Auction 159

Online Catalogue with all Lots / Auction 159
From noble estates and bourgeois property. Rare Books, Prints, and Classical art

Saturday, 25 April 2026 at 10:00 am

Lot 526 William Shakespeare. Die tragische Geschichte von …

Die tragische Geschichte von Hamlet Prinzen von Danemark, in deutscher Sprache. Neu übersetzt und eingerichtet von Gerhart Hauptmann, begleitet von Auszügen, die den Geschichten von Saxo Grammaticus und Francois de Belleforest und der Hystorie of Hamlet entnommen sind. Mit Figurinen und Holzschnitten gezeichnet und geschnitten von Edward Gordon Craig. Weimar, gedruckt auf der Cranach Presse 1928(-29). Ausgabe durch den Insel-Verlag in Leipzig und S. Fischer in Berlin. Gr.-4°. 5 w. Bll., 202 S., 1 Bl., 5 w. Bll. Handgebundener roter Maroquinband mit Deckelfileten in Gold und Schwarz, Innenkantenfileten, RTitel und RVerzierung in Gold und Schwarz, Kopfgoldschnitt (sign.: Henningsen), in Pp.-Schuber mit Lederkanten.

Cranach-Presse

Moderne Literatur und Kunst – Eins von 230 Ex. auf Handbütten (insges. 255 Ex.). - Brinks 76. - Müller-Krumbach 48. - Rodenberg 493. - Schauer II, 74. - Neben den ,Eclogen' Vergils gilt Shakespeares Hamlet als ein Höhepunkt des deutschen Pressendrucks, "so bedeutend, dass sie von nichts in unserem Pressenzeitalter ubertroffen werden" (Schauer I, 90). - Prachtvolles Exemplar dieses wohl aufwendigsten Druckes der Cranach-Presse unter Harry Graf Kessler. Für den Text wurde die ,Hamlet-Type', die dritte eigene Schrift der Presse verwendet, die Edward Johnston nach einem Fust u. Schoffer-Druck von 1472 im Auftrag Kesslers geschaffen hatte. Kessler liess den Dramentext Shakespeares mit den Ergänzungen Hauptmanns als Haupttext von Kommentartexten umgeben, die die Shakespeare-Quellen zum Inhalt haben. Als kompliziert gestaltete sich auch der Einbau der oft aus mehreren Teilen bestehenden Holzschnitte von Craig, die durch ein spezielles Verfahren zum Teil in mehreren Schwarzschattierungen gedruckt wurden.

Modern Literature and Art – With figurines and woodcuts drawn and carved by Edward Gordon Craig. Weimar, printed at the Cranach Press in 1928-29. Published by Insel-Verlag in Leipzig and S. Fischer in Berlin. Hand-bound in red morocco with gilt and black fillets on the covers, fillets on the inner edges, gilt and black title and decoration on the spine, gilt head edging (signed: Henningsen), in a paper slipcase with leather edges. One of 230 copies on handmade paper (255 copies in total). - Brinks 76. - Müller-Krumbach 48. - Rodenberg 493. - Schauer II, 74. - Alongside Virgil's 'Eclogues', Shakespeare's Hamlet is regarded as a high point of German letterpress printing, 'so significant that they are unsurpassed by anything in our age of printing' (Schauer I, 90). - A magnificent copy of what is probably the most elaborate print produced by the Cranach Press under Harry Graf Kessler. The text uses the 'Hamlet type', the press's third original typeface, which Edward Johnston had created on Kessler's commission based on a Fust & Schoffer print from 1472. Kessler had Shakespeare's dramatic text, with Hauptmann's additions, set as the main text and surrounded by commentary texts dealing with Shakespeare's sources. The incorporation of Craig's woodcuts, which often consisted of several parts and were printed in multiple shades of black using a special process, also proved complicated.

Startprice: 4000 €
Estimate: 6000 €

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This piece is subject to differential taxation. There is a 29,5% buyer's premium on the hammer price. The value added tax is included but not displayable according to §25a UstG.

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Auction 159