Motomura Kazuhiko's copy, signed by Robert Frank

Robert Frank's scarcest book, signed: 'Robert Frank / N.Y.C. March 27. 96.' New York Is was published between Les Americains (1958) and The Americans (1959).

Frank supported himself at this time with sporadic commercial work for supportive art directors, including Cipe Pineles at Charm magazine, Alexey Brodovitch at Harper's Bazaar, and Lou Silverstein at The New York Times. When Lou Silverstein died in 2011, Robert Frank sent a note to his memorial service saying, 'He gave me moral support as well as financial – and this made my life in New York City possible.'

New York Is gathers a series of print advertisements featuring photographs by Robert Frank for a campaign run by The New York Times to target and attract prospective advertisers. Frank's photographs are paired with advertising copy extolling the city's virtues, each ending with the line 'New York is The New York Times. New Yorkers live by it. It serves them with the most news. It sells them with the most advertising.'

First edition, signed in black ink on verso of front free endpaper; 4to (285 x 209 mm, 11¼ x 8¼ in); black & white photographs, introduction by Gilbert Millstein, light toning to edges; black front and red rear endpapers, printed paper-covered boards, white, titles in black, light toning to edges, light wear to head and foot of spine, top corner bumped, without the laid in letter from the advertising director, a very good copy in Motomura Kazuhiko's card sleeve titled in black ink on upper side; [56]pp.