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Die Verwandlung.
by KAFKA, Franz
- Used
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
London, United Kingdom
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Leipzig: Kurt Wolff Verlag,, 1915. He found himself transformed in his bed First edition, first printing, in the fragile wrappers, and first issue without censor's stamp, of Kafka's Metamorphosis, narrating the tale of a man who wakes up to find himself a monstrous insect. Poorly received on publication, it is since firmly established as one of the iconic works of 20th-century German literature, and a defining work for the author. The book was issued in both boards and wrappers. After a year or so of unimpressive sales, the unsold copies were stamped on the title pages with the official stamp of the German censors. Only copies without this stamp, as here, can be said to be of the first issue. Octavo. Original cream wrappers printed in red and black with an illustration by Ottomar Starke, early manuscript label to spine, front wrapper dated 1916 as issued, red endpapers. Housed in a black cloth flat-back box by the Chelsea Bindery. Neat ownership label of Simon Traston to front free endpaper verso. Wrappers neatly reglued to book block, light edgewear, contents unopened. A very good copy. Dietz 27.
Synopsis
The Metamorphosis is a novella by Franz Kafka, first published in 1915. It is often cited as one of the seminal works of short fiction of the 20th century and is widely studied in colleges and universities across the western world; Elias Canetti described it as "one of the few great and perfect works of the poetic imagination written during this century". The story begins with a traveling salesman, Gregor Samsa, waking to find himself transformed into a vermin.
Reviews
On Dec 7 2018, a reader said:
Reviewing 'The Metamorphosis' would be shimmering hubris, but it is tempting here to explain something about Ottomar Starke's dust jacket illustration. It was an essential part of Kafka's design not to identify the creature thar Gregor Samsa wakes up to be. In a letter to publishers 'Kurt Wolf' on Oct 25th 1915 he wrote: "It has... occurred to me that [Starke] might want to draw the insect itself. Not that, please, not that! I do not wish to restrict his scope, but I wish only to request it as a result of my better understanding of the story, as is natural. The insect itself cannot be drawn. It cannot be drawn even as if seen from a distance.". Few enough subsequent illustrators have respected his wishes...
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Details
- Bookseller
- Peter Harrington
(GB)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 161333
- Title
- Die Verwandlung.
- Author
- KAFKA, Franz
- Book Condition
- Used
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Place of Publication
- Leipzig: Kurt Wolff Verlag,
- Date Published
- 1915
Terms of Sale
Peter Harrington
All major credit cards are accepted. Both UK pounds and US dollars (exchange rate to be agreed) accepted. Books may be returned within 14 days of receipt for any reason, please notify first of returned goods.
About the Seller
Peter Harrington
Biblio member since 2006
London
About Peter Harrington
Since its establishment, Peter Harrington has specialised in sourcing, selling and buying the finest quality original first editions, signed, rare and antiquarian books, fine bindings and library sets. Peter Harrington first began selling rare books from the Chelsea Antiques Market on London's King's Road. For the past twenty years the business has been run by Pom Harrington, Peter's son.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- Wrappers
- The paper covering on the outside of a paperback. Also see the entry for pictorial wraps, color illustrated coverings for...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Verso
- The page bound on the left side of a book, opposite to the recto page.
- Octavo
- Another of the terms referring to page or book size, octavo refers to a standard printer's sheet folded four times, producing...
- Unopened
- A state in which all or some of the pages of a book have not been separated from the adjacent pages, caused by a traditional...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
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