1. Avantgarde Cover Art – Nezval, Vítêzslav / Tzara, Tristan / Babel, Isaak / Ježek, Jaroslav / Capek, Josef / Seifert, Jaroslav and others.

Collection of 27 stunning publications of the Czech Avantgarde, Czech Translations of French, Russian and German Literature and Poetry, Photomontage – Dustwrappers as well as wonderful czech avantgarde-typography of the 1930s and 1940s. The collection also includes seven (7) vintage, original scores of sheetmusic by the famous czechoslovakian avantgarde jazz musician, and composer Jaroslav Ježek.

Praze / Prague, Odeon / Olymp (and others), 1920 – 1990. Octavo. More than 1000 pages, some books with illustrations. Original softcover publications, often with the rare illustrated dustjackets in protective collector’s Mylar. Some of the rare publications with some signs of wear, few publications with some loosened pages (ask for complete list). Overall very good condition with only minor signs of external wear.

2. Avantgarde Cover Art – Wierzynski, Kazimierz / Konwicki, Tadeusz / Maurer, Jadwiga / Lem, Stanislav / Janta, Aleksander and others.

Collection of 12 rare publications of polish 20th century literature. Some publications printed in exile, some with early 20th century typographic cover-art.

Londyn / Warsaw etc., Czytelnik and others, 1953-1977. Octavo. More than 1500 pages. Original Hardcover and Softcover edition, often with the rare illustrated dustjacket in protective collector’s Mylar. Very good condition with only minor signs of external wear. Some editions signed. Please ask for a full list.

3. Burian, Emil František / Zdenek Rossmann.

Atomovy mir. Obalka a graficka osnova Zdenka Rossmanna [Zdenek Rossmann].

Prague, Ceskoslovensky Spisovatel, 1950. Octavo. 99 pages. Original, illustrated softcover, designed by Zdenek Rossmann, in protective collector’s mylar. First edition in publisher’s printed wrappers. Excellent, near fine condition.

4. [Daniele, Francesco / Johann Josef von Wilczek / Thomasius, Christian].

Le Forche Caudine – Illustrate con due Appendici. [Compreso “Prospetto Della Valle Caudina Dalla Parte Della Campania”]. Second edition, augmented and, according to Brunet, preferable to the original first edition, which was printed in Caserta in 1778.

Seconda Edizione. Napoli, Appresso Angelo Trani, 1811. Folio (44.5 cm x29 cm). XIII, (3), 102 pages plus (6) pages advertising and Index (Indice). With 22 (twentytwo) illustrations overall. Including a large fold-out-plan (97 x 43 cm) of the Valle Caudine, several Vignettes, Allegorical/Historical Illustrations and four beautiful landscape engravings of the Valle Caudine by Alessandro d’Anna / XIII, (3), 102 pagine più (6) pagine pubblicitarie e Index (Indice). Con 22 (ventidue) illustrazioni in totale. Tra cui una grande illustrazione (97 x 43 cm) della Valle Caudine, diverse vignette, illustrazioni allegoriche / storiche e quattro bellissime incisioni paesaggistiche della Valle Caudine di Alessandro d’Anna. Hardcover / Fantastic modern, Nigerian goatskin with gilt lettering on spine and fine quality late 19th-century cloth over boards. New endpapers and all bound in style by english master-binders. Excellent condition of the binding. The stunning and most wonderful interior with only very occasional signs of an old dampstain to the outer margins and the beautiful, large fold-out-plan with some mild browning to one part of the center-fold. A typographical masterpiece of italian printmaking.

5. Dymov, Osip [Yosif (Osip) Isidorovich Perelman] / Capek, Josef.

Bezici od Krize Velky Clovek / Bežící od kríže. Velký clovek : Román. [Unlike the Great People’s Crisis].

Praze / Prague, Aventinum, 1927. Octavo. 243 pages. Original, illustrated softcover, designed by Josef Capek in protective collector’s mylar. First edition in printed wrappers. Excellent condition. [Romanova knihovna Aventina, XLII].

6. Fallada, Hans / Šváb, Jaroslav.

Obcánku, a co ted ? / [Little Man, what now ?] / [Erste tschechische Ausgabe von “Kleiner Mann was nun ?] Roman. [Z nemciny prelozil Josef Vrbata. Treti vydani Typografickou upravu, onbalku a vazbu navrhl Jaroslav Svab Vytiskla “Osveta”, spolecnost s o.r. ve Valasskem Mezirici pro makladatele Josef Hampla v Celakovicich roku 1936].

Celakovicich / Celákovice, Nakladartel Josef Hampl Knihkupec, 1936. Octavo. 301 pages. Original, illustrated softcover, designed by typographer Jaroslav Šváb, in protective collector’s mylar. First czech edition in publisher’s printed wrappers. Unusually excellent condition with only very minor signs of wear. Uncut pages. Extremely scarce publication of Hans Fallada’s “Little Man, what now ?” / “Kleiner Mann, was nun ?”. Extremely Rare / Scarce !!

7. [Gill, Eric] Harling, Robert.

The Letter Forms and Type Designs of Eric Gill.

Revised / Expanded Third Edition. Hurtwood Press / Westerham Press, 1979. Octavo. 63 pages. Original Hardcover with dustjacket. Excellent, close to new condition with only minor signs of external wear.

8. Hostovsky, Egon / Teige, Karel.

Ukryt (The Hideout).

Praze / Prague, Melantrich, 1946. Octavo. 130 pages. Original, illustrated softcover, designed by Karel Teige, in protective collector’s mylar. Original first czech edition of the novel translated as “The Hideout”. The work, which owes something to Graham Greene, was first published in the United States in the previous year. Original wrappers detached – Typography designed by Karel Teige. Bookblock cleanly detached / Text darkened, but a very good copy. Inscribed / Signed by Hostovsky in New York.

9. Illustration of Professions in French Children’s Books – [Magasin des Enfans].

Le Bureau Typographique: Livre élémentaire, À l’usage des Enfans. Orné de 24 Jolis Tableaux des Arts Et Métiers, Propres à Intéresser la Curiosité des Enfans, et à leur faire aimer la Lecture.

Premiere Edition. À Londres [London], Au Magasin des Enfans, chez Didier & Tebbett, 1808. Duodecimo (13.5 cm x 9 cm). IV, 108 pp. Reliure originale / Original Hardcover in modern, bespoke built solander-box with title-label. Collation complete. No endpapers. Includes all 24 engravings. One plate (″Epicier”) with small tear and paperloss (illustration not effected). Some pages loosened. Binding fragile and nearly detached. A little rough but very rare and still in collectable condition.

10. Illustrations for The Odyssey – Rössing, Karl.

Interessante Sammlung von originalen Briefen des Österreichischen Autors Karl Rössing and den künstlerischer Leiter der Bauerschen Gießerei, Dr. Konrad Bauer. Die detaillierten Briefe geben Aufschluss zur Entstehungsgeschichte der Publikation “Bilder zur Odyssee”, welche im Jahr 1955 in Frankfurt herausgegeben wurde. Karl Rössing spricht mit Bauer zum Thema Korrekturen im Satz, Einbanddecken, Mäander, Papierauswahl, Tondruck, Einbandgestaltung, Autorenexemplaren, Ausstellung in Braunschweig, Rezensionsverweigerung von Benno Reiffenberg, Verwendung des Buchs als Geschenk an den Bundespraesidenten (damals Theodor Heuss), “ganz einfach deshalb weil er ein fuer Kunstdinge aufgeschlossener Mensch ist”, etc. etc. Der Sammlung liegt eine originale Tuschzeichnung über Bleistift, sowie ein Probedruck des Titelholzstichs bei. Die fertige Buchausgabe liegt ausserdem hier im Originalschuber vor.

Stuttgart / Frankfurt, Prof.Karl Rössing / Der Goldene Brunnen / Bauersche Gießerei, 1950-1957. Octavo. 9 Briefe, davon einige auch umseitig oder zweiseitig. Zusammen 14 Seiten auf 10 Blatt plus eine Tuschzeichnung und Probedruck des Titelholzschnitts. Das fertige Buch in original Hardcover im Schuber. Sehr guter Zustand. Bedeutende Dokumentation zur Buchproduktion und enger Zusammenarbeit zwischen Illustrator.