Jack Smith

(New York: Dead Language Press, 1962, a projected edition of 200), a book illustrated with 19 photographs by Jack Smith and one portrait of Smith by Ken Jacobs, each mounted, 4to, stiff wrappers, black silkscreen with yellow lettering

Jack Smith, Jonas Mekas, Johan Kugelberg, Wait for Me at the Bottom of the Pool: Artwork, Ephemera and Photography by Jack Smith (New York: Boo-Hooray Gallery, 2013), p. 11

This rare, hand-constructed book, featuring 20 mounted contact prints, is in overall very good condition. The stiff wrappers feature an ornate black silkscreen illustration with yellow typeset title and artist's credit. It is characteristically unevenly inked. It is faintly soiled, primarily along the saddle-stitched spine. The area adjacent to each staple is worn and there is some minor rust-colored staining. The inside of the front and rear covers have a few stray ink marks. There are scattered soft handling creases, soiling, and minor offsetting on the internal buttercup-yellow pages. The prints are overall silvered and, as is typical with this publication, the contrast levels vary from print to print. The images, dimensions, and exceptional condition notes are as follows: 1) Nude woman in a hat, reclining: 2 ¼ by 2 ¼ in. 2) Nude woman, torso: 2 ¼ by 2 ¼ in. 3) Man and woman: 2 ¼ by 2 1/8 in., unevenly silvered at the left and right edges. 4) Standing figures in dresses: 2 ¼ by 2 ¼ in. 5) 2 nudes, one person in a dress: 2 ¼ by 2 ¼ in., low contrast print. 6) Nude woman and face: 2 ¼ by 2 ¼ in., 7) Nude woman with veil: 2 ¼ by 2 ¼ in., stray rust-colored adhesive on mount. 8) Nude woman reclining: 2 ¼ by 2 ¼ in. 9) 2 figures: 2 ¼ by 2 ¼ in., low contrast print. 10) 2 figures, left person with cigarette: 2 ¼ by 2 ¼ in., low contrast print. 11) Figures in a garden: 2 ¼ by 2 ¼ in., low contrast print. 12) Seated and reclining nudes: 2 1/8 by 2 1/8 in., ferrotyped; a pink stain of indeterminate nature at the upper left corner. 13) Man and woman: 2 ¼ by 2 ¼ in. 14) Reclining figure, head at right: 2 ¼ by 2 1/4 in. 15) 2 figures with lily: 2 ¼ by 2 ¼ in. 16) 2 women: 2 ¼ by 2 ¼ in. 17) 2 figures, right person with cigarette: 2 ¼ by 2 ¼ in., uneven, overall silvering. 18) Group of reclining figures: 2 ¼ by 2 ¼ in., the print is lifting from mount. 19) Group of reclining figures: 2 ¼ by 2 ¼ in., stray rust-colored adhesive on mount. 20) Portrait of Jack Smith (by Ken Jacobs): 2 by 2 ¼ in., matte deposits visible under raking light.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Photographs by Jack Smith, the experimental filmmaker, performance artist and queer cinema pioneer, are rare, as are copies of The Beautiful Book, the only autonomous publication created during his lifetime. It was projected to be an edition of 200 copies, although it is believed that far fewer were actually distributed.

The quality of the screenprinting and uneven appearance of the contact prints is a result of the collaborative nature of the construction of the book. Smith and his associates assembled the books during the late spring and early summer of 1962. The photographs were taken mainly in Smith's Lower East Side apartment and feature several Warhol 'Superstars': Francis Francine, Joel Markman, Mario Montez, and Arnold Rockwood. More than half of the images feature Marian Zazeela, who also designed the cover illustration. The final photograph of the sequence is a portrait of Jack Smith under the Brooklyn Bridge by filmmaker Ken Jacobs.