Heller, Helen West.(American, 1872-1955) MIGRATORY
URGE - WOODCUT POEMS BY HELEN WEST HELLER, together with 25 PROOF
IMPRESSIONS OF ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THE BOOK
MIGRATORY URGE: Franklin Meine, Hogarth Press, Chicago, 1928. 1st edition,
limited to 109 copies, this being copy 20. Numbered and signed by Heller on the
Colophon, and with an inscription on the front free endpaper. 8vo. (7 3/4 x 5
1/8 inches), wraps, title page with an original woodcut, and 30 doubled sheets
with 56 woodcuts. Some of the woodcuts are poems set with a decorative motif;
others are illustrations with Heller’s text. The presentation reads:
"We will not forget the old days in the corner basement studio - when the
grate fire crackled and the leaves fell on the park drive. HWH." The front
board has a triangular 1 x 1 inch chip at the top right corner; The cover has
the same chip as well as other chips at its edges. The contents are Fine. The
book is scarce; OCLC locates 22 copies in libraries, ABSA locates two copies
sold at auction, Artprice.com locates no copies at auction, and ViaLibri lists
no other copies currenty being offered. Information about Heller, her life and
her career is readily available online.
Heller, Helen West. MIGRATORY URGE - 24 WOODCUTS. Woodcuts, 1928. These are
Proof Impressions of 24 of the 57 wood Engravings which were included in
Heller's book "Migratory Urge." Each is signed and annotated by
Heller in pencil. Sizes vary, but average about 3 x 2 1/2 inches (image), 5 1/4
x 5 inches (sheet). Presented in four 20 x 16 inch mats, each with six window
openings. In excellent condition throughout. This set was in the collection of
the artist Leon Kroll. There are similar partial sets in the Whitney, Brooklyn,
and Metropolitan Museums.
EARLY SKYSCRAPER: Wood-engraving, 1928. Edition size not known. Titled,
dated and signed in pencil, and further inscribed by Heller in the lower margin
"from Migratory Urge Chicago, 1928, 1st xylographic book pub in US
Franklin J. Meine, Chicago, #11". 3 X 2 5/8 inches (image), 5 1/4 x 4 1/2
inches (sheet). In excellent condition.
Heller's statement regarding "Early Skyscraper is not strictly correct.
First, the piece has not been removed from the book, as the statement might
imply; it is a separate print made from the same block which has been worked
further so that the image is now more detailed. It is also printed on a smaller
sheet of paper.
The Whitney Museum has a copy, also inscribed and numbered 5.
|
Inventory # |
14275 |
Price: $17,500.00
