The Beaux-Arts Boys on the Boulevards or The Invasion of Paris in 1931 Sarg, Tony. Photographs by Carl Reimers. Foreword by Henry Saylor Architecture,Caricature

No. 76 of 100 copies issued. 4to. 28.5 by 25.5 cm. 19, [3] pages, followed by 54 leaves with Sarg's pencil drawn caricatures of each of the expedition's participants, including a self-portrait. Architects included William Van Alen, the architect of the Chrysler Building; Mott Schmidt, a leading light of American Georgian style architecture and the designer of some of the most prestigious apartment buildings in New York; William Parsons, known for his work in the Philippines after it became an American territory; Kenneth Murchinson, the founder of the Beaux-Arts Ball and known particularly for his designs of grand train stations; Eli Jacques Kahn; etc. etc. Others include the book illustrator and progenitor of an artistic dynasty N.C. Wyeth; artist George Wharton Edwards; the artist and muralist Arthur Covey; etc. These reproduced drawings are on a fairly heavy card stock, with their versos entirely blank. The paginated portion of the book or album is mostly devoted to a retelling of the adventures and antics of this distinguished, self-styled motley group of mostly architects, with many b/w photographs and a few illustrations (one a cartoon) to help with the narrative. Also two pages render the musical score of the song, "The Pompiers", a theme of sort for the tour. Given that the expedition was entirely men, one should have an idea of the puerile delights enjoyed by the participants. The visit to Paris was for a good many a homecoming or sorts, as The Ecole des Beaux-Arts was a place they had once studied. And we will add that the Beaux-Arts style was at one time very much associated with New York, hard though it might be for people today to realize, at the turn-of-the-twentieth century. In fact, the style was also then considered the New York School. Rare -- obviously, only 100 copies issued. Several institutional copies listed on OCLC First Search; none in commerce on the date of this listing. While one doesn't necessarily think of Tony Sarg as a portrait artist, he not only designed puppets but also some of his best known work was of New York landmarks and buildings. Thus there is a logic to his being a part of this mission. Plus, we will add, the proof is in the pudding -- his caricatures have panache and polish. The leatherette has minor grit, which we believe can be removed with effort. This takes the form of dark brown gook but also white fleks. Prelim blank also has film of soiling. Otherwise, tight and essentially clean.