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Graphic Bible 1928 1st Ed Advance Copy — Illustrated by Mark Rothko
Graphic Bible 1928 1st Ed Advance Copy — Illustrated by Mark Rothko
Regular price
$450.00 USD
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$450.00 USD
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The Mark Rothko Connection — Why This Book Matters:
Before Mark Rothko became one of the most celebrated and valuable American artists of the 20th century — before the Color Field paintings, before the Seagram Murals, before his work commanded tens of millions at auction — he was Marcus Rothkowitz, a 25-year-old struggling artist in New York. In 1928 he was commissioned to illustrate The Graphic Bible by Lewis Browne, creating the animated maps and charts that fill this book. It became one of his earliest known published works.
The collaboration ended bitterly — Rothko sued Browne and Macmillan for proper artistic credit and compensation, a dispute that speaks directly to how seriously he regarded this work. His authorship of individual illustrations is confirmed by the small initial “R” visible on select maps and drawings throughout the book. This is not a Bible curiosity — it is an early Rothko artifact.
About This Book:
The Graphic Bible: From Genesis to Revelation in Animated Maps & Charts was first serialized in newspapers before Macmillan published it in August 1928. Written by Lewis Browne, a popular Jewish rabbi turned author and lecturer, the book retells the entire biblical narrative through illustrated maps, timelines and graphic charts — an innovative approach for its era. It was a commercial success, going through multiple printings. First edition copies are increasingly scarce and seldom appear with their distinguishing provenance intact.
This Copy — Exceptional and Unique Provenance:
This is a First Edition, First Printing — copyright page states “Set up and electrotyped. Published, August, 1928.” The Macmillan Company, New York, 1928.
What makes this copy extraordinary above all other known copies currently on the market is the presence of the original Macmillan Advance Copy review slip — a yellow pre-publication document issued by The Macmillan Company before the book’s August 28 publication date, addressed to a reviewer in San Antonio, Texas. The slip clearly identifies: Author: Lewis Browne / Title: Graphic Bible / To be published: Aug 28. This slip confirms this copy left the Macmillan offices as a pre-publication review copy — issued to press or academic reviewers before the general public could purchase the book. After 97 years, the survival of this slip with the book is remarkable and documents a specific moment in the book’s early history. Review copies of this title with original Macmillan advance slips intact are not known to appear on the market with any regularity.
Condition:
Dark blue/grey cloth boards with gold lettering, light shelf wear and minor fraying at spine head consistent with 97 years of age. No dust jacket as issued to review copies. Interior pages age-toned as expected. Decorative map endpapers intact and clean. Previous owner’s name in ink on front paste-down. Advance Copy slip present, intact, and loosely inserted. Overall: Good to Very Good.
For the serious collector: This copy sits at the intersection of American art history, publishing history, and biblical cartography.
A first edition of a Mark Rothko-illustrated book with its original pre-publication Macmillan review slip is a genuinely rare opportunity. Buyers seeking Rothko ephemera, early 20th century illustrated books, or significant American art history artifacts will not find a comparable copy currently available.
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Before Mark Rothko became one of the most celebrated and valuable American artists of the 20th century — before the Color Field paintings, before the Seagram Murals, before his work commanded tens of millions at auction — he was Marcus Rothkowitz, a 25-year-old struggling artist in New York. In 1928 he was commissioned to illustrate The Graphic Bible by Lewis Browne, creating the animated maps and charts that fill this book. It became one of his earliest known published works.
The collaboration ended bitterly — Rothko sued Browne and Macmillan for proper artistic credit and compensation, a dispute that speaks directly to how seriously he regarded this work. His authorship of individual illustrations is confirmed by the small initial “R” visible on select maps and drawings throughout the book. This is not a Bible curiosity — it is an early Rothko artifact.
About This Book:
The Graphic Bible: From Genesis to Revelation in Animated Maps & Charts was first serialized in newspapers before Macmillan published it in August 1928. Written by Lewis Browne, a popular Jewish rabbi turned author and lecturer, the book retells the entire biblical narrative through illustrated maps, timelines and graphic charts — an innovative approach for its era. It was a commercial success, going through multiple printings. First edition copies are increasingly scarce and seldom appear with their distinguishing provenance intact.
This Copy — Exceptional and Unique Provenance:
This is a First Edition, First Printing — copyright page states “Set up and electrotyped. Published, August, 1928.” The Macmillan Company, New York, 1928.
What makes this copy extraordinary above all other known copies currently on the market is the presence of the original Macmillan Advance Copy review slip — a yellow pre-publication document issued by The Macmillan Company before the book’s August 28 publication date, addressed to a reviewer in San Antonio, Texas. The slip clearly identifies: Author: Lewis Browne / Title: Graphic Bible / To be published: Aug 28. This slip confirms this copy left the Macmillan offices as a pre-publication review copy — issued to press or academic reviewers before the general public could purchase the book. After 97 years, the survival of this slip with the book is remarkable and documents a specific moment in the book’s early history. Review copies of this title with original Macmillan advance slips intact are not known to appear on the market with any regularity.
Condition:
Dark blue/grey cloth boards with gold lettering, light shelf wear and minor fraying at spine head consistent with 97 years of age. No dust jacket as issued to review copies. Interior pages age-toned as expected. Decorative map endpapers intact and clean. Previous owner’s name in ink on front paste-down. Advance Copy slip present, intact, and loosely inserted. Overall: Good to Very Good.
For the serious collector: This copy sits at the intersection of American art history, publishing history, and biblical cartography.
A first edition of a Mark Rothko-illustrated book with its original pre-publication Macmillan review slip is a genuinely rare opportunity. Buyers seeking Rothko ephemera, early 20th century illustrated books, or significant American art history artifacts will not find a comparable copy currently available.
