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THE LIFE AND OPINIONS OF TRISTRAM SHANDY, GENTLEMAN - DELUXE LIMITED ARION PRESS EDITION ILLUSTRATED AND SIGNED BY JOHN BALDESSARI
(BALDESSARI, JOHN). Sterne, Laurence, Melvyn New & John Baldessari. San Francisco: Arion Press, 1988. First Edition 1/400. Stout 8vo. Full Leather in Slipcase. Livre D'Artiste. Very Good/No Jackets - As Issued. 624 + 46 + np, profusely illustrated in color and b&w. This twenty-sixth publication of Andrew Hoyem's esteemed Arion Press is a beautifully constructed and executed hand-letterpress reprinting of Lawrence Sterne's classic of English literature, "The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman" that has been newly-illustrated by the noted Conceptual artist John Baldessari. Remaining faithful to the delightful typographic eccentricities and variant spellings of Sterne's own self-published editions from the 1760s, the main text of the novel has been set in Caslon Old Style - the typeface utilized by Sterne for the original printings - and bound in a single, substantial three-quarter green goatskin over lovely hand-marbled boards volume. This is accompanied by literary scholar Melvyn New's informative forty-six page essay "Lawrence Sterne and Tristram Shandy" separately bound in boards. The crowning achievement of this ambitious undertaking however is the third volume which contains John Baldessari's wry visual commentary of photo-collaged and altered found photographs and film stills in the form of a lengthy accordion-fold leporello that is anchored between green gilt-stamped boards. The three volumes are housed in a gilt-stamped green paper over board slipcase along with the additional Arion Press pre-publication prospectus laid in. A handsome example of the standard edition of this exquisite, uncommon item (entry number three in Elizabeth Phillips and Tony Zwicker's 1993 "The American Livre de Peintre" exhibition and catalogue from The Grolier Club) limited to four hundred unnumbered copies BOLDLY SIGNED "John Baldessari" in pencil on the colophon of illustrated volume, as issued, showing some typical mild age-toning of the spines along with mild surface abrasions as well as tiny dings to the upper foredge tips of the primary text volume. The slipcase is a bit worn and handled with some insect damage - primarily to the rear panel - that does not affect the gilt lettering. It has been priced accordingly. PLEASE NOTE: Additional shipping costs are required for this item beyond our standard rates due to its weight and value - we will inform you of the applicable amount at time of purchase. UNABLE TO SELL - RETURNED TO CONSIGNOR 2/2/2017 Inventory Number: 025034