Vanishing Animals
"There are no easy answers to the many questions that now face us so suddenly. We are ill-prepared to make so many decisions so suddenly – yet there is no other way. We must make educated choices now. This book will provide a small insight into the issues that are faced by conservationists currently working in zoos. It hopes to bring some of the less well known animals closer to your heart. Above all, it is written in the spirit that:
We have not inherited the Earth from our parents,
we have borrowed it from our children."
–Dr. Kurt Benirschke, from the Introduction
FIRST EDITION, INSCRIBED BY WARHOL TO DIVINE: “to divine / love / Andy Warhol”. Also with four illustrations signed by Warhol. Exquisitely illustrated with sixteen color plates after screenprints by Warhol. Additionally inscribed to Divine by (presumably) his manager Bernard Jay.
A wonderful association copy uniting two of the most headline-grabbing stars of the 80s. Warhol was, well, Warhol, and Divine was the drag-queen star of John Waters’ classic films who became a cult icon.
On Vanishing Animals:
"Kurt Benirschke's lecture on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Springer-Verlag New York became a valuable book in 1986: Vanishing Animals, illustrated by Andy Warhol. An extraordinary combination of objective information and artistically impressive illustrations, it promoted an awareness of the importance of the preservation of species." (Sawkowski and Gotze, Springer-Verlag: 1945-1992). Animals discussed include: the California condor, river dolphin, mouse armadillo, wild horse, giant peccary, okapi, whooping crane, Komodo monitor, Sumatra rhinoceros, douc langur, Sommerring's gazelle, and Galapagos tortoise. Benirschke was a pioneering geneticist, pathologist, and conservationist known for his work in reproductive biology and the preservation of endangered species. In 1976 he helped establish the Center for the Reproduction of Endangered Species (CRES) at the San Diego Zoo, which advanced research on animal genetics and reproduction and created the first "frozen zoo" for the preservation of frozen cells and reproductive material of highly endangered species. In addition to the Warhol illustrations, Vanishing Animals contains photographs of animals at the San Diego Zoo.
Warhol’s signed in marker on the front free endpaper, taking up about half the page. Facing it, on the front pastedown is the (more modestly) written inscription: “To Divi: / Merry Christmas, 1986 / Love Jay”. “Jay” was almost certainly Bernard Jay, Divine’s manager.
The illustrations signed in marker by Warhol include: Sömmerring’s Gazelle (p3), Mouse Armadillo (p23), Bats (p.71), and (again) Sömmerring’s Gazelle (p.83).
New York: Springer-Verlag, 1986. Square quarto (approx. 10.5x10.5 in), original decorated cloth, original dust jacket. Some residue at top of front flap and light imprint from this residue on the endpaper signed by Warhol (far from Warhol inscription), a little rubbing and some scratches to dust jacket. A beautiful and important book with a wonderful association.
Price: $6,500 .