Metz, Jerred and Tom Lang, printer

[SIGNED] Three legs up, cold as stone; six legs down, blood and bone

Saint Louis, Missouri: Singing Bone Press, 1977. Sultz, Phil, illustrator. Item #888

[19] pages; 4 unnumbered leaves of plates: illustrations; 23 cm. Text in English. Handmade at Singing Bone Press, this book is 31 of 101 and signed by the author Jerred Metz. A very good copy.

In 1977, Singing Bone Press, based in St. Louis, released an artist book titled "Three Legs Up, Cold as Stone; Six Legs Down, Blood and Bone" in a limited edition of 101 copies. The publication garnered attention from collectors, libraries, and enthusiasts of book arts, with over half of the edition quickly finding homes in specialized collections.

The collaborative effort showcased the poetry of Jerred Metz alongside the artistic contributions of Phil Sultz and Tom Lang. Sultz's visual interpretations of the riddles added a graphic dimension to the work, while Lang, renowned for his skills in papermaking and printing, oversaw the book's creation. The inspiration for the riddles stemmed from various sources, including "An Annotated Collection of Mongolian Riddles" by Archer Taylor (1954) and a chapter on riddles in "Homo Ludens" by Johan Huizinga (1938). Metz's process involved crafting one riddle per day over the span of thirty days.

Reflecting on the project, Metz expressed a fascination with riddles and their ability to guide readers from bewilderment to comprehension, a journey intrinsic to both riddles and poetry. He emphasized the satisfaction of deciphering clues and arriving at solutions, highlighting the cognitive engagement and reward inherent in unraveling the mysteries presented. To maintain the challenge and intrigue, Metz employed a unique method for revealing the answers: readers were encouraged to decipher each riddle by decoding the poem's title through a backward alphabetical progression. This approach ensured that the experience of discovery remained central to the reader's interaction with the work.

As of April 2024, OCLC has located seven institutional copies of the book, all of which are located within the United States.

Price: $400.00