G. B. Shaw in Sutnar’s photomontage cover and Kratochvíl’s typography of „sobriety and functionalism“

Beschreibung

SUTNAR, Ladislav; SHAW, George Bernhard: Na úskalí [On the Rocks). Translated by Frank Tetauer and Vladimír Vendyš. Cover design with a photomontage and typography by Ladislav Sutnar as well as title page illustration by Zdeněk Kratochvíl. 2nd edition. (= Hry G. B. Shawa [Works by G. B. Shaw], XXXV). Prague: Družstevní pracé (Grafia) 1936. 8vo. 203, [5] p. Original publisher’s wrappers with photomontage on front cover on orange and white stock.

Volume no. XXXV of a complete edition of G. B. Shaw’s works published by Břetislav Klika (later continued as an imprint of Družstevní pracé). Ladislav Sutnar, art director of the progressive Prague editor since 1929, was responsible for the layout of the Shaw-edition famous for it’s photomontage covers and typography „characterised by sobriety and functionalism in the choice of typefaces and wide margins“ (Dana). This volume of the series has a stated print run of 900 copies and reads 2nd edition, nevertheless it is remarkably rare.

Covers in parts slightly creased, otherwise very well preserved copy of one of Sutnar’s most renown works, printed on white soft paper.

See: Dana 1995, p. 32, nos. 44 and 45; Vloemans 2012, 351 (coloured ill.)