CALDER: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY WITH PICTURES [1967]

Allen Lane The Penguin Press | London, 1967 | Hardcover, 286pp | 220 x 270 mm | First UK Edition

Step right up to the kinetic circus of Alexander Calder’s life—told in his own words, in his own wonderfully weird way, and paired with a visual buffet of archival delights. This isn’t just a book; it’s a peek behind the curtain of the man who turned wire, whimsy, and gravity into high art. Peppered with photographs, sketches, and snapshots of Calder’s mobiles-in-motion and life-on-the-go.

Printed by Allen Lane in 1967 when Penguin had a thing for sophistication, this UK first edition feels like a crisp martini in hardcover form. Original cloth binding stamped in black and yellow, housed in the iconic dust jacket designed with just the right amount of swagger. Features printed endpapers, a generous mix of black-and-white and colour illustrations, and that satisfying mid-century weight only a 1960s art hardback can deliver. A tactile treat with visual punch.

A must for art lovers, mid-century mischief-makers, and anyone who believes the best stories are told by the artists themselves—with receipts.

Very good condition: Clean, bright and tightly bound copy. Slight surface and edgewear to jacket, but nothing that would bother Calder—or you.