Edice Olymp. A complete set of the Olymp series, comprising nos. 1–11 in ten volumes.
Prague: Olymp, 1926–1927. Large octavos (ca. 23 to 24.5 × 16 cm). Original pictorial wrappers by Zdeněk Macek, Vít Obrtel, Karel Teige, and J. Hlaváček. Overall very good; vol. 1 with light wear and creasing to front wrapper; vol. 11 with trace of private signature to front wrapper. Item #52410
A complete set of the Olymp series, an ambitious editorial project that published poetry, prose, and criticism. All volumes (except the double issue 7–8) were issued in 550 copies on Japan paper, some are numbered. Among these are some of the most iconic wrapper designs of the Czech avant-garde, with wrapper, title, and typographic design throughout by Zdeněk Macek, Vít Obrtel, Karel Teige, and J. Hlaváček. A particular highlight is Teige’s self-designed Stavba a báseň [Construction and Poetry], his major overview of modern art, with numerous photographic reproductions of avant-garde art from Europe and the Soviet Union. About this work, John Vloemans notes: “The cover is a beautiful architectural position, a vintage Teige design. The sans-serif single alphabet type used on the cover is that of Herbert Bayer’s ‘reformed script’.”
The titles in the series include:
Macek, Zdeněk. Neznámé Korinně. Olymp, vol. 1. One of 550 copies on Japan, numbered 57. Vloemans 72.
Alda, Jan. Na promenádě. Olymp, vol. 2. One of 550 copies on Japan, not numbered. Vloemans 60.
Houska, Miroslav. Křižovatka. Olymp, no. 3. One of 550 copies on Japan, not numbered. Vloemans 71.
Mařánek, Jiří. Výstřel na slepo. Olymp, no. 4. One of 550 copies on Japan, not numbered. Vloemans 73.
Nezval, Vítězslav. Diabolo: báseň noci. Olymp, vol. 5. Vloemans 76.
E. F. Burian. Idioteon: malé grotesky. Olymp, vol. 6. One of 550 copies on Japan, numbered 211. Vloemans 63.
Teige, Karel. Stavba a báseň. Olymp, vol. 7–8. Vloemans 105.
Novák, Rob. Lev. Lyrika. Olymp, vol. 9. One of 550 copies on Japan, not numbered. Vloemans 100.
Landa, Jiří. Růžové víry. Olymp, vol. 10. One of 550 copies on Japan, numbered 130. Vloemans 94.
Macek, Antonín. Tři hodiny. Olymp, vol. 11. One of 550 copies on Japan, numbered X and signed and inscribed by the author to Czech historian Čeněk Zíbrt (1864–1932). Vloemans 95.
Teige's book was also featured on the cover of Zdeněk Primus, Tschechische Avantgarde, 1922-1940 (Hamburg/Bochum, 1991), and several others are pictured in color within.
Rare complete and in comparably good condition. As of September 2024, we can only trace two complete runs outside the Czech Republic, and none in North America.
Price: €4,500.00