CEOLFRITH 18 [limited edition]

CHOPIN, HENRI

Sunderland: Ceolfrith Arts Centre, 1972. Limited edition of 75, housed in a specially designed folder with a pocket holding two previously unpublished prints. This example unnumbered and possibly out of series. However, the two prints are numbered 6 of 75 and signed and dated in pencil by the artist, but one print has a date of 1972 and the other 1975, three years after the magazine was issued. We’ve been unable to determine whether the 1975 print was misdated by accident, or possibly added later, or if this example was assembled after the original publication date.

Three-panel folder printed in black on recto and verso housing a large saddle stapled 8vo in pictorial wrappers printed in black, with pages printed in black, a few in black and red. Unpaginated. To which is added two prints slightly smaller than the book, both of which are numbered, dated, and signed in pencil by the artist. Text mostly in English, some French.

Limited edition artists’ book published on the occasion of the Henri Chopin Retrospective Exhibition held at the Ceolfrith Arts Centre, Sunderland, from May 12 to June 10, 1972. Catalogue with several examples of concrete poetry by the artist, an introductory essay by Alicia Drweski, an autobiographical essay by Chopin, printed correspondence between Chopin and André Breton, bibliographical information, an exhibition checklist of works by the artist, and addenda slip affixed to next to last page.

Folder with rubbing and age toning, partial ink loss along left vertical fold line, light wear along extremities, and a minor stain at upper left front cover. Else very good. Book with trace amounts of age toning. Near fine. Both prints with trace amounts of offset rubbing, handling creases along top margin and a thin horizontal area of darkening along top margin to one of the prints which is slightly taller than the folder. Very good. Item 1102.