Karel Capek - Unoriginal Sins

A COLLECTION OF 26 ORIGINAL PERIOD PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN BY THE AUTHOR. FIVE PERCENT OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER’S LIFETIME OUTPUT.

paul robertson — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 14:27:00 +0000

24 different 6cm x 6cm b/w contact prints hand made by Karel Capek and his wife and 2 additional b/w photographs - one 11.5 x 8,5cm and the other 8.5 x 8.5cm. The two larger photographs are signed and dated on the back by Capek and dated 1928 and 1929 respectively. A clear reference to these photographs is made in the book "Capek Photographer" (2000) which explains that that Capek actively took photographs in the late twenties with a Rolleiflex that he owned and made contact prints himself (6 x 6cm as here) and usually placed them in small albums. Of Capek's output only 200 photos survive in his estate and a further 275 may be found in the museum of literature in Prague - hence this group of material (which are similar in clothing and subject matter to those photographs that are reproduced in the above cited book) represent around a significant proportion of Capek's known photographic output. The two larger photographs are signed and dated in the author's hand and one is a self-portrait. The earlier shots may have been taken using Capek's father's camera and the above reference suggests Capek did not take up photography until 1928/29 - hence making these dated works some of the most early known. The topics covered are ordinary - snapshots of the family and trips and friends. Such "ordinariness" may seem dull however given Capek's literature was instilled with such lack of the unusual then his interest in such imagery makes a great deal of sense and interestingly predates the later conceptual "bland" movement of the 60s and 70s. All fine estate. Probably unique and clearly quite rare examples of this important writer's work in this medium. Capek was not only one of the most important of the Czech avant garde writers, a Nobel prize nominee but also the inventor of the term "robot" in his play "R.U.R." (and was in fact the first ever televised science fiction programme - eat your heart out Captain Kirk) although later on he claimed that the word was actually invented by his bother Josef.

The post A COLLECTION OF 26 ORIGINAL PERIOD PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN BY THE AUTHOR. FIVE PERCENT OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER’S LIFETIME OUTPUT. appeared first on Unoriginal Sins.

ALMANACH KMENE 1933 – 1934 INCLUDING WORK BY TOYEN, HALAS, CAPEK

paul robertson — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 15:55:07 +0000

Prague: Kmen, 1933

19 x 12.4cm, 200pp. Original wrappers. A single issue of the yearly review from the avant garde publishing house Kmen which owned amongst other imprints that of Fr. Borovy. Essentially reprints selections of works from Halas, Toyen (1 illustration), Capek (a charming drawing of a hen and birds in colour), Hora amongst others. Lists of various publications from the year also make this a useful reference. Minor wear to edges but overall very good.

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SEN O ZASTUPU ZOUFAJICICH. 1921. BOUND IN LYNOTYPE BY CAPEK

paul robertson — Sun, 31 Oct 2021 20:48:34 +0000

Prague: Edice Aventinum, 1921

25.4 x 20.2cm, 28pp plus card covers with a woodcut design by Capek. The long poem by the anarchist Neumann is embellished with a wonderful city design woodcut by Capek as frontispiece and two b/w vignettes. The "brickwork"endpaper designs are also worth mentioning. This copy is complete (the linocut is often removed by Czech dealers) and in very good plus condition with very minor chipping to cover and paper lacks on the last few pages bottom right corner which are neat and do not detract at all. This is not the first edition of the text which was originally found in the ModernI revue of 1903 but is the first thus with the Capek design. One of 1,000 copies but very scarce nonetheless.

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KRAKONOSYOVA ZAHRADA. III. VYDANI. 1929.

paul robertson — Sat, 30 Oct 2021 08:24:07 +0000

Prague: Aventinum 1929

18 x 11cm, 134pp. Place ribbon. Original pictorial paper wrappers. The third and concluding volume in this autobiographical dialogue between Josef and Karel Capek. Very good although the cheap paper employed is browned throughout and there is a slight blue ink line on one page else VG example of a scarce item.

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LOUPEZNIK. KOMEDIA O TRECH DEJSTVICA. 1920. WITH LINOCUT DESIGN BY JOSEF CAPEK.

paul robertson — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 16:32:45 +0000

Prague: Aventinum, 1920

20.5 x 14cm, 92pp. Period board binding. Half-title with vignette and as frontispiece: a lino-cut design by Josef Capek. First edition of this comic work by the premiere Czech author of the pre-WWII era. A VG example although there are a few pencil annotations within the text and the thread binding is slightly separated within the text block although is still solid. Scarce.

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JARO 1934 ALMANACH KMENE. 1934. DESIGNED BY TEIGE.

paul robertson — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 15:57:41 +0000

Prague: S Redakcnim Kruhem, 1934

18.5 x 13cm, 224pp. original wrappers with a particularly lovely photomontage by Teige (an adapted female shape against a blue background). Internally this year book of collected writings has texts by the Capeks, Halas, Hora, Hrubin, Neumann, Nezval, Siefert amongst many others and illustrations by Sudek (a photograph), Sima, Cerny and many others. A veritable dictionary of 'who was who' in the Prague literary circles of that year. Minor grubbiness to spine and very minor wear at edges but overall a very good example of a very scarce anthology.

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