Josef Albers Formulation: Articulation 1972 Edition.
Posted on January 28, 2009
Filed Under Art + Books + Design
Besides vintage jackets, also spend a lot of time collecting Bauhaus art and design, especially the work of Josef Albers. Just managed to land my holy grail, a 1972 edition of Josef Albers’s Formulation: Articulation. Click below for more.
Formulation: Articulation by Josef Albers. Limited Edition 842/1000. 1st Edition. Printed by Abrams & New Haven: Ives-Sillman 1972.
If your not familar with the work of Josef Albers, he was one major forces behind the Bauhaus movement. While there is a new book version, the original Formulation: Articulation, 1972 printing is a must for any collector of Albers or rare portfolios.
First off, the portfolio is quite large, 20″x15″. And features the best of Albers’s work spanning a 40 year period. Each piece and order was specifically selected by Albers, and presented in a loose collection of 67 double spread silkscreens. Each image is printed on Mohawk superfine paper and the portfolio is considered considered a technical achievement in printing quality.
Left: Fomulation: Articulation at the Daimler Collection. Right: Josef Albers with the Formulation: Articulation portfolio.
Left: Signed by Albers on first page. Right: Edition 824/1000.
Above: Each print hand number by Albers with an embossed artist initial crop mark.
Prints included in the Portfolio.
If you’re interested in more about Josef Albers check out the official Albers site here.
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7 Responses to “Josef Albers Formulation: Articulation 1972 Edition.”
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Wow, thats beautiful Gene, I hate to think how much it must have cost you…
I studied Bauhaus a while back at art school and Paul Klee has always been a favourite along with Giacometti and Rothko.
Always interesting books and topis you pick, Bauhaus has influenced so many of nowadays designers
Thanks for the detailed information. I’ve been looking for info on an original silkscreen from this folio that I just found in a thrift store. Having it framed. Any idea of value of individual prints from these folios?
Hi Brad, the value depends on which side of the folio you got and the actual print. The left side only has “Formulation” printed on it but the right side has the albers embossed chop mark and is hand numbered so would be worth more. Most galleries will sell the Variant and Square prints for 700-1400 usd each, but you can find them on ebay sometimes for much less.
Very cool. I have one without the chop/signature. It’s plate #30 I believe. I’m excited to have it. I just sold a Vasarely that would have gone great with it tho =). Cool site.
Regards,
Brad
I have this two set collection pictured above. It is not complete as I have given some away to family over the years. I am interested in giving one away as an auction item for a non-profit. It is the one pictured above #12 in the first set, orange with white lines. It is the folding one with two images together. What should I tell them the print is worth for the auction? It has the embossed chop mark etc and from the limited edition set pictured above. Ebay has all kinds of them from $1,200 to $10 Thanks, Robert
Hi robert,
Glad to hear you’re sharing the folio with your family. In my opinion this folio was really meant to be enjoyed not just put away in the library. I framed about 20 of the images from my folio and they look great when displayed in sets.
The cheap prints you’ll usually find on ebay are just posters, and will usually have some gallery or exhibition text below the print but not shown in the image in the listing. You should probably give the estimate at 800-1200 but lately cause of the economy the whole art market is suffering. Lately I have seen these go for as little as $50 for the lesser know images. Most people selling the prints start the bidding at $450.00 to avoid this happening.
good luck with your auction.