Artist: Edward Ruscha (American, b.1937).
Title: "Babycakes with Weights".
Medium: Artist's book.
Date: Composed 1970.
Dimensions: Overall size: 7 1/2 x 6 in. (190 x 152 mm).
Lot Note(s): Hand-signed in pencil by Ruscha on the front flyleaf. Proposed edtion of 1,200 of which only approximaely 200 apparently were printed. In original green-blue paper covers with green flocked lettering, bound with a pink ribbon. Self-published, Los Angeles, California, 26 pp. Fine condition as issued. Literature/catalogue raisonne: Clive Philipot and Siri Engberg, “Edward Ruscha: Editions 1959-1999, Catalogue Raisonné,” Vol. 1, pp. 106-107 and Vol. 2, no. B11, pg. 125. Collection(s): In the collection of the Metropoltan Museum of Art, New York City. Comment(s): A very scarce object and rare when signed. The only signed copy we could find as of May 2, 2022, was priced at $7,500 from Burnside Rare Books, ABAA, Portland, Oregon. Ruscha's work was included in the publication/portfolio "Artists & Photographs" published by Multiples, Inc. in association with Colorcraft, Inc., both of New York City. The publication consists of an illustrated and lettered tan cardboard box containing artist's publications, multiples, artist's books, etc. by Warhol, Rauschenberg, Ruscha, Nauman, Gormley, Christo, Lewitt, and others. The stated edition size was 1,200 but as Peter Gidal indicates "…rumors abound that the art-box never got made in more than 800 copies, but even the origination gallery can no longer verify it. What is certain is that no "extra" copies of any of the multiples were made, and that the Gormley was in an edition of 200 and the Rauschenberg in an edition of 400. This substantiated the fact that complete boxes could never have been more than 200." First and only edition. Contains numerous images including a baby followed by a number of cakes, with weights for the baby and the cakes listed below each image. Copyright © Edward Joseph Ruscha IV. [30444-1-3000]

Fine condition as issued