Friday, July 22, 2011

The Official Catalog of the Graphic Works of Salvador Dali by Albert Field.

The Official Catalog of the Graphic Works of Salvador Dali
by Albert Field.

There was a time when I denounced this book because of its horrible image quality, numerous typos/mistakes, incomplete indexing, and poor organization.  That was then.

Over the years, as my tastes and interests regarding Dali have changed, I have developed an appreciation for this publication.  I now regard this book as an indispensible part of my research and collecting of Salvador Dali prints.

Everything you need to know about an authorized Dali print is in there.  You get the title, publishing date, medium, paper and image size, paper type, publisher, tirage, numbering system, pictures of every print, signed/unsigned, and many other details, including plenty of information about unauthorized Dali prints.

If the print is not in this catalog, then it's generally assumed to not be authentic.

I am glad I bought this book years ago, because when I was finally ready to transition my Dali art appreciation into the realm of Dali art collecting, this book was there to safely guide me.

The book is quite rare, and commands a premium wherever it turns up.  The original price on the dust jacket is $285.  At auction, you can expect to pay as much as $200-$250.  Elsewhere in cyberspace, you can pick up a copy for upwards of $300.




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