Becher (Bernhard und Hilla)

Anonyme Skulpturen

Eine Typologie technischer Bauten, first edition, inscribed 'For Meg and John / Hilla/Bernhard', illustrated throughout with photographic illustrations of mining architecture, original blue cloth lettered in white, original illustrated dust-jacket, lightly worn at extremities, lower edge of dust-jacket with tape residue staining, 4to., Art-Press Verlag, 1970.

***Provenance, direct from the daughter of John David: 'This book was gifted to my parents, John and Meg David by Bernt and Hilla Becher in recognition of my father’s help and knowledge of the South Wales collieries. John David was at the time, a Mining Engineer with the National Coal Board for the South Wales area and as he spoke German, he was asked to accompany them in an official capacity, whilst they photographed the various structures.
They stayed with us on many occasions between 1965 - 1968 while they completed their South Wales portfolio and even used my father's “Dark Room” (as he was a keen amateur photographer) to develop their rolls of film! They became lifelong friends.
Their gift to me as a small child was a “BRENDATOY” hedgehog...Bernt would make it perform tricks which amused me for hours...Brenda is still with me.
Betty M Sabin (Nee David)