18 x 12cm, 60 pp. Original wrappers. Loose signatures. First edition of this privately printed and remarkably notorious "story of damask illusion".

The title translates as "A sexual nocturne" and is a tale of a man recalling his early encounters with sexuality and sexual language, a rendezvous in a bordello ("one of those high moments that convinces us to put off suicide") and other incidents that shaped his erotic history.

Edice 69 books were never available for sale; they were exclusively available to subscribers and friends. The company consisted of Styrsky as editor with Toyen for the most part. This book and Styrsky's EMILIE PRICHAZI KE MNE VE SNU (Emily Comes to Me in a Dream) constitute the most important of the series of which there would be only six volumes in all.

In these issues Toyen would express herself with the least inhibitions of frank sexuality, a factor never far from her central concerns throughout her oeuvre, and Styrsky a complex, multilayered self-confession. Styrsky was the more obsessive of the two and more attracted to kinkiness and the downright weird. Nezval's participation in Edice 69 was limited to this one release. It is oft cited as one of Nezval's worst books but the text serves as a platform for the visual content, which is also true of all the issues of Edice 69.

All of the participants in the publishing venture shared the conviction to employ art as a means to eroticise the world, overcoming the throes of 19th century morality and thus self-releasing into freedom; they were social critics and shared strong leftist sympathies, pushing the boundaries of conventional reality through eroticism. The collages by Styrsky are some of his most startling and outrageous, conveying psychological twists and biographical messages in a zany humour.

This is nr 83 of 138 numbered copies ie 2 x 69 - half of the edition was hand coloured and is very, very rarely encountered - and this example is in very good condition with some marks on the wrappers . Exceptionally rare and desirable. 

23.5 x 16cm. 202pp. Hard boards. Profusely illustrated in b/w after works by Archipenko, Chagall, Grosz, Kisling, Leger, Modigliani, Survage, Teige, et. al. Editors: Jaroslav Seifert and Karel Teige. Original printed wrappers with central black circular emblem and bound into vintage plain brown and spine printed boards as issued.

First edition of the manifest almanac of the vanguard revolutionist Czech 'Devetsil' group, as edited by the poet Seifert and the designer and theorist Teige. Initiated in the Modern Cultural Union (Prague), 'Devetsil' was ground zero for all Czech artistic and literary avant-garde activity during the 1920's and early 30's, and was (according to Teige): "a focus for socialist and revolutionary trends in culture". Text contributions by Seifert, Teige, Nezval, Honzl, Goll, Biebl, et. al. + a short trilingual summary (German, French and Russian) of the group's aims as appendix.

Some minor expert repairs and reinforcements to wrappers and some large stains to the rear covers, and the evidence of rough paper on the end papers where an ex-libris label has been removed before else a very good example of this crucial document. Rare.

21 x 13.5cm, 126pp. Original wrappers. First edition thus of this anthology of early poems by Nezval. Photographic cover and design by Teige. Some wear to edges but otherwise a very good example of this book with uncut pages.

23.5 x 18cm, 62pp. Original boards with pictorial dustjacket. First edition thus of this translation of the Song of Songs as translated by V. Nezval and with an afterword by Jan Rypka. Illustrated by 4 tipped on full colour lithographs after oriental paintings the book was designed by Stysrky in an unusual (for him) traditional style. Limitation not known. Very good in slightly chipped dustjacket.

20 x 14cm, 128pp. Original typographic wrappers. First edition of this book of collected poems, essays and plays by Nezval with typography and design by Teige. Very good + condition.

21.5 x 14cm, 225pp. Card covers. Six full-page b/w Surrealist images by Nezval. Wrappers with a pictorial (decalcomania) design by Jindrich Styrsky. First edition of this imperative collection of Surrealist-period poems by Nezval, as illustrated by the author. Title translates as The Ultimate Gravedigger. A very good++ copy. Rare.

21.5 x 14cm, 225pp. Boards with dustjacket. Six full-page b/w Surrealist images by Nezval. Wrappers with a pictorial (decalcomania) design by Jindrich Styrsky. First edition of this imperative collection of Surrealist-period poems by Nezval, as illustrated by the author. Title translates as The Ultimate Gravedigger. A very good++ copy in original slipcase with tipped on label. Rare.

19.2 x 13.2cm, 236pp. Title page design by Teige. Original cloth with emblematic pictorial design by Jindrich Styrsky. First edition of this experimental novel by the influential Devetsil author, replete with typography by Teige, and an excellent cover design by Styrsky. The front internal paper binding is torn and displaying the string although all is solid, else a very good example of this scarce title.

21 x 15 cm, 240pp in modern attractive embossed binding. Based on Abee Prevost's tragic love story of the same name (which is also an opera by Massenet and, also, Puccini) , this was a popular play written by Nezval during the period where he temporarily split with Teige and the other surrealists and continued to support the Stalinist Communist Party. In part, as a result, Nezval's poetry from this time is more traditional and structured - as in this work. A fine copy.

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.

23.5 x 16cm. 202pp. Hard boards. Editors: Jaroslav Seifert and Karel Teige.  Profusely illustrated in b/w after works by Archipenko, Chagall, Grosz, Kisling, Leger, Modigliani, Survage, Teige, et. al. Original printed wrappers with central black circular emblem and bound into vintage plain brown and spien printed boards as issued. First edition of the manifest almanac of the vanguard revolutionist Czech 'Devetsil' group, as edited by the poet Seifert and the designer and theorist Teige.

Initiated in the Modern Cultural Union (Prague), 'Devetsil' was ground zero for all Czech artistic and literary avant-garde activity during the 1920's and early 30's, and was (according to Teige): " a focus for socialist and revolutionary trends in culture". Text contributions by Seifert, Teige, Nezval, Honzl, Goll, Biebl, et. al. + a short trilingual summary (German, French and Russian) of the group's aims as appendix.

Some minor expert repairs and reinforcements to wrappers and some large stains to the rear covers, and the evidence of rough paper on the end papers where an ex-libris label has been removed before else a very good example of this crucial document. Rare.

The post DEVETSIL. REVOLUCNI SBORNIK. 1922. appeared first on Unoriginal Sins.]]> Prague: Vortel, 1922

23.5 x 16cm. 202pp. Hard boards. Editors: Jaroslav Seifert and Karel Teige.  Profusely illustrated in b/w after works by Archipenko, Chagall, Grosz, Kisling, Leger, Modigliani, Survage, Teige, et. al. Original printed wrappers with central black circular emblem and bound into vintage plain brown and spien printed boards as issued. First edition of the manifest almanac of the vanguard revolutionist Czech 'Devetsil' group, as edited by the poet Seifert and the designer and theorist Teige.

Initiated in the Modern Cultural Union (Prague), 'Devetsil' was ground zero for all Czech artistic and literary avant-garde activity during the 1920's and early 30's, and was (according to Teige): " a focus for socialist and revolutionary trends in culture". Text contributions by Seifert, Teige, Nezval, Honzl, Goll, Biebl, et. al. + a short trilingual summary (German, French and Russian) of the group's aims as appendix.

Some minor expert repairs and reinforcements to wrappers and some large stains to the rear covers, and the evidence of rough paper on the end papers where an ex-libris label has been removed before else a very good example of this crucial document. Rare.

The post DEVETSIL. REVOLUCNI SBORNIK. 1922. appeared first on Unoriginal Sins.]]> https://unoriginalsins.co.uk/product/historicky-obraz-1939-one-of-only-300-copies-signed-by-publisher/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=historicky-obraz-1939-one-of-only-300-copies-signed-by-publisher Wed, 20 Oct 2021 15:31:49 +0000 https://unoriginalsins.co.uk/?post_type=product&p=44261 Prague: V.G. Muller, 1939

26 x 17cm, 32pp. Original boards. One of 300 copies of this collection of poems by Nezval which is signed and hand numbered by the publisher on the colophon page. Some tears and minor chipping along the edges of the spine but otherwise very good. Scarce.