Four variant editions of "It Looks Like Snow: A Picture Book by Remy Charlip

New York and Paris: various publishers, 2000. First edition of Remy Charlip's conceptual artist's book, issued as a Christmas greeting in 1957. Described by Barbara Bader as "a perfect book," It Looks Like Snow tells the story of Whitey the Eskimo boy, "illustrated" with comically blank pages over captions that describe the unfolding monochrome action: the driving snow, the pet husky, the white whale, the family igloo, the bone utensils, the ice fishing and sleigh rides. "See how they enjoy it!" One of 750 signed copies, this 1957 first edition is still sealed in the publisher's mailing envelope, postmarked in the year of publication. The first edition of It Looks Like Snow is accompanied by three later variants. The first is a near-facsimile of the first edition printed by Beat poet Piero Heliczer for Michael Malcé as a Christmas greeting in 1958, one of 2000 copies stated as signed by Remy Charlip. This copy is unsigned, however, as is every other copy of the Heliczer printing we've located. The second variant is an abridged edition (24 pages, rather than the original 32) issued by Greenwillow Books in 1983, in a flashier presentation with reflective mylar accents. The third variant is a near-facsimile of the Greenwillow adaptation issued by Paris publisher Les Trois Ourses in 2000, titled On Dirait qu'il Neige, with text in French. A founding member of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Charlip worked closely with composer John Cage throughout the 1950s: It Looks Like Snow is dedicated to Cage, and is clearly influenced by Cage's performance piece 4'33." See Bader, American Picturebooks from Noah's Ark to The Beast Within, 536. An uncommon group of imprints of an iconic American artist's book. Four 16mo volumes: 1) It Looks Like Snow: A Picture Book by Remy Charlip. New York: Igal Roodenko for Young Scott Books, 1957. 5.25 x 4.25 inches: [32]. Original printed white wrappers, grey on verso, signed by Charlip on lower wrapper. Housed in publisher's mailing envelope, postmarked 1957, with intact red paper seal. Lightly toned. 2) It Looks Like Snow: A Picture Book by Remy Charlip. New York; Piero Heliczer for Michael Malcé, 1958. 5.25 x 4.25 inches: [32]. Original printed white wrappers, grey on verso. Lightly toned. 3) It Looks Like Snow: A Picture Book by Remy Charlip. New York: Greenwillow Books, [1983]. 5.25 x 4 inches: [24]. Original printed white wrappers, silver mylar on verso, housed in publisher's red paper envelope titled in black, lined with silver mylar. 4) On Dirait qu'il Neige. Un Livre d'Images de Remy Charlip. Paris: Les Trois Ourses, 2000. 5.25 x 4 inches: [24]. Original printed white wrappers, silver mylar on verso, housed in publisher's glassine envelope titled in silver.