" at a masquerade within the suppossedly impregnable castle walls. In reflection on Poe's story, Hanmer writes: "In the new century, Americans have had the opportunity to realize that we are not as invulnerable as it is comforting to believe. Very bad things do happen here. We find ourselves unprepared for the events and with no plan for recovery in the aftermath."“The physical structure, typography, and design for the paper wrapper ... are based on the first edition of Poe’s first published work, Tamerlane and Other Poems. Only twelve copies of this modest pamphlet are known to exist of the fifty printed in Boston in 1827” (Hanmer). This copy is presented in an early 19th century boarded binding based upon a technique taught by Jeff Peachey. Bound in marbled paper covered boards with beige paper spine and title label to the front board. The paper was marbled by Pamela Smith. Inkjet printed on Ruscombe Mill pale wove handmade paper. Housed in an archival folding case with a replica of the Tamerlane title page pasted to the front cover. The case has a Velcro closure. In fine condition. 36 pages. ARTB/011516. Fine. More

Glenview, IL: Karen Hanmer, 2004. Hardcover. Number 19 of 30 copies. Signed and numbered by the book artist. Features photographs, archival documents, and text pertaining to the Wright Brothers' experimentation to develop the first manned, powered flight. Bound using the flag book structure with illustrated paper covered boards. This book was created for Turning Pages: A Collection of Artists' Books shown in The Living Room, the family installation space at the Wichita Art Museum. Housed in an archival paper case with the edition number and artist's contact information stamped on the front panel. Measures 7 x 26 x 5 inches open and 7 x 5 x 3 ¾ inches closed. Unpaginated. [16 pages.] ARTB/032417. Fine. More

Glenview, IL: 2002. Hardcover. Number 8 of 20 copies. “Chicago binder, book and installation artist Karen Hanmer’s intimate, playful works fragment and layer text and image to intertwine memory, cultural history, and the history of science. Her work weds the ancient act of book binding with the high tech use of the computer to aid her process. The intimate scale and the gestures of exploration required to travel through each piece evoke the experience of looking through an album, a diary, or the belongings of a loved one. However, her works often take the forms of games or puzzles, and many include witty text” (Karen Hanmer). This work is a history of an immigrant farming family told through photographs. The family is depicted on both inside covers with one picture dating from the 1920s and the other from the 1960s. Connecting the pictures is a flowing field of corn, which is blurred on one side and detailed on the other. As you open the book the interlocking pages and imagery create a flowing movement that simulates the passage of time. The result is an engaging book that tells a story despite the lack of text. Housed in an archival paper case with the artist’s contact information and edition number on the front panel. In fine condition. Unpaginated. ARTB/060111. Fine. More

Glenview, IL: Karen Hanmer, 2011. Hardcover. Chicago binder, book, and installation artist Karen Hanmer’s intimate, playful works fragment and layer text and image to intertwine memory, cultural history, and the history of science. Her work weds the ancient art of book binding with the high tech use of the computer to aid her process. The intimate scale and the gestures of exploration required to travel through each piece evoke the experience of looking through an album, a diary, or the belongings of a loved one. However, her works often take the forms of games or puzzles, and many include witty text. Number 2 of 3 copies. A sculptural book featuring text from Jane Austen’s archetypal romance, Pride and Prejudice, with heart shaped cut outs to reveal illustrations clipped from the covers of modern day romance novels. This book can be displayed in a star format using two included cloth clips or as an accordion. According to the book artist: The “background pattern references Regency era roller-printed textiles. This piece was created from a minimum quantity of recycled and already-purchased materials and with limited use of electricity for Sustainable Book and Paper Arts, a 2011 exhibition curated by Shawn Sheehy and Melissa Jay Craig.” Inkjet printed with found images. It is housed in an archival grey folding case with artist’s contact information stamped to front panel. Size: 6.75 x 4.25 x 3 inches, closed; 6.75 x 8.5 x 8.5 inches, open. Fine. Fine. More

Basel, Switzerland: Romano Hänni, 2005. Hard Cover. Number 34 of 40. Each book is unique. Second Edition. This book includes a selection of proof pages from various early handprinted books by Romano. The pages include handwritten notes and marks for corrections. Because each proof sheet is different, each illustration and also each book is unique. The poems, which are interspersed with the proof sheets, are written by Romano's father. The typographic pictures and cover are letterpress printed and the poems are inkjet printed. The text is in German with no English translation. (56 pages) ARTB/011713. Fine. More

Basel: Romano Hänni, 2011. Hard Cover. Number 21 of 180 copies. This is the second part of a three part series. This part covers the years 1992 - 2010. The articles included were originally published in the Swiss Typographic Magazine. Includes three sections: an interview with Romano, information about six of his books (Typographic Notes I, Typographic Notes II, It is so far / It is about Time, The Solution, Merciless Execution: Friendly Pardon, and Words Make the Infinite Finite), and projects completed during a class he taught. The text is in German and English. Bound in white paper covered boards with white linen spine and illustration to front board. The interior is printed in color with many photographic illustrations. Includes a supplemental poster which is laid in and folds out. 98 pages. Fine. More

Basel: Romano Hänni, 2010. Hardcover. Number 98 of 175 copies. A commentary on various aspects of life, some of which are illustrated with design elements. For example "with ritalin" shows a series of small, numbered pill shaped designs. It faces "without ritalin" which shows a variety of animals and other creatures. One unillustrated quote from the jacket reads "The daily misconduct: It is not the large catastrophes, it is he daily mistakes in the details that cause the global problems." Bound accordion style in boards with white illustrated dust jacket. Handcomposed and handprinted in black, red, blue, and gold. The text is printed in German; however, a pictorial booklet supplement with English translation is included. An thought provoking, well designed book. ARTB/060111. Fine. More

Basel: Romano Hänni, 2010. Hardcover. Number 35 of 175 copies. Swiss book artist and typographer Romano Hänni (1956 - ) has been experimenting with unusual compositions of letter forms and symbols since the early 1980s. His designs can seem somewhat whimsical but often are reactions to society, politics, and traumatic events. Creating things manually with the participation of all of the senses is very important to him. A master of visual poetry, he enjoys teaching to pass on his knowledge and skills. This work offers a commentary on various aspects of life, some of which are illustrated with design elements. For example "with ritalin" shows a series of small, numbered pill shaped designs. It faces "without ritalin" which shows a variety of animals and other creatures. One unillustrated quote from the jacket reads "The daily misconduct: It is not the large catastrophes, it is he daily mistakes in the details that cause the global problems." Bound accordion style in boards with white illustrated dust jacket. Handcomposed and handprinted in black, red, blue, and gold. The text is printed in German; however, a pictorial booklet supplement with English translation is included. A thought provoking, well designed book. ARTB/092117. Fine. More

Penland School of Crafts, 2017. Hardcover. Number 12 of 16 copies. Signed by the artist. An exploration of women's domestic roles in the late 19th century through the language of Henrik Ibsen's play, "A Doll's House" juxtaposed with pastel renderings of domestic objects. The text oscillates between a husband's dialogue to his wife and her inner dialogue, including: "Has my little spendthrift been wasting money again? ... They all think that I am incapable of anything really serious - that I have gone through nothing in this world of cares.... My little songbird must never do that again. A songbird must have a clean beak to chirp with - no false notes! ...." Grey cloth boards with silhouette of a vessel to front board. Text and images are letterpress printed on cotton and Japanese papers. Size: 7 x 5 inches. ARTB/090320. Fine. More

Montgomery Village, MD: Shireen Holman, 2013. Paperback. Number 15 of 20 copies signed and numbered by the artist. This complex and beautiful artist's book explores time from the viewpoints of religion, literature, science, and philosophy. The book artist, Shireen Modak Holman, has been a printmaker for more than thirty-five years and a book artist for more than twenty. She was born in India, and her work often involves the interaction of her Indian and American cultures. She states that she is fascinated by time and spent several years reading, sketching, and selecting texts to illustrate the imagery she was creating as she tried to visually express time. She has used texts from the writings of Shakespeare, Tagore, Einstein, Thoreau, Hawking, and others. As the design of the book came together, she created a full-sized colored pencil mock-up. The finished book consists of woodcuts printed onto pulp-painted handmade paper. The text was letterpress printed on gampi paper and then pasted onto the handmade sheets. The pages are folded in such a way that one can see a little of each of the subsequent pages from the current page. Thus from the beginning to the end of the book one can see a little of the future from the present. Each page has semicircular areas cut out so that the calendar at the bottom right of the colophon page is visible at all times. Housed in a cream paper clamshell box with the title "Time" in raised letters affixed vertically to the cover. Linen spine. In fine condition. Accompanied by a softcover book titled "The Making of the Artist Book 'Time.'" Unpaginated. [16 pages]. 13.75 x 19.25 inches. ARTISTS/041916. Fine. More

Cairo, NY: Editions, 1999. Number 20 of 32 copies. Signed by the book artist. Book artist Ed Hutchins is known for his inventive and fanciful books that are made from found materials and that use untraditional methods and structures. This miniature tunnel book exemplifies his work. The book's theme is stars and although they are seemingly the same, in fact each really is unique - like humans. A star cutout on the cover reveals a tiny galaxy of varied color stars floating in the air when the tunnel is expanded. The sides of the tunnel are made with different bright colored papers and have the words of the text printed that are also revealed as the tunnel expands. Black covers with yellow title label on front and green label on back with quote about stars, Hutchins's signature, and edition number in pencil. In an orange slipcase and both housed in a purple slipcase with star cutout and title on front. Fine condition. 2 x 3 x .5 inches. ARTISTSBOOK/090717. Fine. More

Minneapolis: Indulgence Press, 2007. Hardcover. 1 of 26 deluxe lettered copies. This is Letter W. Signed by author and book artist. This book contains 31 previously unpublished poems by the highly regarded poet Michael Dennis Browne. The poems are short and intended to elicit larger thoughts by the reader. Inspired by his love of music, Schilling designed the book to create a meditative environment through the placement of poems and photographs on the page. The book structure acts as a composition around the lines of text to float the poems along the way. The deluxe edition of 26 copies is printed by letterpress in Reykjavik and Philosophia type on MacGregor & Vinzani handmade paper. The pages are French folded and include cyanotype photographic prints; they are sewn with exposed cords laced into red oak boards. The book is housed in a clamshell box bound with blue goatskin and indigo dyed handmade paper. In fine condition. 60 pages. PRI/111512. Fine. More

Minneapolis: Indulgence Press, 2011. One of 20 copies. Arthur & Barbara is a portrait of art critic/philosopher Arthur Danto and artist Barbara Westman as seen reflected in the space of their New York City apartment on Riverside Drive. This book embodies their life and work in symbolic forms of thoughtful play. Arthur & Barbara is a collection of simple objects, images and “games” referring to both Duchamp’s Boîte-en-valise and to Fluxus Collections. The box contains laser-etched glass with a plan view of the apartment. Beneath the glass, separated spaces hold a DVD with images of Arthur, Barbara and their apartment, a hand-bound codex filled with photographic illustrations and brief text, a glass block laser-etched with an illustration by Barbara Westman, two chairs, handmade dice, and a spinner. A drawer holds a folio of letters written by Sean Scully, Shirin Neshat and Barbara Westman, and an introduction by David Carrier. A fascinating way of documenting the lives and personalities of this interesting couple. In fine condition. Size: 13 x 12 x 7 inches. PRI/041111. Fine. More