Andy Warhol, Andy Warhol's Index Book, 1967

Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol's Index Book, 1967

First Edition Hardback Monograph with Silver Holographic Cover and Multiple 3-D Inserts.

Contains multiple 3-D inserts. See detailed description and photos., not signed

11 1/4 × 8 3/4 × 1/2 inches

This true first edition of this scarce book makes a memorable gift to any Warhol fan, follower or collector! Andy Warhol's Index Book, called a “children’s book for hipsters”, is full of pop-ups, pull-outs, fold-outs and even a stuck balloon - as a practical joke! The present work is a handsome vintage copy - a stated 1st printing - of this seminal 1967 artist's book, cited by both Andrew Roth and Martin Parr as among the most influential photo/artists' books of the century. Warhol photographer Billy Name recalled that the original title was to be "The World of Andy Warhol" - but everybody thought that was tacky. So they instead titled it "Andy Warhol's Index" - after the Catholic Church's list of films you are not supposed to see. But Random House [the publisher] said it's supposed to be a book. So Warhol's entourage said "OK, we'll put book at the end"; it thus became Andy Warhol's Index (and it is a book). Running vertically along the edge of the title page is a single explanatory sentence: "Well, Andy loves mistakes. This wasn't rehearsed." (This story is documented in further detail in Lucy Mulroney's book "Andy Warhol Publisher", which goes on to describe the kinds of permissions that were required for all the book's wacky 3-D inserts, along with the Campbell Soup Company's reaction to the Hunt's tomato paste pop-up and to Warhol's promotion and artistic preoccupation with their brand. Mulroney also details the literary, art and media luminaries of the era who invited and attending the book's launch party - including Barbara Walters, Norman Mailer and so many others.). Andy Warhol's Index Book features a compilation of interviews, art inserts, pop-ups, photographs, recording discs, and descriptions of life at the Factory. To this day it remains an important Warhol document and an absolutely iconic publication of the psychedelic era - the late 1960's - in New York. The photographs are by Billy Name and other Warhol co-conspirators with the assistance of Stephen Shore, Paul Morrissey (Warhol's movie producer) Ondine, and Nico. All objects are present and in great shape. The accordion still squeaks -which is most uncommon, and the Hunt's tomato paste paper can pops up as it should. So does the castle! This copy also has the Warhol stickers at the end which are very rare. All pop-ups, fold-outs and attached materials are present: castle pop-up, accordion, bi-plane, paper wheel (still attached, which is super rare!), dodecahedron attached with string, Lou Reed record (still attached and unplayed), Warhol nose overlays, Hunt's Tomato Paste can, 'Big Surprise' eight-sectioned paste down, and balloon. Note: lacking holograph postcard. Sticker tabs along 3 page margins. The balloon melted and stuck to two pages at rear - but that is part of the book design and was done by Warhol in all the books as a practical joke on the reader! (Some booksellers and art dealers don't realize that and earnestly lament that the two pages somehow got stuck together, faulting their own particular copy and the ravages of time. If only they knew that it's not a mistake!) More details about the attachments: An elaborate pop-up paper castle attached to two pages above the incredibly prescient declaration "We're attacked constantly;" a bright red paper accordion attached to the intersection of a folded page; a colorful pop-up paper airplane attached between two pages; a paper disc with announcement & blurbs about Warhol's film Chelsea Girls, now loose but complete with loose spring & clear adhesive stickers; a folded paper geodesic structure with images of a nude, hairy-chested photographer, attached with black string to a circular sticker attached to a page; a 7" flexi-disc, paper with plastic grooved film on front side with image of Lou Reed, said to contain a recording by The Velvet Underground & Nico which may not have otherwise been released, & still attached between two pages with unbroken perforation & central hole still covered, therefore never played; a colorful two-overlay cut-out paper nose on the central section of a three-fold page; a pop-up paper Hunt's Tomato Paste can between two pages; a sheet of stamps still attached to a page with unbroken perforations & text. Rarely does one find a copy of this now quite scarce book in such good shape.

Literature: Cited in “The Book of 101 Books: Seminal Photographic Books of the Twentieth Century” by Andrew Roth.

In very good vintage condition. Minor overall expected age wear, scuffing, toning to the cover, 1/8" tear to one page but otherwise good