Prague-Smichov: Veraikon, 1921-1934. 107 numbers, from No. 1921 no. 1 to 1934 No. 5. Quartos and octavos, all in original wrappers, 12 complete years of issue from 1921 to 1933, and 5 numbers from 1934. . Editions were released in limited quantity, certainly under 500. This collection includes scores of original lithographs, woodcuts, linocuts, and hundreds of reproductions documenting the contemporary art movements of Czechoslovakia, France, Russia and Yugoslavia, with the emphasis of course on the art of Czechoslovakia, and featuring work of well-known and lesser-known artists of the day. This includes important essays on contemporary art topics by Emil Pacovsky, Jiri Kroha, Jaroslav Jira, Vaclav Vancura, inter alia --- almost all by working artists themselves. Several numbers are devoted to new Czech architecture, and a good number focusing entirely on the work of women artists, rather uncommon in the era. Included are original woodcuts, linocuts and engravings by Josef Sima (3), Jan Rambousek, Vojtech Preissig (3), Václav Spala (2), Karel Teige (2), Josef Capek (5), Zdenek Rykr (3), Rudolf Adamek (2), Josef Bartuska (5) and many more by Mackova, Hoffmeister, Vlastislav Hofman, Kotík, etc. Each issue reviews the work of artists, architects and designers, and there are some important first appearances of essays by Teige, the architects Vit Obrtel, Bohuslav Fuchs, Jan Kotera, Jaroslav Krejcar, etc., with design drawings by them as well. Three numbers includes a survey of contemporary and traditional art developments in Slovenia, documenting the work of Pilon, Kralj, Vidmar, Stuplovsek, Zupan and Zakac; these artists of the Slovenian avant-garde were generally ignored by the Yugoslav establishment and public; this is one of the few contemporary discussion of them outside of Ljubljana. Many of the issues are uncut, most are in very good to fine; a few have loose covers but the interiors of all of them are all near fine with no markings, paper loss or stains. Veraikon was a premier journal of the graphic and fine arts which ran from 1913 to 1937 for a total of 23 years. Unbound copies are quite scarce, preserving the original wrappers and including all the supplemental issues of original graphics. Many numbers offered here are unopened, with signatures uncut. Some numbers have detached wrappers. Overall very good to fine; an uncommon offering. More photos and information furnished on request.
Oblong octavo 19x22cm., wrappers, (12) pp. A river's journey from stream to sea, with beautiful double-page renderings throughout. A picture book without words by Elena Vasil'evna Safonova (1902-1980) graphic artist and painter, who studied under Petrov-Vodkin and attended VKhUTEIN. She collaborated with Daniil Kharms and other OBDERIU poets, contributed to Ezh and Chizh magazines. Safonova was also a theater artist who worked with Boris Erdman, Stanislavsky, and the Moscow Art Theater. Exiled briefly from 1932 to Kursk for her connections with the late avant-garde, she moved to Moscow to continue her work and received numerous awards for her artwork and games over the years. OCLC locates four holdings in North America (McGill, NYPL, Columbia, U. Chicago). Near fine copy of a lovely work.
Quarto 30.5x23 cm., ½-cloth, 224 (iv) pp. Forum was a journal published from 1931 to 1938, edited by Endre Szonyi and Endre Steiner. It encompassed art and design both internationally and regionally, appearing in Slovak, Hungarian and German languages, showcasing the arts and culture of Czechoslovakia and Hungary in high distinction. It is probably the most important architectural publication from interwar Slovakia. This is the final year, released in an all-German language edition. Some of the most exciting new designs of the day are discussed by leading architects and scholars. All numbers of Forum are copiously illustrated with photos and plans and this is no exception. Released in small numbers, it is highly sought by collectors. There is one institutional holding of the journal worldwide (ETA Zurich, incomplete), none in North America.
With four original woodcuts by Vachal, and a color ex-libris. Octavo 18.5x14.5 cm., cloth, 88pp. Edition of 300 copies. Three early texts by Flaubert, with afterword by Stanislav K. Neumann. Notebooks of the young Flaubert from his travels, with four full-page original woodcuts and a vignette by Váchal, in a handsome bibliofile edition. Váchal offers images of exotic nudes and a portrait to illustrate the adventurous text. This is early Váchal work, when he was involved in the Sursum symbolist group, initiating his rebellion against hypocrisy and the fake morality of the day, while celebrating passion as intrinsically good. Neumann commissioned the printing from Brno to Poltika in Vinohrady under Vachal's guidance. Includes an ex-libris by Vachal. Worldcat finds this in three North American libraries (Toronto, U. Indiana, Northwestern). Rare.
Josef Kodicek, ed.
Large quarto 31.5x24 cm., original wrappers 144pp. A short-lived arts & literary weekly which went from 1 January to 19 April of 1924 in 17 numbers, with a final Christmas number issued as well. The current offering consists of Nos. 1-2, 4-7, 9-15, 17 and the final issue, thus 15 of 18 numbers. The editor Josef Kodícek (1892-1954) was an important dramatician and theater critic. He edited a Jewish journal also called Tribuna from 1919 to 1927. The present Tribuna, dedicated to arts and literature, is entirely separate, focused on contemporary art of all ethnicities in Czechoslovakia, featuring music scores, art by Kremlicka, Kubista, Rykr, Spála, Hoffmeister, Filla, Marvánek, etc. pointedly excluding Devětsil artists and poets. They were rejected by Kodícek, who felt it was a departure from the thrust of Expressionism and Cubo-futurism which he held to be the valid direction of modernism as it continued a longer stream of development which manifests a national high art. Writers contributing included Jakob Deml, Pujmanová-Hennerová, Vancura, Wolker, Jahoda, Cankar, inter alia. OCLC finds one partial holding in North America (NYPL). Some numbers with uncut signatures, all very good to near fine. Quite rare.
Josef Vydra, Ladislav Sutnar, Karel Herain, eds.
Oblong octavo 15x21 cm., four numbers per year. Vytvarna Vychova (Art Education, Anthology of Artwork, Design and Visual Training) was a series of books issued from 1935 to 1944 in four numbers per year. Each number holds 56 pages of instructions, lessons, and discussion of art and design principles, with copious illustrations throughout, many in color. Edited by Josef Vydra (1884-1959) artist, ethnologist, art theorist. Vydra was an art educator of first magnitude working in Bratislava and Brno. He teamed with legendary Ladislav Sutnar (1897-1976) who had longtime interests in art education, toys and crafts as learning tools, and Karel Herain (1890-1953), art historian and Curator of the Decorative Arts Museum (Umeleckoprumyslové Muzeum) in Prague to assemble some of the best minds and talents of Czechoslovakia and beyond to produce a series of ideas and practicalities in visual design. Contributors included Zdenek Rossmann, Antonín Heythun, Ernst Kállai, L'udovit Fulla, Mikulas Galanda, Ladislav Zak, Fernand Léger, Jan Tschichold, Zdenek Pesánek, V.V. Stech, Karel Capek, Sutnar and Vydra among many others--- artists, teachers and designers, historians and theorists--- whose names cited above reflect the highest quality of imparting artistic skills to students, young and old. All manner of a fine and industrial arts curriculum will be found in these pages, from painting, drawing, sculpture, drafting, furniture design and making, toys (a Sutnar specialty), photography and film, graphic art and design, crafts, etc., -- in short, what engages the eyes, hands, and tools for creation and production. The quality of care and attention to all areas of visual art that are found here is a testimony to the variegated, thriving culture in interwar Czechoslovakia that engaged so much of the population. The present collection includes 29 of the 40 numbers published: 1935 Year I 1-4 (complete) 1936 Year II 1-4 (complete) 1937 Year III 1-2,4; 1938 Year IV 2-4; 1939 Year V 1-2, 4; 1940 Year VI 1, 1941 Year VII 1,3; 1942 Year VIII 1; 1943 Year IX 1-4 (complete) 1944 Year X 1-4.(complete) Further details furnished on request. This is a sheer delight of invention and visual learning. Very uncommon, with OCLC finding only one partial holding in North America (Virginia Museum of Fine Art). Copies very good to fine, some near new.
Octavo 21 x 15 cm, wrappers, (22) pp., edition of 500. In striking black and white pictographs, the author explores the use of symbols and runes in various historical cultures, and how symbol, rebus and letter impact and inform consciousness and communication. This work is a hallmark of modern graphic design. Tschinkel (1905-1983) is highly renowned in Czech and German lands for his work as a graphic designer, his engagement in constructivism and expanding typographic art. He participated in the Rheinische Gruppe Progressiver Künstler and the avant-gardes in Czechoslovakia for decades as a leading designer and edited many important publications during the interwar era. Uncommon despite the fame of this work, with three copies found in North American institutions (Yale, UTL, MFA Houston). This copy very good+.
Linards Laicens, ed.
Quarto 23.3x15.2 cm., wrappers, 1928-1930, 18 numbers (all published). Cover designs by Ernests Kalis. A bimonthly journal, considered to be one of Laicens' most important publications and the most significant journal of the era along with SIGNALS but esteemed to be of higher literary quality and thought. Striking abstract linocut covers, highly original, in bright colors unique for each issue. As with almost all of the liberal to left wing culture in Latvia, there is a strongly Soviet orientation, and the journal was most likely financed, at the outset, with funds from the USSR. Every issue is illustrated, including some photomontage and graphics. In addition to being a vehicle of contrarian social commentary and promoting open discourse, KREISA FRONTE also was a publishing house which issued poetry and literary books. Linards Laicens (1883-1938) was highly individual, prolific writer in all literary forms, editor and publisher, going against all currents of the day, leftist and of increasingly Marxist-Leninist persuasion. Somewhat the ingenue in matters of Soviet power, he emigrated to the USSR where he became a victim of the purges in Moscow in 1938 along with fellow Latvians. KREISA FRONTEwas published from 1928-1930. There are no library holdings of this most important journal outside of Latvia. The present set is clothbound, preserving original wrappers.
Nikolai Popov-Sibiriak, ed.
Issues quarto, generally 30.5x23 cm. Stroitel'stvo Moskvy is a significant document of soviet architecture and design for the era. Issues through the mid-1930s employed bold typographic experiments and page design. It also became a forum for urban planning, mass housing and monumental construction, in theory and practice, between leading architects, engineers and thinkers (e.g., Moisei Ginzburg, Anatoly Lunacharsky). During the heyday of Russian Constructivism it employed important artists and designers such as Gustav Klutsis, Il'ia Golosov, the Stenberg brothers, etc., for cover design. Eventually Soviet orthodoxy and Neoclassicism prevailed and constructivist graphics and design disappeared. Highlights noted for each number, with architects noted in parentheses. 1931-8 August. 24pp. Strong photocollage cover by architects Lavrov & Popov. First Projects (with models) of the competition for the Palace of the Soviets (Iofan, Ladovskii, Kutsaev, Liudvig et al).
Nikolai Popov-Sibiriak, ed.
Issues quarto, generally 30.5x23 cm. Stroitel'stvo Moskvy is a significant document of soviet architecture and design for the era. Issues through the mid-1930s employed bold typographic experiments and page design. It also became a forum for urban planning, mass housing and monumental construction, in theory and practice, between leading architects, engineers and thinkers (e.g., Moisei Ginzburg, Anatoly Lunacharsky). During the heyday of Russian Constructivism it employed important artists and designers such as Gustav Klutsis, Il'ia Golosov, the Stenberg brothers, etc., for cover design. Eventually Soviet orthodoxy and Neoclassicism prevailed and constructivist graphics and design disappeared. Highlights noted for each number, with architects noted in parentheses. 1931-2 February. 32pp. Front and rear cover by Georgii Stenberg. Articles on various aspects of industrial design, Future city planning. Very good++
L. Budogoskaia; Aleksei Pokhomov illus.
Quarto 30.5x23 cm. wrappers, (14) pp. Lidia Budogoskaia (1898-1984) led a difficult but principled life and dedicated most of her writing to children's literature. She is most famous for The Story of the Red-Haired Girl, an autobiographical account of her early life. which has been translated into many languages. The present work, "How Sanka Was Brought to the Hearth," engaged Aleksei Pakhomov as the illustrator. Pokhomov (1900-1973), studied and worked under Lebedev, where he acquired mastery of the lithographic art. When designing the book, Pakhomov used his impressions both from annual trips to his homeland, to the village of Varlamovo, Vologda region, and from visits to the "Sower" commune in the North Caucasus in 1930 and the "Beautiful Mecha" commune in the Oryol region. This story with Pakhomov's illustrations was first published in two issues of the Chizh magazine, to which Budogoskaia was a regular contributor. OCLC finds two holdings of this work (Univ College of London, Univ Central Missouri). This copy very good+