Lipton: The Gallows Book 

1992

Desig and binding

by Robbin Ami Silverberg,

published by Dobbin Books, NY

 

The bizarre similarity in appearances between public figures Stalin and Lipton, was the starting point in making this gallows-shaped book. These two icons, one political and the other commercial, are montaged into 17 well-known images of Western culture.
Five copies are hardbound and with pulp painted sections. Three copies are folders with single leaf pages. All copies contain hand-drawn images made with Mont Blanc ink and Lipton tea, teabag collages, and Dobbin Mill paper. Pages are made of abaca fiber which is commonly used to make teafilter papers in the US. Endsheets and cover papers are made of abaca and linen dyed with teas. Each copy is cased in a plywood case.
The text was compiled by American curator, Laura Hoptman, and offers details from the biographies of Stalin and Lipton, emphasizing absurd similarities.