A collection of 133 books written, designed or published by Merle Armitage. The collection spans Armitage’s entire career, from his first book of 1929 to his last designs of c.1975, plus a few posthumous items. The collection is notable for containing all of Armitage’s groundbreaking books on artists of the 1930s, including those on Rockwell Kent, Henrietta Shore, Elise, Edward Weston, Richard Day, Eugen Meier-Kreig, Warren Newcombe, Napolitano, Millard Sheets, Lovet-Lorski and Jean Charlot’s illustrated Picture Book. In addition, his works on Picasso and Klee are included, as are his books on music and composers, including Gershwin, Schoenberg and Stravinsky. This is a virtually complete collection of Armitage’s designs and includes all of the major books; the Marks bibliography (1956) lists 95 works (and six in the planning stages.)

Merle Armitage (1893-1975) was the leading force in modern book design in America during the period 1930-1950. Although his many innovations have been somewhat overlooked, Armitage is now beginning to receive the acclaim that is rightfully his. Part of this oversight may be attributed to the fact that Armitage was so successful in so many fields. Not only was he a leading book designer, he was also a music impresario, theatrical manager, a writer, a railroad aficionado, an epicure and an art collector.

His first career was as a theatrical manager, organizing tours for Diaghiliev’s Ballet Russe and the Russian Grand Opera Company in the 1910s. Arriving in Los Angeles in 1923, he produced six operas that season and founded the Los Angeles Grand Opera Association. He soon became involved in the city’s music and art circles, beginning friendships with George Gershwin, modern art collectors Walter and Louise Arensberg and rare book dealer Jake Zeitlin. He married the actress and artist Elise, and embarked on designing and publishing a series of books on notable Los Angeles artists, among them the first book on an American photographer, Edward Weston. (All of these books are included in the collection.)

Armitage’s entry into the field of book design heralded a new era, especially in Los Angeles. As well-known Los Angeles printer Ward Ritchie reminisced: "Jake Zeitlin’s was the gathering spot for most of the younger writers, artists and printers of [Los Angeles]. Merle Armitage was perhaps the most dynamic and outspoken of this group. His talk before the California Art Club on March 4, 1929, was the stimulus and spark that ignited a small cultural awakening in the Los Angeles of the early thirties." (Merle Armitage. His Loves and His Many Lives, 1982, pp.6-7).

Armitage had an uncanny ability to recognize talent, and he was active in promoting the work of artists in whom he believed. He designed these books in an entirely new vein, giving up classical typography for a style which reflected his belief in Modernism. His use of large type combined with spacious leading and his two-page design spreads gave his books a drama and impact previously unseen. The airiness of his designs complemented the contents, and Armitage believed that the format should reflect the contents of any particular work. Because of his ability to organize large projects, Armitage was chosen as Regional Director of the Public Works of Art program for the WPA in Southern California in 1933-34. After World War II, in which he served as a Major in the Army Air Force, he moved to Santa Fe where he became involved with the Laboratory of Anthropology. In 1947 Armitage moved to New York when he was asked to re-design Look Magazine and he became its chief designer. He remained there until 1954 when he returned to California, settling on a ranch in the desert near Joshua Tree. He continued to design books until his death in 1975.

References:

Robert Marks. Merle Armitage Bibliography. 1956.
Ward Ritchie. Merle Armitage, His Loves and Many Lives, 1982.
Robert Purcell. Merle Armitage Was Here!, 1981.
Victoria Dailey. Naturally Modern, (forthcoming, Fall, 2001).

A LANDMARK PUBLICATION

ARMITAGE, Merle. THE ARISTOCRACY OF ART. An Address before the California Art Club Open Forum, Los Angeles, March 4, 1929. Los Angeles: Jake Zeitlin, 1929. Lg. 8vo, (16)pp, decorated title. Original stiff black wrappers, paper label, very good.

¶ Limited Edition of 500 copies. Decoration by Grace Marion Brown and typography by Grant Dahlstrom. Armitage’s first book which had a profound effect on the artistic culture of Southern California. "Its publication was a landmark, stimulating an outburst of creativity in Los Angeles." Ward Ritchie, Merle Armitage. His Love and Many Lives, 1982, p.7. Marks p.31.

(Day, Richard). THE LITHOGRAPHS OF RICHARD DAY by Merle Armitage. With a Foreword by Carl Zigrosser. New York: E. Weyhe, 1932. 4to, 12pp, frontispiece signed by the artist in pencil, portrait by Edward Weston, 12 plates, and illustrations in the text. Original blind-stamped white boards, slightly soiled, otherwise fine.

¶ Limited to 500 copies, this collection of lithographs by California artist and Hollywood set designer Day is inscribed by Merle Armitage in the colophon. Marks p.33.

(Kent). ARMITAGE, Merle. ROCKWELL KENT. New York: Knopf, 1932. 8vo, 72pp, 10 plates. Quarter black cloth over navy boards; jacket chipped at corners, otherwise a very good copy of a rare book.

¶ The first biography of Kent; includes a checklist of Kent’s bookwork. Edition limited to 550. Marks p.32.

(Maier-Krieg). ARMITAGE, Merle. THE WORK OF MAIER-KRIEG. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1932. 4to, 10pp, 40 Artochrome plates. Quarter black cloth over linen boards. Very good copy.

¶ Edition limited to 500 numbered copies, signed by the artist. Born in Terman, the artist Maier-Krieg came to American in 1925, settling in South Pasadena. Marks p.32.

(Newcombe, Warren). ARMITAGE, Merle. WARREN NEWCOMBE. New York: E. Weyhe, 1932. 4to, 12pp, 38 Artochrome plates. Wrappers printed in red & black with decorative design, light edge wear, spine chipped. Very good.

¶ With original Newcombe lithograph signed in pencil. 500 copies were printed by Will Kislter after designs by Armitage. The standard work on the artist. Marks p.31.

(Weston, Edward). ARMITAGE, Merle. THE ART OF EDWARD WESTON. Foreword by Charles Sheeler. Appreciation by Lincoln Steffens. Prophecy by Arthur Millier. Estimate by Jean Charlot. New York: Weyhe, 1932. Small folio, 12pp, portrait frontis by Brett Weston, 39 plates with facing descriptions, (2pp). Original black and white boards, very good.

¶ Edition limited to 550 copies, signed by Weston. The first major work on Weston, and the first book on an American photographer; one of Armitage’s most notable productions. Marks p.45

(Charlot). PICTURE BOOK. 32 Original Lithographs by Jean Charlot. Inscriptions by Paul Claudel. Translated into English by Elise Cavanna. New York: John Becker, 1933. 4to, (8pp), 32 color lithographs with separately printed title and facing text. Original printed wrappers. Very good copy.

¶ Edition limited to 500 copies signed by Charlot, Lynton Kistler the printer, and Merle Armitage the designer. The translation was made by Armitage’s wife Elise. Charlot’s magnificent color lithographs are of Mexican scenes. Minor restoration to the plate at p.26. Marks p.67.

(Shore, Henrietta). ARMITAGE, Merle. HENRIETTA SHORE. An Article by Edward Weston. Appraisal by Reginal Poland. New York: E. Weyhe, 1933. 4to, 16pp, 18 plates, frontispiece portrait of Shore signed by Jean Charlot. Orange wrappers, spine ends chipped with loss, a few leaves roughly opened.

¶ Edition limited to 200 copies signed by Charlot and Shore. The photographs were made by Edward Weston. One of Armitage’s scarcest works and the first book on the artist. Marks p.46.

DANZ, Louis. ZARATHRUSTRA JR SPEAKS OF ART. With a foreward by Merle Armitage. New York: Brentano’s, 1934. Large 8vo, 155pp, 16 plates, frontis. by Kandinsky. Yellow paper boards slightly stained.

¶ Marks p.46

(Elise) ARMITAGE, Merle. ELISE. New York: E. Weyhe, 1934. Large 4to, 11pp, 16 plates. Grey boards; some edgewear, head and foot of spine chipped.

¶ Edition limited to 200 copies; with an original lithograph numbered and signed by Elise and a portrait of Elise by Beatrice Wood. One of Armitage’s scarcest works and the only monograph on the artist. Marks p.47

ARMITAGE, Merle. NAPOLITANO. New York: Weyhe, 1935. Sm.8vo, 10pp, 15 plates, frontispiece portrait by Brett Weston, original signed lithograph by Napolitano. Original boards, spine repaired, duplicate covers laid in. Very good copy.

¶ Edition limited to 212 copies. Designed and written by Armitage, this monograph covers the work of Giovanni Napolitano (b.1901), Los Angeles painter, muralist and sculptor. Marks p.33

SCHMITZ, Robert. THE CAPTURE OF INSPIRATION. New York: Carl Fischer, 1935. Sm.4to, iv, (2), 111pp, portrait frontis by Brett Weston, illustrations throughout by Giovanni Napolitano, charts and plates by William Stutz. Orig. spiral-bound cloth, fine copy.

¶ Edited by Jose Rodriguez, with a Foreword by Merle Armitage who designed the book. An unusual work on musical theory and technique emphasizing the pianist’s art. Marks p.48.

SCHMITZ, Robert. THE CAPTURE OF INSPIRATION. New York: Weyhe, 1935. Sm.4to, iv, (2), 111pp, portrait frontis by Brett Weston, illustrations throughout by Giovanni Napolitano, charts and plates by William Stutz. Orig. spiral-bound cloth, fine copy.

¶ One of 500 copies signed by the author (of a total edition of 1000). An unusual work, designed by Merle Armitage and printed by Lynton Kistler, on musical theory and technique emphasizing the pianist’s art.

(Sheets, Millard). MILLARD SHEETS, Articles by Arthur Millier, Dr Hartley Burr Alexander and Merle Armitage. Portrait Photograph by Edward Weston. Los Angeles: Dalzell Hatfield, 1935. 4to, (x), 28pp, 28 plates. Blue boards, very good.

¶ Limited edition of 1000 numbered copies, with an original lithograph frontispiece signed by Sheets. Designed by Armitage and printed by Will & Lynton Kistler. Marks p.48

STEWART, Virginia (editor). MODERN DANCE. New York: E Weyhe, 1935. 4to, 155pp, 24 plates. Orig. gray stiff wrappers, very good.

¶ Edition limited to 500 copies, with original lithographic frontispiece, numbered in pencil by Elise. Merle Armitage designed the book and contributed one of the several essays. Marks p.47.

HILL, Jerome. TRIP TO GREECE. Photographs by… New York: E. Weyhe, 1936. 4to, 50 photographic plates. Orig. coarse Irish linen stamped in black, one corner gnawed through, internally very good.

¶ First Edition limited to 1000 copies. Designed by Merle Armitage, the work was printed at Adcraft under the sueprvision of Lynton Kisttler. Markps p.67.

JONES, Isabel Morse. HOLLYWOOD BOWL; with a foreward by Merle Armitage. New York: G. Schirmer, 1936. 8vo, 203pp, 23 plates, blue cloth in original jacket, very good.

¶ The standard work on the history of the Hollywood Bowl. Marks p.50

(Picasso). ARMITAGE, Merle (editor). PICASSO. 2 STATEMENTS. Also a Comment by Merle Armitage. New York & Los Angeles: Merle Armitage, 1936. 16mo, (10), 60, (3)pp, lithograph frontispiece.Yellow cloth, lightly soiled, a few small water stains to front cover, very good.

¶ Armitage’s copy, limited to 112 copies; this copy is signed by Merle Armitage and is inscribed "M.A. Personal." Lithograph portrait of Picasso signed in pencil by artist Giovanni Napolitano. Armitage published, designed, and contributed a commentary note. He was an early champion of Picasso in America. Marks p.51.

(Stravinsky). ARMITAGE, Merle, ed. IGOR STRAWINSKY. New York: G. Schirmer, 1936. 8vo, 158pp, 10 plates, 8 portraits of Stravinsky by Weston. Orange cloth, fine.

¶ First Edition, inscribed by Merle Armitage for Sally Brown Moody. Articles by Armitage, Cocteau, Danz, Satie and others. Marks p.49.

CHAPMAN, Kenneth & H.P. Mera. MEMOIRS OF LABORATORY OF ANTHROPOLOGY: The Pottery of Santo Domingo Pueblo; The "Rain Bird" A Study in Pueblo Design. Santa Fé: Laboratory of Anthropology, 1936-43. 4 vols, 4to, numerous plates. Original stiff folding wrappers in putty illustrated dust jackets, a few chips & front hinges of 2 volumes reinforced, otherwise very good Errata slip laid-in volume 1.

¶ Complete set, issued between 1936 and 1943. Covers designed by Merle Armitage. Tom Lea contributed the illustrations to volume 2. Marks p.79

DANZ, Louis. THE PSYCHOLOGIST LOOKS AT ART. New York: Longmans, Green, & Co., 1937 8vo, 245pp, 20 plates plus 1 color plate by Elise. Orange cloth in jacket, very good copy.

¶ First Edition, with a foreward by Merle Armitage who also designed the book. Danz and Armitage were early promoters of modern art in America. Marks p.51.

(Graham, Martha). [Edited with a Foreword by Merle Armitage]. MARTHA GRAHAM. Los Angeles: Merle Armitage, 1937. 8vo, 132pp, 24 plates. Grey cloth. Very good.

¶ First Edition, limited to 1000 copies, of the first study of the dance pioneer. Articles by Armitage, Kirstein, Sweeney, Antheil and others. Designed by Merle Armitage and printed by Lynton Kistler. Marks p.51.

(Lovet-Lorski). ARMITAGE, Merle. SCULPTURE OF BORIS LOVET-LORSKI. New York: E. Weyhe, 1937. 4to, 10pp, 67 plates. Three quarter black cloth grey with red embossed lettering. Very good.

¶ One of 500 numbered copies. Text and book design by Armitage. Lovet-Lorski was a talented art deco sculptor and printmaker. Marks p.34.

(Schoenberg). ARMITAGE, Merle, ed. SCHOENBERG… Foreword by Leopold Stokowski. Affirmations by Arnold Schoenber. A Bibligraphy of Schoenberg Works. New York: Schirmer, Inc., (1937). 8vo, 315pp, 9 plates, including portraits by Edward Weston. Blue cloth, very good.

¶ Second edition, with articles by Roger Sessions, Louis Danz, Franz Werfel, Otto Klemperer, Merle Armitage, et al. Marks p.52 states the second edition was paperbound.

ARMITAGE, Merle. DESIGNED BOOKS. Edited by Ramiel McGehee. New York: E. Weyhe, (1938). 8vo, 128pp, 96 illus. Limp boards somewhat worn.

¶ Checklist of Armitage’s work to 1938. Marks p.54.

ARMITAGE, Merle. GEORGE GERSHWIN. New York: Longmans, Green and Co. 1938. 4to, 252pp, 32 plates. Cloth, dust jacket, very good.

¶ First Editon of a pioneering work on Gershwin, with articles by Armitage Ira Gershwin, Whiteman, Grofe, Berlin, Kern, Arlen, many others. Marks p.53.

ARMITAGE, Merle. FIT FOR A KING The Merle Armitage Book of Food. Drawings by Elise. New York: Longmans, Green & Co., (1939). 8vo, (xii), 258, (3)pp, illustrated throughout text. Original black cloth, front cover and spine lettered in red-orange. Decorative endpapers by Carlos Dyer. Very good in dust jacket.

¶ First Edition. Numerous recipes, and essays on food by Louis Untermeyer, Marie Beynon Ray, Merle Armitage, Bob Davis, Crosby Gaige, Frank Conroy, Elsa Armitage, and Abbé Ernest Dimnet. Four Edward Weston full-page photographic reproductions at the back, and endpapers designed by Elise. Printed letterpress by Times-Mirror under the supervision of Gordon Holmquist. Marks p.35.

ARMITAGE, Merle. POST- CAVIAR. Barnstorming with the Russian Grand Opera.
New York: Longmans, Green, & Co., 1939. 8vo, 210pp, black cloth, very good.

¶ First Edition. Marks p.36.

ARMITAGE, Merle. SO CALLED ABSTRACT ART. New York: E. Weyhe, 1939. 8vo, (3), 25 leaves printed on rectos. Yellow wrappers,very good.

¶ First Edition, designed by the author and printed by Ward Ritchie, with endpapers designed by Elise. Armitage’s eloquent defense of modern art. Marks p.34

GARROWAY, Will. PIANISM: With a Foreword by Merle Armitage. New York: Carl Fischer, 1939. 8vo, 206pp. Black boards printed in gold, light wear.

¶ First Edition of a manual on the piano, designed by Merle Armitage. Marks p.54.

JEWELL, Edward Alden. HAVE WE AN AMERICAN ART? New York: Longmans, Green, & Co., 1939. 8vo, 232p. Limp boards with dust jacket. Very good copy.

¶ First Edition, signed and dated by Armitage at the end of his introductory chapter on the drawings of Elise (who contributed the chapter headings). Armitage, of course, designed the book. Marks p.55.

ARMITAGE, Merle. THE UNITED STATES NAVY. With a foreward by Commander Leland P. Lovette, U.S.N. New York: Longmans, Green, & Co., 1940. 8vo, 283pp. Navy blue cloth, very good.

¶ First Edition of the first history of Naval aviation. Printed by Ward Ritchie. Lovette. Marks p.37.

BELLAMY, Edward. LOOKING BACKWARD. New York: Limited Editions Club, 1941. Lg. 8vo, (26), 388, (1)pp, red, blue & black illustrations. Original yellow cloth, decorated & printed in red, blue & white illustrated endpapers. A very good copy.

¶ Limited to 1500 numbered copies signed by the illustrator, Elise. Armitage designed the unusual double-space format and it is one of his most successful designs. Printed at The Ward Ritchie Press. Marks p.68.

DANZ, Louis. PERSONAL REVOLUTION AND PICASSO. With a Speculation by Merle Armitage. New York: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1941. 8vo, 165pp, 2 plates. Grey boards in jacket. Very good.

¶ First Edition, designed by Merle Armitage. Marks p.56.

GREENLEAF, John. ADVANCED MODERN NAVIGATION. New York: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1941. 8vo, 243pp, blue cloth in original jacket, very good. Scarce.

¶ First Edition, designed by Armitage. Marks p.68

ARMITAGE, Merle. ACCENT ON AMERICA. New York: E. Weyhe, 1944. 8vo, 403pp. Dark blue cloth stamped in red, with red dust jacket. Veyr good.

¶ Armitage’s recollections of his life in the arts. Marks p.37

ARMITAGE, Merle. NOTES ON MODERN PRINTING. New York: Rudge, 1945. 4to, (8), 71, (2), plates. Cloth, slipcase. Fine copy.

¶ A useful survey of Armitage’s work, with a check-list of the books. Marks p.38

(ARMITAGE, Merle). Paul McPharlin. EARLY ARMITAGE: Advertising Pieces of an Impresario, in Print, A Quarterly Journal of Graphic Arts. Winter 1945-46, pp.23-37. Woodstock: William Edwin Rudge, 1945. 8vo, 88pp, profusely illus. throughout. Orig. wrappers, black with green & white checks, "Page 23," bodly state on front cover

¶ Excellent article on the early productions of Armitage, textual illustrations and 4-page illustration insert.

PUTMAN, Lt. Colonel Russell L. LETTERS TO HIS FRIENDS WRITTEN BY SINCERELY, PUT. Published for the Author, 1945. 4to, 282, (2)pp, color map, b&w photo-log & text. illus. Orig. red buckram, gilt, color illus. endpapers, in mylar, very good

¶ First Edition, one of 2000 numbered copies, signed by the author. Designed by Merle Armitage and illustrated by P.G. Napolitano. Marks p.57.

ARMITAGE, Merle. DANCE MEMORANDA. (Edited by Edwin Corle). New York: Duell, Sloan, & Pearce, (1946). 4to, 58pp, approx. 100 plates. Quarter navy cloth over sky blue boards; jacket shows discolor, edgewear, scratches, and tearing.

¶ Second edition (indicated on half title, where the copyright is changed from 1947 to 1946), with the addition of a color border to the dust jacket. Not mentioned in Marks (cf p.38).

BOYD, E. SAINTS & SAINT MAKERS OF NEW MEXICO. Santa Fé: Laboratory of Anthropology, (1946). Lg. 8vo, vi, 139, (1)pp. Orig. gray cloth, black title & design, red endpapers, in lightly worn gray dust jacket, very good.

¶ First Edition, with drawings by P.G. Napolitano. Production designed by Merle Armitage & printed by Lynton Kistler. Marks p.70.

CORLE, Edwin. BURRO ALLEY. New York: Duell, Sloan & Pearce, (1946). 8vo, x, 274, (3)pp, Original quarter black cloth over canary boards decorated in black & red, black illustrated endpapers, a nearly fine copy in a bright matching canary dust jacket with minor edgewear.

¶ One of 1500 numbered copies signed by the author, designed by Merle Armitage and printed by Lynton R. Kistler. Marks p.68 (Contrary to Marks, the first edition of 1936 does not appear to be designed by Armitage.)

(Cowles). BEAR, Donald. RUSSELL COWLES, Forty-Eight Reproductions of Paintings and Twenty Letters by the Artist. Los Angeles: Dalzell Hatfield, [1946]. 4to, 53pp, 48 plates of which 3 are in color. Red cloth, joints cracking, in very good dust jacket.

¶ First Edition, designed by Merle Armitage & limited to 1000 copies; this copy signed by the artist & author. Monograph on one of the most outstanding American museum directors, and one of the most distinguished contemporary writers on art and esthetics. Marks p.69.

HOUGLAND, Willard. SANTOS, A Primitive American Art. Introduction & Text by … With a Foreword by Donald Bear. New York: Collection of Kleijkamp & Monroe, 1946. 4to, 44pp, plates. Orig. wrappers. Very good.

¶ First Edition. Designed by Armitage, with cover and title-page drawings by P.G. Napolitano. Marks p.69.

LAMPELL, Millard.. THE LONG WAY HOME. Preface by William Rose Benet. Forewords by Co.l Howard A. Rusk and Lt. Col. Merle Armitage. New York: Julian Messner, 1946. 8vo, black cloth in original jacket with a few chips. Very good.

¶ First Edition. Marks p.57

UNDERHILL, Ruth M. FIRST PENTHOUSE DWELLERS OF AMERICA. Sante Fe: Laboratory of Anthropology, (1946). 8vo, x, 161, (2)pp, incl. b&w photos. & head piece illus. Orig. blue cloth, stamped in red, yellow illustrated endpapers, fine copy in a lightly soiled yellow dust jacket.

¶ Second edition, corrected & revised with new postscript & photographs. This edition designed by Merle Armitage. Marks p.69

ARMITAGE, Merle. DANCE MEMORANDA. Edited by Edwin Corle. New York: Duell, Sloan, Pearce, 1947. 4to, 58pp, approx. 100 plates. Clothbacked boards, dustjacket, very good.

¶ First Edition. Designed by Armitage and printed by Lynton Kistler. Chapters on Duncan, Diaghileff, Nijinsky, Pavlova, Balanchine, Graham etc. plus 250 dance images. Marks p.38.

CURTIN, L.S.M. HEALING HERBS OF THE UPPER RIO GRANDE. Santa Fe: Laboratory of Anthropology, (1947). 8vo, 281pp. Quarter cloth over teal boards; small corner tear on jacket, otherwise very good of a scarce work.

¶ First Edition, with a foreword by Mary Austin and drawings by Napolitano. Printed by the Rydal Press. Marks p.71.

EWING, Louie. A MASTERPIECE OF DESIGN: SCORPION BOWL. Santa Fe: Laboratory of Anthropology, (1947). 4to. Multi-colored silk screen, loose, as issued, fine condtion; in large cream folder, green letters, very good.

¶ Limited Signed Edition. Hand printed from silk screens by Louie Ewing, with his ink signature below image, and described by H.P. Mera, exclusively for members of the Laboratory of Anthropology. Production designed by Merle Armitage.

EWING, Louie. A MASTERPIECE OF MAGIC. GREEN STONE FETISH. Santa Fe: Laboratory of Anthropology, (1947). 4to. Multi-colored silk screen, loose, as issued, fine condtion; in large cream folder printed in green, very good.

¶ Limited Signed Edition. Hand printed from silk screens by Louie Ewing, with his ink signature below image, and described by Kenneth M. Chapman, exclusively for members of the Laboratory of Anthropology. Production designed by Merle Armitage.

EWING, Louie. A MASTERPIECE OF PRIMITIVE RELIGIOUS ART. THE VIRGIN OF GUADALUPE: A SANTO. Santa Fe: Laboratory of Anthropology, (1947). 4to. Multi-colored silk screen, loose, as issued, fine condtion; in large cream folder printed in green, very good.

¶ Limited Signed Edition. Hand printed from silk screens by Louie Ewing, with his ink signature below image, and described by Maurice Ries, exclusively for members of the Laboratory of Anthropology. Production designed by Merle Armitage.

EWING, Louie. MASTERPIECES OF MAYA ART. A MAYA CITY: Restoration by Tatiana Proskouriakoff. Santa Fe: Laboratory of Anthropology, (1947). 4to. Multi-colored silk screen, loose, as issued, fine condtion; in large folder printed in brown, very good.

¶ Limited Signed Edition. Hand printed from silk screens by Louie Ewing, with his ink signature below image, and described by Sylvanus G. Morely, exclusively for members of the Laboratory of Anthropology. Production designed by Merle Armitage.

EWING, Louie. MASTERPIECES OF MAYA ART. THE CORN GOD: Sculpture from Copan. Santa Fe: Laboratory of Anthropology, (1947). 4to. Multi-colored silk screen, loose, as issued, fine condtion; in large folder printed in brown, very good.

¶ Limited Signed Edition. Hand printed from silk screens by Louie Ewing, with his ink signature below image, and described by Sylvanus G. Morely, exclusively for members of the Laboratory of Anthropology. Production designed by Merle Armitage.

FERGUSSON, Erna. ERNA FERGUSSON’S ALBUQUERQUE. Drawings by Li Browne. Albuquerque: Merle Armitage Editions, (1947). 8vo, black cloth with red embossed lettering.

¶ First Edition, this copy signed by Fergusson. Marks p.71.

MERA, H.P. NAVAJO TEXTILE ARTS. Santa Fe: Laboratory of Anthropology, 1947. 8vo, 103, (4)pp, incl. illus. & decorations, printed in black & brown. Orig. gray illustrated boards, endpaper illustration in navajo rug pattern, name crossed out with black marker, discrete bookseller’s label to rear endpaper, very good.

¶ Limited Edition of 1250 copies. Production designed by Merle Armitage. Much material on Navajo rugs & blankets. Marks p.70.

WESTON, Edward. FIFTY PHOTOGRAPHS. EDWARD WESTON. New York: Duell, Sloan, Pearce, 1947. 4to, 16pp, 50 photograph plates with facing text. Orig. boards, very good.

¶ Edition limited to 1500 numbered copies, initialed by Weston. Designed by Armitage, printed by Kistler; the second of Armitage’s books on Weston. With contributions by Armitage, Robinson Jeffers, and donald Baer. Marks p.58

ARMITAGE, Merle OPERATIONS SANTA FE: Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railway System. New York: Duell, Sloan, & Pierce, (1948). 8vo, Cloth-backed printed boards. Very good.

¶ First Edition. Edited by Edwin Corle and with illustrations by Napolitano. Armitage had a life-long interest in American railroads.

ARMITAGE, Merle. [McGEHEE, Ramiel, editor]. FIT FOR A KING The Merle Armitage Book of Food. Drawings by Elise. New York: Duell, Sloan & Pearce, (copyright 1939) [1948]. 8vo, (xii), 258, (3)pp, illustrated throughout text. Original black cloth stamped in orange. Very good.

¶ Second edition (not indicated, printed by Lynton Kistler, typographically quite like the first edition). Elise Armitage’s article in the first edition, Adventures with Food, has here been replaced by Elsa Amitage’s Food for Camping. Marks p.36.

COHANE, Tim. GRIDIRON GRENADIERS. The Story of West Point Football. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, (1948). 8vo, 329pp. photographic plates & textual sketches.Orig. black cloth, gilt, ownership marks, in photo-collage illustrated dust jacket, lightly soiled. Very good.

¶ First Edition of the author’s first book. Designed by Merle Armitage, drawings by Willard Mullin. Marks p.72.

FERGUSSON, Erna. MURDER & MYSTERY IN NEW MEXICO. Albuquerque: Progress- Bulletin, (1948). 8vo, 193pp, photographic plates. Black cloth in dust jacket. Very good.

¶ First Edition, inscribed by the author. The book was designed by Merle Armitage, frontispiece by Peter Hurd, and silhouettes by Al Ewers. Marks p.72.

GEISER, Samuel Wood. NATURALISTS OF THE FRONTIER. Dallas: Southern Methodist University Press, 1948. 8vo, 296pp. Black cloth in original jacket. A very good copy.

¶ Second edition, revised and enlarged. Marks p.72 (not mentioning an earlier edition as it was not designed by MA).

MILLER, Henry. THE SMILE AT THE FOOT OF THE LADDER. About Henry Miller: Edwin Corle. New York: Duell, Sloan and Pearce, [1948.] 8vo, 124, (1)pp. With 6 illustrations after Picasso, Chagall, de Segonzac, Klee, Rouault, and Toulouse-Lautrec and a plate reproducing their signatures, and two plates showing the original MS. Original quarter cloth, dust-jacket, a very good copy, ink signature on front free endpaper.

¶ First Edition of Miller’s most typographically interesting book, designed by Merle Armitage and printed by M.A. Johnson. The text is by Miller, with a preface by Edwin Corle. Shifreen & Jackson, Henry Miller, A66a. Marks p.71.

(Armitage). GRAPHIC FORMS, The Arts as Related to the Book. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1949. 8vo, quarter black cloth over grey boards; in original jacket with some fading and minor chipping; a very good copy.

¶ First Edition, with articles by Kepes, Beilenson, Paul Rand, Walter Dorwin Teague, Lynd Ward, Philip Hofer, et al. Marks p.60.

ARMITAGE, Merle. A RENDEZVOUS WITH THE BOOK. New York: George McKibbin & Son, 1949. 8vo, yellow boards printed in red; very good in orig. glassine.

¶ Only edition, based on an exhibition of Merle Armitage books at the Lilienfeld Gallery. Marks p.39.

ARMITAGE, Merle. FIT FOR A KING The Merle Armitage Book of Food. Drawings by Elise. New York: Duell, Sloan & Pearce, 1949. 8vo, (xii), 258, (3)pp, illustrated throughout text. Blue green cloth, front cover and spine lettered in red-orange. Decorative endpapers. Very good in yellow dust jacket.

¶ Third edition, a lithographic re-issue printed by Lynton Kistler. Elise Armitage’s article in the first edition, Adventures with Food, has here been replaced by Elsa Amitage’s Food for Camping. Marks p.36.

ARMITAGE, Merle. STRAVINSKY. New York: Duell, Sloan, and Pearce, (1949). 8vo, 245pp. Black cloth in jacket. Very good.

¶ Armitage’s second book on Stravinsky, with essays by Erik Satie, Jean Cocteau, Aaron Copland, Osbert Sitwell, et al.Illustrations and photos by Edward Weston, Frasconi, Napolitano, etc. Marks p.59.

CABEZA DE BACA GILBERT, Fabiola. THE GOOD LIFE: NEW MEXICAN FOOD. Santa Fe: San Vicente Foundation, (1949). 8vo, 95pp. Yellow boards in original dust jacket with light staining otherwise a very good copy.

¶ First Edition, designed by Merle Armitage. Foreword by Ina Sizer Cassidy, with drawings by Gerri Chandler. Marks p.74.

CORLE, Edwin. IN WINTER NIGHT. New York: Duell, Sloan & Pearce, (1949). 8vo, x, 209pp. Grey cloth in worn dust jacket.

¶ First Edition of Corle’s novel set in the southwest. Marks p.73.

CURTIN, L.S.M. BY THE PROPHET OF THE EARTH. Santa Fe: San Vicente Foundation, (1949) 8vo, boards, front board loose, otherwise very good.

¶ First Edition, printed by the Rydal Press. With an original silk-screen of Pimo Indians printed by Louie Ewing. Marks p.70.

MARRIOTT, Alice. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE. Some Notes on the Southwestern Indians. Santa Fe: Laboratory of Anthropology, (1949). 8vo, (8), 67, (8)pp, 10 b&w photos. Orig. stiff wrappers, dust wrapper attached at spine, minor tear to near upper edge of jacket front panel, lightly soiled, good.

¶ First Edition, limited edition of 1000 copies, signed by the author on the half-title. Designed by Merle Armitage. Marks p.75.

MUSALIAR, Thangal Kunju. MAN AND THE WORLD. Practical Philosophy and Law of Nature. Santa Fe: San Vicente, (1949). 8vo, 122pp. Cloth, dustjacket, fine.

¶ Designed by Armitage. Marks p. 74

(DEBUSSY, Claude). Robert Schmitz. PIANO WORKS OF CLAUDE DEBUSSY. Foreward by Virgil Thomson. New York: Duell, Sloan & Pearce, (1950). 8vo, xix, 236, (1)pp, title printed in black & green. Original green cloth, illustrated endpapers, grey dust jacket with keyboard design, lightly soiled, very good.

¶ First Edition, edited & designed by Merle Armitage. Marks p.75.

(Klee). ARMITAGE, Merle. FIVE ESSAYS ON KLEE New York: Duell, Sloan, and Pearce, 1950. 8vo, 121pp. Brown cloth printed in black, in slipcase.

¶ Advance review copy, with publishers slip laid in. One of 1050 copies printed by Peter Beilenson and signed by MerleArmitage who designed the work. Essays by Clement Grenberg, Howard Devree, Nancy Wilson Ross, James Johnson Sweeney, and Armitage. Marks p.61

(ARMITAGE, Merle) Three appearances in magazines. 1950s. 3 magazines, very good condition.

¶ Articles in Wester Family & Look Magazine.

(MARLINDE). Merle Armitage. THE ART OF MARLINDE. Yucca Valley: Manzanita Press, [ca. 1950s]. 12mo, 8pp, incl. illus. Orig. stapled black & red stiff wrappers, fine.

¶ On the German-born Carmel artist Marlinde von Ruhs. Designed by Armitage.

(Armitage, Merle). BOOKS FOR OUR TIME.Edited by Marshall Le. With Contributions by Herbert Bayer, Merle Armitage, John Begg, S.A. Jacobs, Ernst Reich. And A Preface by Geoorge Nelson. New York: Oxford University Press, 1951. 4to, 128pp, illus. throughout. Glossy black boards. Fine.

¶ Armitage and others contribute book design ideas. 152 examples of contemporary book design, including 23 by Armitage. Marks p.62.

BYRNES, Garrett D.; Merle Armitage, designer. FASHION IN NEWSPAPERS. Handbook for Editors, No. 2. Columbia Univ. Press for the American Press Institute, (1951). 4to, 74pp, b&w photographs, printed in black & red. Orig. gray cloth, a few tiny spots to front cover & bookplate. Very good.

¶ The format for the handbook was designed by Merle Armitage. Marks p.76.

COHANE, Tim; Merle Armitage, designer; Willard Mullin, illustrator. THE YALE FOOTBALL STORY. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, (1951). 8vo, photographic & illustrated plates. Orig. blue cloth, stamped in silver, blue & white pictorial endpapers in blue & white dust jacket, very good.

¶ First Edition of Cohane’s second book and second collaboration with Armitage and Mullin. Marks p.76.

YOUNG, James Webb. A TECHNIQUE FOR PRODUCING IDEAS. Chicago: Advertising Publications ind. (1951). 12mo, 62pp. Orig. gray cloth, blue endpapers, a copy in lightly soiled gray & red dust jacket, very good.

¶ Seventh edition (first issued in 1949), with a foreword by Reinhold Niebuhr, dropped from later editions. Designed by Merle Armitage; cf. Marks p.73.

ARMITAGE, Merle. THE RAILROADS OF AMERICA. New York: Duell, Sloan, Pearce- Little, & Brown, (1952). 8vo, quarter red over light blue cloth, in original jacket, nearly fine.

¶ First edition, with more than four hundred photographs. Marks p.40.

COWLES, Fleur BLOODY PRECEDENT. New York: Random House, (1952). 8vo, red cloth in jacket; slightly faded, otherwise fine.

¶ First Edition of a remarkable study of the Peron regime repeating a pattern set by Juan and Encarnacion Roasa a hundred years earlier. Marks p.76

DANZ, Louis. DYNAMIC DISSONANCE IN NATURE AND THE ARTS. Foreward by Merle Armitage. New York: Hallmark- Hubner Press, (1952). 8vo, 261pp. Blue cloth in red dust jacket, very good.

¶ First Edition, designed by Merle Armitage and printed by Will Kistler. Marks p.62.

DOWNS, Olin. TEN OPERATIC MASTERPIECES Mozart to Prokofieff. Designed by Merle Armitage. New York: Broadcast Music, G. Ricordi & Co. (Charles Scribner’s Sons), (1952). 4to, ribbed navy cloth; dust jacket lightly faded with some edgewear.

¶ Marks p.77.

ERVINE, St. John. OSCAR WILDE. New York: William Morrow & Company, 1952. 8vo, in grey boards; original jacket with a couple of chips, otherwise very good.

¶ First Edition, designed by Armitage. Marks p.77.

LORANT, Stefan. THE PRESIDENCY… New York: The Macmillan Company, 1952. 4to, 766pp. Blue cloth, chipped dust jacket, hinges cracked, otherwise very good.

¶ First Edition of a pictorial history of Presidential Elections from Washington to Truman. Second printing. Designed by Merle Armitage. Marks p.75.

WILLIAMS, William Carlos. THE BUILD-UP. New York: Random House, (1952). 8vo, 335pp. Black quarter cloth over peach boards, lightly soiled. A very good copy.

¶ First Edition, designed by Merle Armitage. Bruccoli & Clark III, p.383. Marks p.76.

YOUNG, Stanley. MR. PICKWICK. A Comedy Freely Drawn from Charles Dickens’ The Pickwick Papers. New York: Random House, (1952). 8vo, (8), 181pp. Orig. blue cloth, red & white paste-on cover illustration, very good.

¶ First Edition, designed by Merle Armitage. Marks p.77.

CORLE, Edwin. BILLY THE KID. New York: Duell, Sloan and Pearce, (1953). 8vo, 293pp. Orig. brown-red cloth, blue- & blind-stamping, minor wear to spine ends otherwise a fine copy; illustrated dust jacket, lightly soiled & spine faded, very good.

¶ First Edition of Corle’s biography of the outlaw. Merle Armitage designed the book’s format & dust jacket. Marks p.77.

RITCHIE, Jean (editor). A GARLAND OF MOUNTAIN SONG. Songs from the Repertoire of the Ritchie Famiy of Viper, Kentucky.... Piano Accompaniment by Hally Wood Gordon. New York: Broadcast Music, (1953). 4to, 69pp, color illus. throughout. Orig. lightly soiled grey boards in yellow illustrated dust jacket, very good.

¶ First Edition. Designed by Merle Armitage & produced under the supervision of Milton Rettenberg. Marks p.78.

GARDNER, Erle Stanley. NEIGHBORHOOD FRONTIERS. New York: William Morrow & Company, (1954). 8vo, 272pp. Blue cloth in original jacket.

¶ First Edition. Designed by Merle Armitage, with drawings by Napolitano, Alberta Sordini, and Merle Armitage. Marks p.78.

ARMITAGE, Merle. BOOK TRADITION. A Portion of an address delivered October 5, 1955... Los Angeles: Zamorano Club, 1955. Sq. 8vo, (8)pp. Printed self wrappers, stapled. Fine.

¶ Designed by the author and printed by his frequent collaborator Cole-Homquist.

(ARMITAGE, Merle). Robert Marks. MERLE ARMITAGE BIBLIOGRAPHY. M.A. by Robert Marks. New York: E. Weyhe, (1956). 8vo, 99pp. Orig. gray & red stiff wrappers, very good.

¶ One of 150 bound in paper, printed by Cole-Holmquist under the supervision of Gordon Holmquist, as designed by Merle Armitage. Marks p.78.

BARKER, Eric. DIRECTIONS IN THE SUN. Forewards by Merle Armitage, John Cowper Powys & Robinson Jeffers. New York: Gotham Book Mart, (1956). 8vo, 60, (2)pp, illus in black & red, hand lettered title-page. Orig. orange boards, blue endpapers, uniform fading to spine, very good.

¶ First Edition. Merle Armitage designed & contributed two drawings to this collection poetry. Printed by Cole-Holmquist under the direction of Gordon Holmquist. Marks p.63.

JEFFERS, Robinson. THE LOVING SHEPHERDESS; with Nine Original Etchings by Jean Kellogg. New York: Anderson, Ritchie & Simon, 1956. 4to, 88pp. Black cloth over tan boards; in black cloth slipcase; a fine copy.

¶ Designed by Armitage with nine intriguing original etchings by Kellogg. Printed by Ward Ritchie. Marks p.63.

JOHNSON, Florence Ridgely. WELCOME ABOARD, A Service Manual for the Naval Officer’s Wife. Annapolis: U.S. Naval Institute, (1956). 8vo, 269pp Blue cloth in original jacket, a very good copy.

¶ A new edition, designed by Merle Armitage. Marks p.78.

(Weston, Brett). ARMITAGE, Merle. BRETT WESTON, PHOTOGRAPHS. New York: E. Weyhe, 1956. 4to, 12pp, 28 plates. Orig. black cloth, white dust jacket. Very good copy.

¶ First Edition. The landmark work on the photographer. Marks p.41.

HEYMANN, Lucie. BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. Translated from the French by Waldemar Hansen. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1957. 8vo, 239pp. Quarter tan cloth over red boards; original dust jacket with minor browning to spine, a very good copy.

¶ First Edition in English of Sur Rendez-Vous, a novel of a sophisticated Parisian woman. Heymann dedicated the publication to Merle & Isabelle Armitage.

ARMITAGE, Isabelle. FIT FOR A QUEEN. The New Cookboook, by Isabelle & Merle Armitage. New York: Duell, Sloan & Pearce, (1958). 8vo. Orig. boards in dust jacket, very good.

¶ Mrs. Armitage co-authored this follow-up to her husband’s 1939 cookbook, Fit For A King. Designed by Merle Armitage. Marks p.99.

ARMITAGE, Merle. GEORGE GERSHWIN MAN AND LEGEND. With a Note on the Author by John Charles Thomas. New York: Duell, Sloan, and Pearce, 1958. 8vo, red cloth, in decorative dust jacket. Very good.

¶ First Edition.

BRITTIN, Commander Burdick, et al. INTERNATIONAL LAW FOR SEAGOING OFFICERS. Annopolis: United States Naval Institute, (1958). 4to, xiv, 256, (1)pp, with maps & textual drawings. Orig. green cloth, gilt & blind-stamped cover design, discrete ink name. A very good copy.

¶ First Edition, designed by Merle Armitage.

ARMITAGE, Merle, STELLA DYSART OF AMBROSIA LAKE. New York: Duell, Sloan, & Pearce, 1959. 8vo, yellow cloth in jacket; fine.

¶ First Limited Edition. Dysart, who had large holdings of land in New Mexico, found vast uranium deposits after years of searching for oil.

ARMITAGE, Merle. SUCCESS IS NO ACCIDENT, The Biography of William Paul Whitsett. Yucca Valley, CA.: Manzanita Press, (1959). 8vo, grey cloth, dust jacket. A very good copy.

¶ First Edition.

HUNKER, June. ON STAGE. A Cook Book Published by The Santa Fe Opera Guild. Santa Fe Opera, (1959). 4to, 72pp. Illus wrappers. Very good.

¶ Designed and with drawings by Merle Armitage. Not in Marks.

YOST, Billie Williams & Merle Armitage. BREAD UPON THE SANDS. A Point of Departure by Merle Armitage. Caldwell, Idaho: The Caxton Printers, (1959). 8vo, 245pp, b&w photographic section, decorations, title printed in brown & black. Orig. yellow buckram, grey illustrated endpapers, thumb size portion of coating worn from spine, ownership stamps, very good.

¶ First Edition, inscribed by the author, dealing with an Arizona trading post Armitage contributed the foreword, "A Point of Departure," and designed the book.

ARMITAGE, Merle. PAGANS CONQUISTADORS HEROES AND MARTYRS. Yucca Valley, CA.: Manzanita Press, (1960). 8vo, yellow wrappers. Very good.

¶ "Santa Fe: 350 Anniversary Edition."

MARCUS, Alan. … OF STREETS AND STARS. Yucca Valley: Manzanita Press, (1960). 8vo, iv, 259pp. Black cloth in original jacket; a fine copy.

¶ First Edition of a novel set in the Hollywood world of film-making, with a preface by Lion Feuchtwanger. Designed and published by Merle Armitage.

YOUNG, Webb (artist) - Merle Armitage (text). NEW MEXICO WATER COLORS. Sante Fe: Studio of Webb Young, ca. 1960. Folio, 1pp, 6 loose color plates, as issued. Original stiff paper portfolio. Fine.

¶ Reproduction of six painting by the artist. Merle Armitage wrote the accompanying essay "The World of Webb Young."

ARMITAGE, Merle. SAINT ANDREW’S PRIORY AT VALYERMO. Photographs by Isabelle Armitage. Yucca Valley: Manzanita Press, (1961). 4to, (20)pp, incl. b&w text. photos., first & last leaves printed on yellow sheets. Orig. stiff wrappers, fine.

¶ Written and designed by the Armitage, with photographs by Isabelle Armitage.

DICKIE, Jimmie. YOUR CHILD CAN DRAW! With a Foreward by Merle Armitage. Yucca Valley, CA: Manzanita Press, (1961). 4to, stiff paperback, fine.

¶ Signed by Jean Dickie to whom the book was dedicated.

EDWARDS, Norman. FLOWER ARRANGEMENT. Photography by Alean and John Miller. Foreword by Merle Armitage. [Yucca Valley, CA]: Manzanita Press, (1961). 4to, green cloth in jacket; jacket edges show slight wear, but still a nearly fine copy.

¶ First Edition, signed and numbered by the author

ORTEGA, Pedro Ribera. CHRISTMAS IN OLD SANTA FE. Illustrated by Orlando Padilla. [Santa Fe]: Piñon Publishing, 1961. Lg 8vo, xi, 102, (6)pp, incl. frontis. & illus. Original cream wrappers.

¶ First Edition, designed by Merle Armitage.

(GRAHAM, Martha). Merle Armitage. Martha Graham. An American Original, reprint from THE TEXAS QUARTERLY Winter 1962. [Austin]: Univ. of Texas, 1962. Lg. 8vo, 125-133pp, incl. illustrations & portrait photgraph. Orig. mint stapled wrappers, very lightly soiled, very good.

¶ Offprint article on the late American dancer and founder of the esteemed dance company bearing her name.

ARMITAGE, Merle. ST. FRANCIS. A Fragment. Yucca Valley: Manzanita Press, 1963. 8vo, 16pp, incl. illus. Orig. stapled, yellow wrappers, fine.

¶ One of 250 copies, designed by Merle Armitage & printed by Lynton R. Kistler.

VAN STONE, Mary R & Merle Armitage. SPANISH FOLK SONGS OF THE SOUTHWEST. Foreward by Merle Armitage. Fresno: Academy Guild Press, 1963. 4to, 44pp, 25 scores, textual illus. Orig. yellow wrappers, inscription, very good.

¶ Designed by Armitage, who contributed the foreward to this edition.

ARMITAGE, Merle. PAGANS CONQUISTADORS HEROES AND MARTYRS. Fresno, CA.: Academy Guild Press, (1964). 8vo, tan cloth in yellow dustjacket. Fine.

¶ Deluxe Edition limited to 1500 copies. A history of the southwest, illustrated by Napolitano.

ARMITAGE, Merle. SO CALLED ABSTRACT ART. Santa Fe: Manzanita Press, 1964. 8vo, silver wrappers; very good copy.

¶ Originally published in 1939.

(O’BRIEN, Edward). Margaret Phillips & Merle Armitage. THE PROGRESS OF EDWARD O’BRIEN. PAINTER INTO ARTIST. As Recorded by Margaret Phillips and Merle Armitage. [Yucca Valley]: Manzanita Press, 1964. 8vo, color & black plates & illus. Orig. illustrated yellow wrappers, yellow endpapers, spine uniformly faded, very good.

¶ First Edition. Designed by Merle Armitage and printed by his frequent collaborator Lynton Kistler in Los Angeles.

PHILLIPS, Margaret & Merle Armitage. NO GOING BACK, Odyssey of A Conversion. Foreword by Merle Armitage. Fresno: Academy Guild Press, (1964). 8vo, vii, 100, (3). Orig. navy cloth, gilt, in navy & yellow illustrated dust jacket, yellow endpapers with red illustration, fine.

¶ First Edition, edited & designed by Armitage. Printed by J.R. Kistler.

ARMITAGE, Chama. SURREALISM AND MAGIC REALISM. Beyond Reality and into the Real. With a Foreward by Merle Armitage. Yucca Valley: Manzanita Press, 1965. 12mo, 12pp. Orig. stiff stapled wrappers, fine.

First Edition, limited to 100 copies. Chama, the duaghter of Merle Armitage, was a sophmore at Sarah Lawrence when she wrote this essay.

ARMITAGE, Merle. MERLE ARMITAGE’S ACCENT OF LIFE. Foreword by John Charles Thomas. Ames: Iowa State University Press, (1965). 8vo, xv, 386pp. Cloth, dustjacket. Fine copy.

¶ First Edition of these autobiographical reminiscenses.

SMITHBACK, John B. THE LONELY DARK. Yucca Valley: Manzanita Press, 1965. 8vo, 177pp. Orig. black & yellow boards, red endpapers, ownership signature, in matching black & yellow dust jacekt, lightly worn, very good.

¶ First Edition, signed & inscribed by the author.

REXROTH, Kenneth. THE TRIAL OF 6 DESIGNERS. Lock Haven, Pa.: Hammermill Paper Company, 1968. 8vo, quarter black cloth over baby- blue boards; very good.

¶ A special numbered edition in which six designers each contribute a design for Kafka’s THE TRIAL. Rexroth provides an essay on Kafka’s work. Marshall Lee edited and contributed a design, along with George Salter, Armitage, Josephn Bluementhal, Carl Zahn and P.J. Conkrwirght. Numbered 2245 of 2500.

SCOTT, Winfield Townley & Merle Armitage. THE LITERARY NOTEBOOKS OF WINFIELD TOWNLEY SCOTT, "A Dirty Hand." Foreward by Merle Armitage. Austin: University of Texas, (1969). 8vo, xvii, 161pp. Orig. blue cloth, fine; canary dust jacket price-clipped & spine a bit faded, very good.

¶ First Edition of a collection of aphorisms on writing and life, by the American Poet. Designed, and with an introduction, by Armitage.

GOLL, Yvan. ELEGY OF PHPETONGA, MASKS OF ASHES. Designed by Merle Armitage for Louis E. Stern, ca. 1970. Yellow wrappers only.

ARMITAGE, Merle. HOMAGE TO THE SANTA FE. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway. Yucca Valley: Manzanita Press, (1973). 8vo, yellow cloth & dust jacket. Fine copy.

¶ First edition.

ORTEGA, Pedro Ribera. CHRISTMAS IN OLD SANTA FE. Illustrated by Orlando Padilla. Santa Fe: Sunstone Press, (1973). 8vo, xi, 102, (6)pp, incl. frontis. & illus. Original cream wrappers.

¶ Reprint of the original 1961 Piñon publishing edition designed by Merle Armitage.

ORTEGA, Pedro Ribera. CHRISTMAS IN OLD SANTA FE. Illustrated by Orlando Padilla. Santa Fe: Sunstone Press, (1973). 8vo, xi, 102, (6)pp, incl. frontis. & illus. Original cream wrappers.

¶ Reprint of the original 1961 Piñon publishing edition designed by Merle Armitage.

ESSER, Grace Denton. MADAME IMPRESARIO, A Personal Chronicle of an Epoch. With a Foreward by Merle Armitage. Yucca Valley, CA.: Manzanita Press, (1974). 4to, grey cloth; jacket shows light scratching and minor edgewear, otherwise a good copy in good dust jacket.

¶ Biography of Grace Denton.

(Rich, Frances). ARMITAGE, Merle. THE SCULPTURE OF FRANCIS RICH. Yucca Valley, CA.: Manzanita Press, 1974. 4to, 136pp. Blue boards, yellow dust jacket. Very good.

¶ Inscribed to Cheryle Crawford for "creative projection and other talents" by Francis Rich, 1977.

YOUNG, James Webb. A TECHNIQUE FOR PRODUCING IDEAS. Foreward by William Bernbach. Chicago: Crain Communications, (1975). 12mo, 62pp. Orig. gray cloth, blue endpapers, in white & orange dust jacket. Fine.

¶ Third edition, sixteenth printing, designed by Merle Armitage. Cf. Marks p.73.

(ARMITAGE, Merle). Robert M. Purcell. MERLE ARMITAGE WAS HERE! A Retrospective of a 20th Century Renaissance Man. Morongo Valley: Sagebrush Press, 1981. Lg. 8vo, 59, (2)pp, frontis. & illus. printed black & red. Orig. quarter black cloth over yellow boards, yellow endpapers, decorated in red & black, fine.

¶ Limited to 475 numbered copies, printed letterpress. Selected bibliography of books written and designed by Armitage.

RITCHIE, Ward. ARMITAGE. His Loves and His Many Lives. Laguna Beach: Laguna Verde Imprenta, (1982). 8vo, 68, (3)pp. Orig. stiff marbled wrappers, paper label printed in light blue. Fine copy

¶ "About sixty copies," printed on a handpress by Ritchie at his private press. Ritchie knew Armitage over several decades and printed a number of his books.

BENNETT, Paul A. (ed.) BOOKS AND PRINTING, A Treasury for Typophiles. Savannah: Frederic C. Beil, 1991. 8vo, cloth. Very good copy in dust jacket.