Search Results: Authors starting with W from Ursus Books

1935. WADA, Senzo. Shikisai Haigo-ban. 8vo, 250 x 175 mm., bound in publisher's colour illustrated boards which open to three panels with some explanatory text; a framed panel with eight colour strips which holds eight separate coloured cellophane filters in card frames; and a rotating volvelle with cellophane colour filters, in a new yellow cloth folding box. Tokyo: ca. 1935. A seemingly unrecorded work by Wada, who lived from 1883 to 1967, is primarily known to the general public for his early paintings, and for winning an Academy Award in 1955 for the costume design in the film Gates of Hell. However, it is really for his pioneering studies in color theory that Wada is perhaps best remembered. In 1927 he founded the Japan Standard Color Association, and its successor, the Japan Color Research Institute is still in operation today.

1997. WALKER, Kara. Freedom: A Fable by Kara Walker. Unpaginated "pop-up" book with text. 4to, bound in publisher's boards. In a new maroon cloth folding box. [N.P.]: Peter Norton Christmas Project, 1997. An early and exciting artist book by Kara Walker produced by the Norton Family as their annual Christmas gift to friends and colleagues. Walker's characteristic 'Negro' silhouettes are featured here in exquisite 'pop-up' cut-outs that illustrate the narrative of a "soon-to-be emancipated 19th century Negress." A fine copy.

2013. WALKER, Kara. Porgy & Bess. Libretto by Dubose Heyward. Lyrics by DuBose Heyward and Ira Gershwin for music composed by Ira Gershwin. 140 pp. Illustrated with 16 lithographs by Kara Walker. 4to, 320 x 245 mm., bound in publisher's half red morocco over decorative cloth covered boards, in black matching chemise. San Francisco: Arion Press, 2013. Porgy & Bess, which premiered in 1935, is considered an icon of American culture. This edition was created in collaboration with the artist Kara Walker, who has contributed a series of 16 lithographs portraying figures and scenes from the opera. She calls these images "an homage to the feeling of the music". One of an edition is limited to 400 signed and numbered copies.

1975. WARHOL, Andy. The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (From A to B and Back Again). 241 pp. 8vo, 201 x 133 mm., bound in original cloth, in dust jacket illustrated with a photograph by Philippe Halsman. In a new black cloth folding box. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1975. A unique copy of the first edition of Andy Warhol's Philosophy. Inscribed to Gail and with a signed original drawing of a vagina on the half-title. In addition the half-title is initialed AW. In this confessional work Warhol reveals his thoughts on everything from the art business to Elizabeth Taylor. While inscribed copies of this book are not rare, we have never seen one with a similar drawing.

1967. [POP ART]. Stamped Indelibly. Edited by William Katz. With fifteen rubber-stamp prints by various artists including Robert Creeley, Allen Ginsberg, Robert Indiana, Andy Warhol, and Tom Wesselmann among others. 4to, 280 x 214 mm., bound in original linen. New York: Indianakatz, 1967. William Katz wanted to create a book using as modest and simple a technique as possible. He asked his Pop artist writer friends to design commercially made rubber stamps which he then hand printed to create this book. The book consists of a title-page and 15 rubber-stamped images printed in color and black-and-white. Each print is signed and dated by the artist except for the prints by Grooms, Koch, and Warhol which are signed in rubber stamps. One of 225 copies signed by William Katz on the colophon page. An immaculate copy of what is now a very scarce book. Printed Art: A View of Two Decades 19. Books as Art 90. The American Livre de Peintre 51.

1840. EXPEDITION WATERCOLOURS. Krusenstern Voyage. 1 f. text and 50 original watercolours. 4to, 280 x 200 mm., bound in Japanese concertina form, original paper over boards, paper title-label on top cover, in a new chitsu folding case. [Tokyo?]: [ca. 1840]. A fascinating album of watercolours made after the originals painted during the first Russian circumnavigation undertaken by the vessel Nadezhda under Ivan F. Krusenstern with the purpose of establishing trade with China and Japan. The expedition landed briefly in Brazil and rounded Cape Horn, visiting the Marquesas Islands, Hawaii, Kamchatka and Japan. Among the subjects portrayed in their native costume are: a Chinese scholar with two students holding books; two Chinese ladies; a Korean couple; a Siamese couple with their child; a Persian couple; a Javanese couple; a French couple; a Spanish couple; a Portuguese couple; a Russian couple; a German couple; an English couple; two Greenlanders; a couple from Guinea; an African couple; a… Read More

1937. WATTJES, J.G. Architectonische Details. Unpaginated, illustrated throughout including photographs and plans. Folio, 301 x 221 mm., publisher's cloth and illustrated dust wrapper. Amsterdam: Kosmos, 1937. A splendid photographic survey of doors and windows by the Dutch architect J.G. Wattjes. An immaculate copy in the stunning original dust jacket. Impossible to find thus.

1725. [WEBER, Friedrich Christian]. Nouveaux Memoires sur l'Etat Present de la Grand Russie ou Moscovie. Two volumes. With 2 large folding maps, one of the Russian empire and a plan of the town of Saint Petersburg. xxiv, 438; [6], 426, [4] pp. misnumbering throughout. 12mo., 162 x 90 mm, bound in full French contemporary speckled calf, five raised bands, gilt-tooled compartments, edges stained red. Paris: Chez Pissot, 1725. First Edition in French. The work first appeared in a German edition in Frankfurt 1721. Friedrich Christian Weber was an ambassador from the Hanovarian court of Brunswick-Lunebourg at Moscow representing English interests at the time of Czar Peter the Great. Weber was not credited with being a brilliant diplomat during his sojourn in Russia from 1714 to 1720, however, his Memoires are considered to be one of the most important accounts of the period in Russia during the reign of Peter the Great. "While there [Weber] observed city development, improvements… Read More

1998. WEGNER, Peter. Remarks; Color; Remarks on Color. 3 volumes. Illustrated with waterless lithography showing paint color samples as they would be displayed in hardware stores across the USA; interspersed with blind-stamped leaves. 4to, 285 x 225 mm., uniformly bound in original publisher's grey cloth; in matching slipcase. Santa Fe: 21 Steps, 1998. An immaculate copy of this artist's book which explores a system of standard paint colours used by hundreds of paint and hardware stores across the USA. It was inspired by Wittgenstein's posthumously published treatise of the same name, the books are Wegner's attempt to "explore the philosophical armature of his own project." Number 44 of 100 copies signed by Wegner.

1725. Weigl, Johann Christoph (1654-1725). Blumen Duft Nuernberg, Weigl, ca. 1700. Original copper-plate engravings by one of the master botanical engravers of the baroque era. Paper size 8" x 12 5/8." Set of 8 engravings:

1928. 143526 WEISKOPF, F.C. Do XXI Stoleti Prestoupit. 113 pp. 8vo., bound in publisher's illustrated wrappers. In a new cloth folding box. Prague: Odeon, 1928. $750.00 A handsome example of Czech avant garde book design with a stunning photomontage cover.

1906. WELLS, H.G. La Guerre des Mondes. Translated from the English by Henry D. Davray. 235, [10] pp., illustrated with 32 full-page plates by Henri Alvin-Correa included in the pagination and numerous large headpieces, tailpieces, initials, and vignettes illustrating the text; title-page printed in red and gold. 4to, 330 x 260 mm., bound in the original binding of publisher's wrappers over boards with calf spine, in a new cloth folding box. Brussels: L. Vandamme, 1906. A sheer delight of science fiction. This imaginative illustrated work by Henri Alvin Correa (1876-1910), a little-known but extremely gifted Brazilian artist who trained with Detaille and Jean Brunet, still remains a captivating illustrated book over 100 years after it was published. The turn-of-the-century illustrations of the invading Martians, their human captives, and destroyed cities provide a perfect complement to Wells' apocalyptic text. That this work has remained almost completely unknown can only be… Read More

1901. WELLS, H.G. Les Premiers Hommes dans la Lune. Translation by Henry-D. Davray. Illustrations by Martin van Maële. 8vo, 270 x 172 mm., in publisher's polychrome binding. Paris: Félix Juven, [1901]. First edition in French. A superb copy of the French edition of The First Men in the Moon, in the spectacular polychrome binding with the highly imaginative illustrations by Martin van Maële. Of the greatest rarity. OCLC lists only the Bibliotheque Nationale copy.

1887. WIRGMAN, Charles and Minekichi YAMASHITA. Gagaku Kihan. 12 volumes, each with 12 lithographic plates by Yamashita. Small Oblong 8vo, illustrated wrappers as issued in a contemporary chitsu case and modern wooden box. Tokyo: Bunseido, 1887-1888. This extremely attractive set of books constitutes one of the very first works whose objective was to teach the Western way of painting to a Japanese audience. It was written by Charles Wirgman, an Englishman who lived in Japan and who had gone into business with the celebrated photographer Felice Beato. Wirgman became a mentor to some of the leading names in Western-style art in late nineteenth and early twentieth century Japan. Of the greatest rarity. OCLC lists only 7 of the 12 numbers in the National Diet Library.

1998. KIRKEBY, Per. Bemerkungen ueber die Farben. By Ludwig Wittgenstein. Illustrated with 4 Prints on Japon paper by Per Kirkeby. Folio, bound in publisher's cloth-backed boards by Christian Zwang in the original slipcase. Muenster: Kleinheinrich, 1998. A handsome illustrated book by the Danish artist, Per Kirkeby, whose work is influenced by the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. The book forms a unique combination of twentieth century art and colour theory. The four prints consist of a line etching, a drypoint, a sugar lift aquatint and an aquatint. One of an edition of 180 copies, signed by Kirkeby. As new.

1950. WRIGHT, Frank Lloyd. Schumacher's Taliesin line of decorative Fabrics and Wallpapers. 5 leaves of text and 26 Sheets of Wallpaper designed by Wright. Folio, 450 x 345 mm, bound in publisher's illustrated tan cloth. [Chicago: E.W. Bredemeier & Co., ND 1950's]. A scarce salesman's sample book for a line of wallpapers designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. In addition to the 26 original sheets of wallpaper designed by Wright, there are 6 pages of photographic plates illustrating rooms with the products in use, demonstrating Wright's ideal of the close relationship between architecture and decorative design. This is a rare book presumably issued in a small edition, and with most copies having been dismembered for the original wallpaper samples,.