Harry Callahan: Photographs, First Edition, Limited to 1500

Harry Callahan: Photographs

First Edition, 1964, Limited to 1500 Copies

Exceptional Condition

This is a very rare first limited edition of the highly acclaimed photobook “Harry Callahan: Photographs” published by the El Mochuelo Gallery, Santa Barbara in 1949 with a stated limitation of 1500 copies. Early in his life, Callahan studied engineering and worked in the photography labs of General Motors but when he met Moholy-Nagy in 1946 he decided to make artistic photography his career. This book, published by an art gallery at a time when large publishers were not supporting such deluxe photographic book projects, remains the most sought after monograph of Callahan's work. Emphasis is on his minimalist nature studies, elegantly modern images of his wife Eleanor, city street scenes, and multiple image experiments. "I think I've photographed the same things all my life," Harry Callahan said in 1991. "Buildings and grasses and people walking." From these modest subjects, Callahan became one of the legendary American photographers.

Containing 126 full-page tritone and duotone plates on coated stock printed on one side, the book measures approximately 13.5” x 12” and is bound in black covered boards with silver titling stamped on the cover with a matching black cloth slipcase.  The book is in FINE condition except for the usual discoloration of the endsheets (apparently caused by the use of non-archival glue) and owners name on the endpaper in a Near Fine+ slipcase with some minor soiling. Overall, this is an exceptional copy of a beautiful photobook that is becoming increasingly scarce.

Cited in both “The Book of 101 Books: Seminal Photographic Books of the Twentieth Century” and “The Open Book” by Andrew Roth

Photographs of the book and slipcase as well as photographs contained in the book appear below. Please note that although the photographs appear digitized as thumbnails, they are viewable in the photo viewer by running your mouse over the thumbnail. You can also click on the thumbnail to open a separate window where the picture is viewable.