Arcana:

(TMEJ, ZDENEK). Tmej, Zdenek & Alexandra Urbanova. Prague, CZECHOSLOVAKIA: Nakladatelstvi Za'Druha, a.s., 1946. First Edition 1/2500. 4to. Stiff Wrappers in Jacket. Photography Monograph. Good +./Fair.. np, 45 illustrations in b&w gravure. Designed by Rudolf Sabach. In a protective clear acetate dustwrapper. "ABECEDA Dusevniho Prazdna - "Alphabet of Spiritual Emptiness" is noted Czech photographer Zdenek Tmej's 1946 collaboration with writer Alexandra Urbanova reproducing the harrowing images of his experiences as a forced laborer for the Nazis in Breslau, Germany during the second World War. That Tmej, and these pictures survived to produce this moving book at the war's end is remarkable. An internally most presentable example of the first and only edition of this uncommon classic (cited on pages 198-199 of Martin Parr and Gerry Badger's "The Photobook: A History Volume I, pages 144-145 of The Hassleblad Center's "The Open Book: A History of the Photographic Book from 1878 to the Present", and pages 124-125 of "The Book of 101 Books") showing typical pronounced age-toning to the highly sulfurous textblock and stiff paper covers along with some attendant brown spotting to the first and last few pages. The book's fragile, photographically-illustrated jacket is present, though it has been heavily reinforced with clear tape on the verso. It is worn and creased with some closed tears and small missing chips along the top and bottom edges. In addition, there is some browning and spotting to the typographically-illustrated rear panel, and a three inch strip of the spine is missing. It is housed in a sumptuous custom black, decoratively-tooled goatskin-over-boards clamshell presentation box with four raised bands along with the author's name and book title in gilt along the spine. All in all, this is a sharp, internally solid copy of one of the most lauded post-war European photography books aided by the addition of a presentation box that looks far nicer in hand than it describes. Inventory Number: 026076