The Frick Collection: An Illustrated Catalogue of the Works of Art in the collection of Henry Clay Frick, vols 2 and 3 (plate volumes) (1949, design by Bruce Rogers)

New York: The Frick Art Reference Library, 1949. Hardcover. Fine/no dj as issued. Designed by Bruce Rogers. Rare and beautiful illustrated catalogues of prints collected by Henry Clay Frick, one of only 175 copies. From the estate of printer/publisher David Way.

For sale in this listing are:  Vol 2 plates I - LXVIII and vol. 3 plates LXIX - CXXXVIII, plus the separate publication "A description of the catalogue of the Frick Collection" by Paul Standard; Osbert Sitwell, Bruce Rogers. Pittsburgh, PA: The Frick Art Reference Library, 1949.

Full title: The Frick Collection: An Illustrated Catalogue of the Works of Art in the Collection of Henry Clay Frick. With an introduction by Sir Osbert Sitwell, Pittsburgh, both volumes designed by Bruce Rogers. Printed at the University, 1949, hardcover in publisher's salmon buckram, upper covers and spines gilt-lettered, top edge gilt. 17.5 inches x 12.25 inches (44.45 cm x  31.12 cm), plus:

"A description of the catalogue of the Frick Collection" by Paul Standard; Osbert Sitwell, Bruce Rogers. Pittsburgh, PA: The Frick Art Reference Library, 1949. 12-1/4" X 9-1/4", in brown wrappers,

CONDITION: Both catalogue plate volumes are from the estate of the printer David Way, in climatised storage for the last 30 years. In unread condition, the original wrapping paper is in tatters, the glassine jacket of vol. 2 has damage to the bottom (see photo), the one for vol. 3 have several large tears, The binding and the pages are in like new, fine condition are; only the corners are a bit bumped.

The "Description of the catalogue of the Frick Collection", has 27 pages, also designed by Bruce Rogers and consists of "Its story - its makers - Its Purpose" by Paul Standard (11 pages) and the introduction by Osbert Sitwell. Also from the estate, also in Like New condition. Comes in the original folders of the Frick Art Reference Library (between two card boards). The folders have damage at the edges and some smudges

"The catalogue describing these masterpieces in itself an impressive affair, set by hand and printed by hand on English handmade paper folded into pages 12 inches wide by 18 high, in an edition limited to 175 sets of ten volumes each. None of the sets is for sale. All are being presented to a world list of museums, public and university libraries and similar institutions as gifts made possible by Miss Helen C. Frick, who was her fathers' companion in the arts and who has financed all the costs of the catalogues's preparation, research and printing. Of the three volumes now published, one consists of some 350 pages of text and the other two (vol.  2 and 3) showing an aggregate of 155 full page colotype reproductions of the 135 canvases discussed in the text.  (...)" --from: "A description of the catalogue of the Frick Collection" by Paul Standard

"The printing ... was begun in 1929 by Porter Garnett who designed the basic format of the text, and who printed the sheets through page 168 ... The work was laid aside in 1932. Printing was begun again in the spring of 1949 under the direction of Bruce Rogers, who designed the two volumes of illustrations, and the title page, section headings, and accessory pages for the volume of text. The sheets of text were completed on the hand-presses of the University of Pittsburgh by David Way ... One hundred and seventy-five sets have been made"--from the Colophon of v. 1. .