[1ST ED 1ST STATE] Not Seen and/or Less Seen of/ by Marcel Duchamp/Rrose Selavy 1904-64

First edition, first state catalog of an exhibition of Duchampiana from the Mary Sisler collection held at Cordier & Ekstrom in New York January 14-February 13, 1965. While the show subsequently traveled to CAM in Houston and other venues, the present example lists only Cordier & Ekstrom. According to Schwarz, "the Mary Sisler Collection was the most important private collection of works by Duchamp; and the exhibition, a historical event. It was the first and the most inclusive Duchamp retrospective to be held by a private gallery in the United States." When Mary Sisler saw the first version of the catalogue she was incensed that her name was not only much smaller than Duchamp's, but at the bottom of the title-page, and demanded that the catalogue be withdrawn, and be reissued. As a result surviving copies of the first version are extremely rare." White & partially colored color-printed stiff wrappers. Duchamp open door intaglio cut-out as cover, with cover 1/4 inch larger than the pages to accommodate the door design. 4to, unpaginated, with 3 tipped-in color plates and 100+ BW illus. Introduction and textual notes by British Pop artist and critic Richard Hamilton. Text block partially detached from the top, though still firmly attached at bottom. Bumping and soiling to wrappers, with 1" open tear to bottom of the notoriously fragile front cover. From the collection of renowned art historian Dore Ashton, though unmarked.