Arcana:

(EVANS, WALKER). Evans, Walker. Introduction by James Agee. Boston & Cambridge, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company & The Riverside Press, 1966. First Edition. Small 4to. Boards in Pictorial Jacket. Photography Monograph. Very Good/Good. xii + 178pp, 89 b&w illustrations. Published in 1966, this hardbound monograph collected in book form for the first time Walker Evans' poignant black and white portraits of New York City subway riders taken during the thirties and forties. An otherwise internally bright, most handsome example of the uncommon Houghton Mifflin Company and Riverside Press first hardcover edition (cited on page 253 of Martin Parr and Gerry Badger's "The Photobook: A History Volume I", pages 218-219 of The Hasselblad Center's "The Open Book", page 31 of "From Fair to Fine: 20th Century Photography Books That Matter", and pages 104-109 of Horacio Fernandez' "New York in Photobooks") showing some minor staining and the name of a previous owner in ink on the front pastedown. The embossed white lettering on the front board and spine is still strong and crisp, while the black covers show a few trivial traces of water droplets in raking light along with a minor scratch on the rear board. Its fragile dust jacket is present, though noticeably creased, chipped, and torn - with some paper loss. It has been priced accordingly. LC 66-27491 Inventory Number: 025033