THE LARGE GLASS AND RELATED WORKS. VOLS I & II. ATOURO SCHWARTZ’S OWN COPY – NUMBERED 2! SIGNED BY BOTH DUCHAMP & SCHWARTZ.

Milan: Galleria Schwarz, 1967-68.
Vol I: 25 x 42 cm. 300 pp. + XV. Texts by the artist and Arturo Schwarz. Illustrated with nine inset full-page etchings by Duchamp & 144 facsimiles of notes and studies for “Le Grand Verre”. Original wrappers housed in cloth covered slipcase, which in enclosed in plexiglas box with a serigraphed color reproduction of “Le Grand Verre” on the inside of the plexiglas in colour. Loose folios. Edition of 150 numbered examples signed by Duchamp and Swartz.

Vol II: 25 x 42.2 cm. 150 unbound leaves + VI. Texts by the artist and Arturo Schwarz. Illustrated with 9 inset full-page etchings (“The Lovers Suite”) by Duchamp. Original wrappers housed in cloth covered slipcase. Loose folios. Edition of 150 numbered examples signed by Duchamp and Swartz.First edition of this very important two-volume deluxe documentary bookwork and multiple. In part self-documentation by Duchamp. Inclusive of 18 original full-page hand-pulled etchings by the artist (over two volumes) and extensive working schematics for his monumental and keynote concept work “Le Grand Verre”/”The Large Glass”.Each volume was issued in an edition of 150 signed (and numbered) copies by both Duchamp and his friend, publisher and enthusiastic Duchamp expert and (sometimes misguided) theorist Schwartz. Both of these copies offered here are numbered as nr 2 from the small edition of 150 issued ie the second copy and probably Schwartz’s own retained copy.Both are internally in very fine condition in with volume two being housed in a slipcase of equivalent fine condition. There is a minor condition problem with the slipcase of volume 1 with a retained water or liquid mark being apparent when the slipcase is examined under light although this is not obvious on a casual glance. The plexiglas box of volume one has six cracks in the plastic at different points with none of them threatening the integrity of the box – although there is a small piece of the plastic missing on the support bars for the opening/closing slide and two areas of the box where the original construction has marked the plastic due to badly applied solvent. The condition internally as noted is excellent and the above condition problems do not detracted markedly from what is a tremendous and essential document of the 20th century. Very rare.It is important to note here before giving the two portofolios to a friend (Julian Blaine, the concrete poet), Schwarz apparently removed the original cancelled etching plates and the signed etching that are called for in the descriptions of the deluxe copies of these books but otherwise the contents as they remain are equivalent to the non deluxe edition of the book which is still very much a rarity.

The price reflects this relegation to non-deluxe copy and this is nonetheless a very desirable item for any collection.

Provenance and detailed condition report on application.