Various Small Books in Various Conditions at Various Prices by Ed Ruscha

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  • Hard Light        Ed Ruscha and Lawrence Weiner        Books / Artists’ Books        $325.00
  • Nine Swimming Pools and a Broken Glass        Ed Ruscha        Books / Artists’ Books        $1,400.00
  • Metro Plots        Ed Ruscha        Books / Out of Print Books        $480.00
  • Business Cards        Ed Ruscha and Billy Al Bengston        Books / Signed        $350.00
  • Royal Road Test [First Edition]        Ed Ruscha, Mason Williams and Patrick Blackwell        Books / Artists’ Books        $200.00
  • Documenta 5        Ed Ruscha and Documenta 5        Books / Catalogs        $500.00
  • Babycakes with Weights        Ed Ruscha        Books / Artists’ Books        $800.00
  • Thirtyfour Parking Lots in Los Angeles [First Edition]        Ed Ruscha        Books / Artists’ Books        $1,250.00
  • Records        Ed Ruscha        Books        $850.00
  • Various Small Fires and Milk [First Edition]        Ed Ruscha        Books / Artists’ Books        $300.00
  • Twentysix Gasoline Stations        Ed Ruscha        Books / Out of Print Books        $50.00
  • Crackers        Ed Ruscha        Books / Artists’ Books        $45.00
  • Records        Ed Ruscha        Books / Out of Print Books        $300.00

In addition to his important work as a painter, Ruscha is considered to be one of the significant figures in the field of artists’ publications. Between 1962 and 1978 he published 16 works, which remain highly influential as early examples of photo-publications, defying the conventions of art publishing to date with both non-conventional formatting and subject matter. First created in small (sometimes signed) editions, books gained popularity as they found their way to readers on the shelves of bookstores like Printed Matter, selling for several dollars a piece. In 1962 Ruscha self-published his first book, Twentysix Gasoline Stations, under his imprint National Excelsior Press. Considered to be one of the very first so-called “modern” artists’ publications (predated perhaps by works from Warja Lavater and Dieter Roth), the book delivered exactly what Ruscha promised in the title; a photo series showing gasoline stations encountered by the artist. Each of the 26 images, taken on a drive from Los Angeles to Texas, is notable only for its various if mundane particulars; the angle of the shot, the presence of people and movement of the vehicle. His other works to follow, including Nine Swimming Pools and a Broken Glass, Various Small Fires and Milk share a similarly plainly-stated aesthetic. In the case of Various Small Fires, 1964, Ruscha presents black and yellowish images showing burning newspaper, a book of matches, a cigarette, cigar and other contained flames. The final image in the book is a full glass of milk placed next to a porcelain plate, as though to offer some resolution. Included among the selection are various printings of Twentysix Gasoline Stations, Nine Swimming Pools, Various Small Fires, Thirtyfour Parking Lots, Royal Road Test, Records, Crackers, Baby Cakes, Business Cards, Metro Plots, Hard Light (with Lawrence Weiner) and the Ruscha-designed Documenta 5 catalog.

Checklist
  1. Ed Ruscha
    Nine Swimming Pools and a Broken Glass
    Los Angeles, CA: E. Ruscha, 1968
    2400
    Out of stock
  2. Ed Ruscha and Lawrence Weiner
    Hard Light
    Los Angeles / New York, CA / NY: E. Ruscha and L. Weiner, 1978
    3560
    Out of stock
  3. Ed Ruscha
    Metro Plots
    Beverly Hills,, CA: Gagosian Gallery, 1998
    [unknown]
    Out of stock
  4. Ed Ruscha and Billy Al Bengston
    Business Cards
    Los Angeles, CA: E. Ruscha, 1968
    1000
    Out of stock
  5. Ed Ruscha, Mason Williams and Patrick Blackwell
    Royal Road Test [First Edition]
    Los Angeles, CA: E. Ruscha, 1967
    1000
    Out of stock
  6. Ed Ruscha
    Babycakes with Weights
    New York, NY: Multiples Inc., 1970
    1200
    Out of stock
  7. Ed Ruscha
    Thirtyfour Parking Lots in Los Angeles [First Edition]
    Los Angeles, CA: E. Ruscha, 1967
    2413
    $1,250.00
  8. Ed Ruscha
    Records
    Hollywood, CA: Heavy Industry Publications, 1971
    2000
    Out of stock
  9. Ed Ruscha
    Various Small Fires and Milk [First Edition]
    Los Angeles, CA: E. Ruscha, 1964, 1970
    First edition 400; second edition 3000
    Out of stock
  10. Ed Ruscha
    Twentysix Gasoline Stations
    Los Angeles, CA: E. Ruscha, 1962, 1967, 1969
    First edition of 400; second edition of 500; third edition of 3000
    Out of stock
  11. Ed Ruscha
    Crackers
    Hollywood, CA: Heavy Industry Publications, 1969
    5000
    Out of stock
  12. Ed Ruscha and Documenta 5
    Documenta 5
    Kassel, Germany: Documenta 5, 1972
    size unknown
    Out of stock
  13. Ed Ruscha
    Records
    Hollywood, CA: Heavy Industry Publications, 1971
    2000
    Out of stock
Last updated 9/10/2014
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