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John Franklin Koenig embellished book bindings, 1838-1982

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Koenig, John Franklin, 1924-2008
Title
John Franklin Koenig embellished book bindings
Dates
1838-1982 (inclusive)
Quantity
54 volumes
Collection Number
6082 (Accession No. 6082-001)
Summary
A personal collection of books owned by John Franklin Koenig which he embellished with his unique, artistic bindings.
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

Collection requires appointment with Book Arts and Rare Books Curator for viewing.

Request at UW

Languages
French, English
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Biographical Note

John Franklin Koenig was born October 24, 1924 in Seattle, Washington. Koenig served in WWII in the 11th Armored Division, 22nd Battalion in France. Following the war, Koenig returned to Seattle. While in Seattle, he became familiar with the Northwest School of Art, particularly the work of Morris Graves and Mark Tobey. Koenig also earned his Bachelor of Arts in Romance Languages with a minor in Art from the University of Washington in 1948. He returned to France in 1948 and lived the majority of his life there, though he returned to live in Seattle in 2004. While in France he studied at La Sorbonne in Paris. In 1952, Koenig co-founded the international art magazine Cimaise with Jean-Robert Arnaud. Koenig had his first solo art exhibition in 1952 at Galerie Arnaud. Koenig's work has been featured in hundreds of exhibits throughout Europe, North America, Africa, and Asia. In 1985, Koenig was named Officier de l'Ordre des Arts and Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture, an award rarely given to a person who is not of French origin. Koenig died on January 22, 2008.

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Content Description

A personal collection of books owned by John Franklin Koenig which he embellished with his unique, artistic bindings. The books, mostly paperback with some hardbound, were published between 1838 and 1982 in Europe, England and the United States. The majority are in French. His cover embellishments included painting and collage with paper and appropriated images. Some volumes are housed in Koenig's embellished slipcases. Each volume has the artist's assigned number.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Creator's literary rights retained. Contact Special Collections for details. Rights to artworks, including photographs taken by Koenig, are retained by the donors. After the donors' deaths, rights revert to the University of Washington Libraries.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The books are in order by the number assigned by Koenig.

Acquisition Information

Clair A. and John C. Koenig, 2011-06-30

Separated Materials

Material Described Separately:

John Franklin Koenig Papers (Manuscript Collection 2734)

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Detailed Description of the Collection

 

  • Description: J F Koenig by Pierre Restany

    Language: French

    Dates: 1960
    Container: Item Koenig 4036
  • Description: Un Barrage Contre Le Pacifique by Marguerite Duras

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: 1950
    Container: Item Koenig 4040
  • Description: Le Theatre des Annees Folles by Pierre Brisson

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket and on first page

    Dates: 1943
    Container: Item Koenig 4042
  • Description: Le Paradis Perdu by John Milton

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: 1838
    Container: Item Koenig 4044
  • Description: L'atelier D'alberto Giacometti by Jean Genet

    Language: French

    Dates: undated; printed after 1958
    Container: Item Koenig 4045
  • Description: L'espoir by Andre Malraux

    Language: French; Inscription on first page

    Dates: 1937
    Container: Item Koenig 4046
  • Description: Onanisme Et Homosexualite by Wilhem Stekel

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket and first page

    Dates: 1951
    Container: Item Koenig 4047
  • Description: L'anglais Decrit dans le Chateau Ferme by Pierre Morion

    Language: French ; Inscription on spine of box

    Dates: 1953
    Container: Item Koenig 4048
  • Description: Les Journaux Intimes de Baudelaire by not listed

    Language: French ; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: 1944
    Container: Item Koenig 4050
  • Description: Les Chants de Maldoror by Armand Hoog

    Language: French ; Inscription on handmade spine

    Dates: 1947
    Container: Item Koenig 4051
  • Description: Journal D'Andre Gide 1889-1939 by Andre Gide

    Language: French

    Dates: 1948
    Container: Item Koenig 4053
  • Description: The Works of William Shakespeare Volume IV by William Shakespeare

    Language: English

    Dates: undated
    Container: Item Koenig 4057
  • Description: Les Liasons Dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos De Laclos

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: 1954
    Container: Item Koenig 4058
  • Description: The Naked and the Dead by Norman Mailer

    Language: English; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: 1948
    Container: Item Koenig 4062
  • Description: Le Balcon by Jean Genet

    Language: French ; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: undated
    Container: Item Koenig 4063
  • Description: Le Jardin Parfume by Cheikh Nefzaoui

    Language: French ; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: 1953
    Container: Item Koenig 4064
  • Description: Adolphe by Benjamin Constant

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: undated
    Container: Item Koenig 4066
  • Description: Eurpidide Theatre by not listed

    Language: French ; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: undated
    Container: Item Koenig 4069
  • Description: Winter's Tales by Isak Dinesen

    Language: English; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: 1942
    Container: Item Koenig 4070
  • Description: Diderot Ouveres by Diderot

    Language: French; Inscription on first page

    Dates: 1951
    Container: Item Koenig 4071
  • Description: La Nausee by Jean-Paul Sartre

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket and first page

    Dates: 1938
    Container: Item Koenig 4072
  • Description: Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana

    Language: English; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: 1948
    Container: Item Koenig 4073
  • Description: Moderato Cantabile by Marguerite Duras

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket and first page

    Dates: 1958
    Container: Item Koenig 4074
  • Description: Eschyle Theatre by Eschyle

    Language: French

    Dates: 1946
    Container: Item Koenig 4075
  • Description: La Chasse A Courre by Maurice Sachs

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket and first page

    Dates: 1949
    Container: Item Koenig 4076
  • Description: L'Abbesse De Castro by None listed

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: undated
    Container: Item Koenig 4079
  • Description: Isak Dinesen Life of a Storyteller by Judith Thurman

    Language: English; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket and first page

    Dates: 1982
    Container: Item Koenig 4078
  • Description: "Mon Faust" by Paul Valery

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: 1946
    Container: Item Koenig 4084
  • Description: Dix Heures et Demie du Soir en Ete by Marguerite Duras

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: 1960
    Container: Item Koenig 4085
  • Description: Degas Danse Dessin by Paul Valery

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: 1946
    Container: Item Koenig 4086
  • Description: Lettres Persanes by Montesquieu

    Language: French; Inscription on spine and cover of handmade dust jacket and first page

    Dates: undated
    Container: Item Koenig 4087
  • Description: Nature, Man, and Woman by Alan W. Watts

    Language: English; Inscription on spine and cover of handmade dust jacket and first page

    Dates: 1958
    Container: Item Koenig 4089
  • Description: Poesies Completes by Alfred De Vigny

    Language: French; Inscription on spine and cover of handmade dust jacket and first page

    Dates: 1928
    Container: Item Koenig 4093
  • Description: Calligrammes by Guillaume Apollinaire

    Language: French

    Dates: 1925
    Container: Item Koenig 4094
  • Description: Monsieur Teste by Paul Valery

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket and first page

    Dates: 1946
    Container: Item Koenig 4095
  • Description: L'Immoraliste by Andre Gide

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: 1948
    Container: Item Koenig 4096
  • Description: What Happened in History by Gordon Childe

    Language: English; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: 1942
    Container: Item Koenig 4097
  • Description: Paludes by Andre Gide

    Language: French; Inscription on spine and cover of handmade dust jacket and first page

    Dates: 1926
    Container: Item Koenig 4098
  • Description: Antoine et Cleopatre by Shakespeare

    Language: French; Inscription on spine and cover of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: 1926
    Container: Item Koenig 4100
  • Description: Only Yesterday by Frederick Lewis Allen

    Language: English; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: 1931
    Container: Item Koenig 4101
  • Description: Armance by Stendhal

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: undated
    Container: Item Koenig 4103
  • Description: Venise, Guide Pratique Illustre by not listed

    Language: French; Inscription on first page and last page

    Dates: 1952
    Container: Item Koenig 4104
  • Description: Memoires d"Hadrien by Marguerite Yourcenar

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: 1961
    Container: Item Koenig 4109
  • Description: Oscar Wilde by Andre Gide

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket and first page

    Dates: 1946
    Container: Item Koenig 4114
  • Description: Pensees et Opuscules by not listed

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket and first page

    Dates: undated
    Container: Item Koenig 4115
  • Description: Les Amities Particulieres by Roger Peyrefitte

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: 1945
    Container: Item Koenig 4116
  • Description: George Villiers Duc deBuckingham by Phillippe Erlanger

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket`

    Dates: 1951
    Container: Item Koenig 4120
  • Description: U.S.A by John Dos Passos

    Language: English; Inscription on first page

    Dates: 1950
    Container: Item Koenig 4122
  • Description: Comparative Religion by A.C Bouquet

    Language: English; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: 1942
    Container: Item Koenig 4127
  • Description: Les Nourritures Terrestres by Andre Gide

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket and first page

    Dates: 1935
    Container: Item Koenig 4138
  • Description: Bourlinguer by Blaise Cendrars

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: 1948
    Container: Item Koenig 4141
  • Description: Le Square by Marguerite Duras

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket

    Dates: 1955
    Container: Item Koenig 4144
  • Description: Les Caves du Vatican by Andre Gide

    Language: French; Inscription on spine and cover of handmade dust jacket and first page

    Dates: 1922
    Container: Item Koenig 4145
  • Description: Le Sabbat by Maurice Sachs

    Language: French; Inscription on spine of handmade dust jacket and first page

    Dates: 1946
    Container: Item Koenig 4147

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Bookbinding--Painted bindings--Specimens

Form or Genre Terms

  • Collages (visual works)

Other Creators

  • Personal Names

    • Koenig, Clair A (former owner)
    • Koenig, John C (former owner)

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
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