Zero By Mostel [Signed Limited Edition #2 with Association Inscription]. This item is unavailable.Zero By Mostel [Signed Limited Edition #2 with Association Inscription]

A TOWERING ASSOCIATION COPY OF ZERO MOSTEL'S VISUAL AND VERBAL SELF-PORTRAIT, INSCRIBED TO THE MAN WHO PUBLISHED IT. This copy, number 2 of only 250, captures the raw, kinetic energy of Mostel through Max Waldman's photography and Mostel's own idiosyncratic drawings. The deeply personal inscription to Ben Raeburn-the 'oldest flame' in Mostel's life-transforms this from a standard limited edition into a primary archival artifact of the Horizon Press legacy. KEY FEATURES: +++ Visuals: Lavishly illustrated with high-contrast photographs by Max Waldman and original drawings by Zero Mostel. +++ Binding: Full cloth with gilt-stamped spine; housed in the original coordinate slipcase. +++ Imprint: Horizon Press, New York, 1965. +++ Specs: 11.5 inches tall (4to); unpaginated. +++ Provenance: From the estate of Horizon Press publisher Ben Raeburn. LIMITATION & SIGNATURES: +++ Number 2 of 250 numbered copies, signed by Zero Mostel on the limitation page. +++ Association Inscription: Inscribed in a different ink by Mostel to his publisher: 'To Ben Raeburn / The oldest flame in my life - with / my love and esteem - whatever that / means. - Regards to Pearl & Ricky too. / Zero Mostel'. Note: 'Pearl' refers to Ben's wife, Pearl Raeburn, and 'Ricky' likely refers to their son. CONDITION: Near Fine. +++ The Book: The bindings are tight and square. The internal text is clean and free of markings, displaying only light, even age-toning. The spine shows light, uniform sun-darkening, common to this cloth. +++ The Slipcase: The original slipcase is present and structurally sound, showing only minor shelf handling wear. SCHOLARLY FEATURES: +++ Artistic Merit: Max Waldman's photography captures Mostel not just as a performer, but as a physical sculpture of emotion, documenting the 'Theater of the Body' that made Mostel a mid-century icon. +++ Design: Reflects Ben Raeburn's commitment to 'Total Book Design,' prioritizing the tactile relationship between the unvarnished cloth and the heavy, art-grade paper stock. +++ Scholarship: Serves as a primary document of Mostel's polymathic nature, proving that his artistic output was as vital as his stage presence in 'Fiddler on the Roof' or 'Ulysses in Nighttown'. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE - Zero Mostel was more than a comedic force; he was a blacklisted artist who resurrected his career to become a pillar of the American stage. His relationship with Ben Raeburn and Horizon Press was foundational, as Raeburn provided a sophisticated literary platform for Mostel's graphic and prose experiments. This volume is a landmark of 1960s independent publishing. Horizon Press, under Raeburn, was a sanctuary for high-level modernism, and this collaboration between Mostel and Waldman represents the press at its most avant-garde. ASSOCIATION COPY This is a definitive Association Copy. As copy #2- it documents the intimate bond between artist and editor. The mention of 'Pearl & Ricky' (Raeburn's family) in the inscription underscores a decades-long personal friendship that transcended the professional contract. SUBJECTS: Zero Mostel, Max Waldman, Horizon Press, Photography, Performing Arts, Jewish-American Artists, Association Copy, Signed Limited Edition, Art Monograph.…