New York: U.S. Camera Publishing Corp., December, 1957. Hardcover in cream cloth-covered boards, titles stamped in red and blue on spine and upper side. First edition, first printing; measures 11 x 8½ in., 302 pages illustrated throughout and featuring a portfolio of 33 of Robert Frank's photographs produced under the auspices of the Guggenheim Fellowship.
The portfolio includes the essay 'Robert Frank', written by Walker Evans, as well a 'Statement' by Robert Frank at the end of the portfolio. It also includes a ten-page portfolio of Brassai's graffiti images, and works by Dan Weiner, Andreas Feininger, Edouard Boubat, Bill Brandt, Rene Burri, Mario Giacomelli, Tony Armstrong-Jones, Dorothea Lange, and Wolf Suschitzky.
This was the first publication in the United States of Frank's photographs that would later appear in book form, first in France, and then in the US under the title, 'The Americans'. Nearly half of the photographs in the U. S. Camera portfolio don't appear in Frank's book.
Presented in an odd format, on sheets smaller than the text block. U.S. Camera's editor, Tom Maloney, explains that Frank's 35mm photos would have had to have been cropped or surrounded by considerable white space if they were printed in the same way as the rest of the book.
Aside from obvious vintage age, including minor toning, and shelf-ware, this is a very good example of what remains an under-appreciated photography book.
Overall, the book is in good vintage condition, without a dust jacket, as issued.
AI Description:
The 1958 edition of the photography annual U.S. Camera features the first American appearance of photographs from Robert Frank's groundbreaking project The Americans, accompanied by an essay by Walker Evans. This portfolio, consisting of 38 images (of which 23 would later be in the book), was published in the US by editor Thomas J. Maloney despite Frank's work contrasting with the magazine's more conservative, technical focus, making it a significant and sought-after item for collectors.
Significance of the U.S. Camera 1958 Issue:
First Appearance in the US:
The 1958 U.S. Camera annual included a portfolio of photographs that Frank had taken for his cross-country project, marking their first publication in the United States.
Key Photographs:
The portfolio contained 38 photographs, with 23 of those images eventually appearing in Frank's seminal book, The Americans.
Accompanying Essay:
The portfolio was accompanied by an essay by American photographer Walker Evans, further solidifying its importance.
Unexpected Inclusion:
The work was included by the annual's editor, Thomas J. Maloney, whose clear-sighted vision recognized Frank's "penetrating whole" of a collection, even though it diverged from the publication's typical emphasis on technique and equipment.
About The Americans
The Americans is a collection of black-and-white photographs taken by Robert Frank during his 1955 and 1956 road trips across America. The book, first published in France in 1958 by Robert Delpire, was controversial for its intimate and often critical view of American culture, capturing feelings of loneliness, alienation, and sadness. It has since become a highly influential work in 20th-century photography, influencing generations of artists and photographers.