SOCIÉTÉ ANONYME, INC. / MUSEUM OF MODERN ART / REPORT / 1920 - 1921
The first annual report of the first permanent collection of modern art in the U.S.
Very good.
Price: $1,400.00
SOCIÉTÉ ANONYME, INC. / MUSEUM OF MODERN ART / REPORT / 1920 - 1921
Founded 1920 by Man Ray, Katherine Dreier, and Marcel Duchamp, the purpose of the Société Anonyme was to promote the exhibition and appreciation of modern art. They sponsored talks, mounted shows (including the landmark 1926 International Exhibition of Modern Art at the Brooklyn Museum, as well as the first American one-person shows of Kandinsky, Klee, Campendonk, and Leger), and published books. The first year of these activities is documented here, during which the S.A. "acted as a leaven in the art world of America." Included are budgets, bylaws, descriptions of exhibitions (revealing notes on display and gallery design), lists of the exhibited artists (demonstrating the internationalism of modern art and including numerous lesser-known names), schedules of lectures held (such as "The First Birthday Party: An Evening with Gertrude Stein"), and a catalogue of the reference library (with annotations the compilers considered important, such as "very rare, out of print" and "entered into the Library because it shows the break of the earlier Renaissance from the Byzantine"), as well as reproductions of artworks from Villon, Stella, Van Gogh, Schwitters, Picasso, Duchamp, and others.
OCLC locates just 13 scattered copies across several records, with most major relevant institutions lacking. A rare and vivid document from a groundbreaking organization.
The Object
First edition. (New York): (The Société Anonyme), [1921]. 10'' x 6.25''. Original salmon boards with printed title label. 52 pages. Some professional restoration to spine, covers a bit rubbed with small split to top of rear joint. Else clean and sound.
The Fine Print
We work hard to meet our ethical responsibility to describe our material accurately. All items are guaranteed as described and may be returned for any reason within 30 days. Please notify us before mailing a return.
We guarantee the authenticity of our items. All materials are original (meaning not facsimiles or reproductions) unless otherwise noted. First editions (meaning first edition, first printing) are explicitly stated. TPM is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America and upholds their Code of Ethics.
All photographs are of the actual item for sale. We're happy to provide additional images on request.
All domestic orders ship gratis. For orders under $250, free USPS media mail shipping is included; orders $250 and over ship USPS Priority. International orders over $500 also ship gratis. Expedited, overnight, as well as other carriers (UPS, Fed-Ex, etc.), may carry additional costs beyond quoted rates. All orders receive tracking information and a direct contact in case of any questions.
International buyers are responsible for any customs, taxes, and related import fees. Please note that we are unable to accomodate requests to misrepresent, misdeclare, or otherwise falsify customs documents when shipping internationally. We appreciate your understanding.
We accept all major credit cards, Paypal, Venmo, check, money order, and bank wire. We are happy to bill institutional buyers' needs. Sales tax will be added to applicable purchases. Items subject to prior sale.
If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your purchase, please contact us. We prioritize our long-term relationships far above any individual purchase, and we want you to love your item as much as we loved cataloguing it.