The Lines of My Hand by Robert Frank, True First Edition

The Lines of My Hand by Robert Frank 

First Edition, First Printing, 1972

This is a very rare first limited edition, first printing of Robert Frank’s critically acclaimed retrospective “The Lines of My Hand” published by Yugensha, Tokyo in 1972. Produced in a limitation of 1000, this copy is one of 500 that featured the slipcase photograph of "New York City, 1948" (the other 500 featured the slipcase photograph of "Platte River, Tennessee". This beautifully produced first edition includes a number of images from Frank's best-known work, Les Americains, a collection of documentary photographs of American life in the 1950s, particularly among the Beats, along with photographs of Frank's family and images made during his travels in Peru, Spain, England, and France. Published in Japan prior to the Lustrum publication of the same title, "Frank's great confessional both sums up and marks the end not only of a photographic era, but a final coming to terms with the effects of WWII and the Bomb" (Parr & Badger, “The Photobook: A History”). Kerouac called his friend Robert Frank an artist who "sucked a sad poem right out of America onto film, taking rank among the tragic poets of the world." "One of the key figures in postwar American art-the 'Manet of the new photography,'" Frank was once asked to describe his response to The Lines of My Hand, his unorthodox autobiography. "You look at the road you've been on," he said, "and it comes back instantly" (New York Times).

Containing numerous incredible photographs including two 2-page gatefolds (with Frank's contact sheets reproduced on the inside pages) and measuring approximately 14” x 10”, the book is bound in black buckram covered boards and is contained in a black linen slipcase with the mounted cover photograph “New York City, 1948”. Also included is the 32-page booklet (13.5” x 9.5”) laid in, with text translation (in Japanese) and illustrations of the book's plates. The booklet is printed with white text on matt black paper and staple-bound. The condition of the book is FINE. The slipcase is in Near Fine+ condition with surface wear to the cover photo including two very minor indentations as well as some dust soiling to the back of the slipcase. Overall, this is a highly collectible copy of one of the most sought after photobooks ever produced.

Cited in both “The Open Book” by Andrew Roth and “The Photobook: A History”, by Parr and Badger.

Photographs of the front and back of the slipcase (to highlight the surface wear to the cover photo and dust soiling to the rear), the book cover, 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.