IN THE DARKNESS OF THE NIGHT

New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2017. Hardcover. Near Fine to Fine. Munari, an Italian artist, author, graphics designer, inventor and teacher, who was once called "the Leonardo of our time" by Picasso, began creating children's books for his son, Alberto, in the 1930s. Originally issued in Italy in 1956 as an artist's book, "In the Darkness of the Night" takes the reader on a journey across three landscapes during the night and into the morning, through a field and into a cave. It uses a combination of color drawing, specialty paper stocks, transparencies, and cutouts to create what has become a storytelling masterpiece for children no matter how old. This copy is from the second English edition, translated by Isobel Butters, a first printing, first edition thus (as stated, with complete numberline). About 6 3/8 x 9 1/8 inches, unpaginated (about 50 pages), in black paper-covered boards with blue lettering (and a blue cat with yellow eyes) on front cover and spine. Just a touch of edge and surface wear, no tears, chipping or scratching. Text is complete, clean and unmarked. No creasing, binding tight, not ex-library or remaindered. The 4 1/4-inch paper banner which originally encircled the book vertically and served some of the functions of a dustjacket, was, at some point, torn off and is now laid in. It contains a small photo of Munari, ads for two other books, and the original price of $35. Very collectable with or without the banner.