Arcana:

(NAPOLITANO, PASQUALE GIOVANNI). Armitage, Merle & Giovanni Napolitano. New York: E. Weyhe Publisher, 1935. First Edition 1/212. 8vo. Printed Wrappers. Artist Monograph. Poor./Poor.. np (50pp), 13 b&w illustrations. Designed by Merle Armitage. Printed by Lynton Kistler. In a clear acetate dustwrapper. This slender monograph designed and with a brief text by the great Merle Armitage, and with a portrait by Brett Weston is still the major work on the Southern California-based artist Pasquale Giovanni Napolitano. An Italian-American figurative modernist, Napolitano is best remembered for his New Deal-era mural commissions for the Los Angeles Museum of Art in Exposition Park, South Pasadena Junior High School, and Beverly Hills High School under the auspices of the Public Works of Art Program - for whom Armitage served as the Regional Director. A sadly disfigured example of this exceedingly uncommon charming item limited to two hundred and twelve copies with a frontispiece lithograph NUMBERED AND SIGNED "Giovanni Napolitano" in pencil on the recto that sadly has been subjected to the indignity of both fire and water damage. The publisher's printed vellum jacket is present and browned in the front, while most of the rear is missing and what remains is burned around the margins. Both interior flaps are lacking, and the textblock shows black singeing and some brown dampstaining along the top portion of the foredge. There is additional heavy brown dampstaining to the first few pages - unfortunately including the frontispiece lithograph. PLEASE NOTE: Due to the many condition issues we have priced this example accordingly and are offering it for sale strictly "AS IS", with no returns. If you have any questions or concerns about these details, please voice them before purchasing this - we will be happy to answer any inquiry. Inventory Number: 018642