Rare Book Monthly
Book Catalogue Reviews - November - 2010 Issue
Book Arts from the Veatchs
The Brooklyn Bridge around 1930.
Item 53 is a tribute to Walt Whitman from Antonio Frasconi, A Whitman Portrait. Frasconi came to the United States from Uruguay after the Second World War, having become fascinated by the work of American writers and musicians. One of those he particularly liked was Whitman. Frasconi is most known for his woodcuts. There are 16 of them in this book, along with eight pages of text from Leaves of Grass and reproductions of five Whitman letters from a private collection. Portraits of Whitman progress from his youth to his old age. $350.
Would you like to buy the Brooklyn Bridge? No, seriously. Item 46 is The Brooklyn Bridge, a 1994 edition combining Hart Crane's poem with nine photogravures of pictures taken by Walker Evans. The original edition of 1930 contained just three photographs. The negatives for this edition were supplied by Evans' estate. Evans was particularly noted for his photography documenting the Great Depression, a time during which the Brooklyn Bridge was undoubtedly "sold" many times over. $3,500.
The Veatchs Arts of the Book can be reached at 413-584-1867 or veatchs@veatchs.com. Their website is www.veatchs.com.
