Evidence - Signed -
Larry Sultan, Mike Mandel
1977 - Clatworthy Colorvues, Greenbrae - First Edition
Fine first edition of this ‘pioneering work in photography's engagement with meaning and context’ [Blind Magazine, The 50 Most Influential Photobooks of All Time]
Signed by both Larry Sultan and Mike Mandel.
With 60 halftones from photographs, and an afterword by Robert F. Forth.
Described by Martin Parr in ‘The Photobook: A History’, as ‘one of the most beautiful, dense and puzzling photobooks in existence, an endless visual box of tricks’.
Sultan and Mandel sifted through thousands of photographs in the files of the Bechtel Corporation, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Jet Propulsion Laboratories, the US Department of the Interior, Stanford Research Institute and many other corporations, institutions, and government agencies looking for photographs that were made and used as documents and objective instruments, as evidence. ‘By recontextualizing found images, this conceptual photobook challenged the boundaries of photography. Sultan and Mandel transformed mundane institutional photos into provocative visual art.
The absence of captions invites viewers to create their own interpretation. Its influence extends to conceptual photography and archival projects.’ [Blind Magazine].
Provenance: From the collection of Terry Etherton, Arizona (see below for more detail).
Reference: Blind Magazine (2025), The 50 Most Influential Photobooks of All Time, 22. Parr, The Photobook: A History, Vol I.
Oblong quarto (book size 25.4x23.8cm), pp. [8] [60 (halftone photographs)] [1] [3 (afterword)] [1]. In publisher’s dark blue cloth, gilt lettering to spine and upper board, grey-blue endpapers.
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The Photography Book Collection of Terry Etherton - ‘I began collecting photography books in 1971 when I was a student at Southern Illinois University. The first book I purchased was Conversations with the Dead by Danny Lyon. I didn’t know it then, but that book would have a profound effect on the course of my life – inspiring not only a lifelong fascination with photography, but ultimately a career.
In the beginning, I bought books simply to learn – to better understand the medium and the extraordinary people working within it. Over time though, collecting became something deeper. These books were not just reference material; they were objects of beauty and power. I never set out to build a photography library of over 4,500 volumes, but when I opened Etherton Gallery in Tucson, Arizona in 1981, the collection continued to grow – quietly, steadily, and with purpose.
This library became a tool of my trade, my daily companion, and a reflection of my life’s work as a gallerist. It supported over 300 exhibitions and more than 150 art fairs. Many of the books are signed by the artists I’ve had the privilege to work with over the decades. In a way, the collection became part of my DNA – telling the story of my journey through photography and the remarkable community of photographers, collectors, and curators that shaped it.
Letting go of this library is bittersweet. It’s exciting to see these books begin a new life with other collectors and institutions, but also emotional — this collection represents over four decades of passion, purpose, and discovery.’ – Terry Etherton Condition: Fine Ref: 112347 Price: HK$ 15,000
Signed by both Larry Sultan and Mike Mandel.
With 60 halftones from photographs, and an afterword by Robert F. Forth.
Described by Martin Parr in ‘The Photobook: A History’, as ‘one of the most beautiful, dense and puzzling photobooks in existence, an endless visual box of tricks’.
Sultan and Mandel sifted through thousands of photographs in the files of the Bechtel Corporation, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Jet Propulsion Laboratories, the US Department of the Interior, Stanford Research Institute and many other corporations, institutions, and government agencies looking for photographs that were made and used as documents and objective instruments, as evidence. ‘By recontextualizing found images, this conceptual photobook challenged the boundaries of photography. Sultan and Mandel transformed mundane institutional photos into provocative visual art.
The absence of captions invites viewers to create their own interpretation. Its influence extends to conceptual photography and archival projects.’ [Blind Magazine].
Provenance: From the collection of Terry Etherton, Arizona (see below for more detail).
Reference: Blind Magazine (2025), The 50 Most Influential Photobooks of All Time, 22. Parr, The Photobook: A History, Vol I.
Oblong quarto (book size 25.4x23.8cm), pp. [8] [60 (halftone photographs)] [1] [3 (afterword)] [1]. In publisher’s dark blue cloth, gilt lettering to spine and upper board, grey-blue endpapers.
+++
The Photography Book Collection of Terry Etherton - ‘I began collecting photography books in 1971 when I was a student at Southern Illinois University. The first book I purchased was Conversations with the Dead by Danny Lyon. I didn’t know it then, but that book would have a profound effect on the course of my life – inspiring not only a lifelong fascination with photography, but ultimately a career.
In the beginning, I bought books simply to learn – to better understand the medium and the extraordinary people working within it. Over time though, collecting became something deeper. These books were not just reference material; they were objects of beauty and power. I never set out to build a photography library of over 4,500 volumes, but when I opened Etherton Gallery in Tucson, Arizona in 1981, the collection continued to grow – quietly, steadily, and with purpose.
This library became a tool of my trade, my daily companion, and a reflection of my life’s work as a gallerist. It supported over 300 exhibitions and more than 150 art fairs. Many of the books are signed by the artists I’ve had the privilege to work with over the decades. In a way, the collection became part of my DNA – telling the story of my journey through photography and the remarkable community of photographers, collectors, and curators that shaped it.
Letting go of this library is bittersweet. It’s exciting to see these books begin a new life with other collectors and institutions, but also emotional — this collection represents over four decades of passion, purpose, and discovery.’ – Terry Etherton Condition: Fine Ref: 112347 Price: HK$ 15,000