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Blind Horse Books [ABAA]
Blind Horse Books [ABAA - FABA]
Membership(s): ABAA, ILAB, IOBA, FABA
Mann, Thomas (1875–1955) A Sketch of My Life [Signed by Thomas Mann] [Harrison of Paris] [Limited to 75 Copies on Imperial Japanese Vellum] SIGNED THOMAS MANN — A MASTER OF MODERN LITERATURE IN A LUXURY PRIVATE PRESS EDITION
$2,400.00
A beautifully preserved signed copy of A Sketch of My Life, one of only 75 copies printed on Imperial Japanese vellum by Harrison of Paris. Issued shortly after Thomas Mann received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1929, this edition presents the author’s autobiographical reflection in the refined format that became central to Monroe Wheeler’s vision of modern fine press publishing.
Signed by Thomas Mann and originating from the Harrison of Paris / Monroe Wheeler archive, this copy combines literary importance, exceptional materials, and fine press design.
THE AUTHOR AT HIS MOMENT OF RECOGNITION.
A Sketch of My Life offers Mann’s own account of his early years, family background, education, and the development of his literary career before international recognition transformed him into one of Europe’s most celebrated writers.
Published at the height of Mann’s reputation, the work captures a moment of reflection before the political upheavals that would reshape his life and the literary world of the 1930s.
A MODERN FINE PRESS STATEMENT.
Harrison of Paris, founded and directed by Monroe Wheeler, sought to unite distinguished literature with exceptional design, typography, and materials. This edition demonstrates Wheeler’s early commitment to restrained elegance rather than traditional decorative excess.
The Imperial Japanese vellum issue represents the finest state of the publication, emphasizing material quality, typography, and craftsmanship. This edition brings together Thomas Mann’s literary importance with Monroe Wheeler’s distinctive approach to modern fine press production, creating a copy of interest to collectors of twentieth-century literature and book arts.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Octavo, approximately 8.25 inches tall. Quarter-bound in vellum over stiff paper boards. Original protective slipcase. Printed in France for Harrison of Paris. Printed on Imperial Japanese vellum. [10], 11–75 pages. Includes the rare errata slip noting the increase of the limitation from 50 to 75 copies.
CONDITION: Fine. The vellum remains creamy and bright. The text block is pristine. The original slipcase is solid with only minimal shelf handling. An exceptionally well-preserved example of this limited Harrison of Paris production.
LITERARY SIGNIFICANCE: THE NOBEL YEARS—A WRITER AT THE SUMMIT
Thomas Mann remains one of the defining literary figures of the twentieth century. Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1929, he entered the 1930s as one of Europe’s most respected novelists and intellectuals.
This autobiographical work reflects Mann’s own understanding of his literary development at a pivotal moment, shortly before exile and political conflict transformed his personal and professional life.
THE MAKING OF MODERN FINE PRESS
The Harrison of Paris edition represents an important early expression of Monroe Wheeler’s approach to fine publishing: combining major literary voices with carefully considered typography, materials, and production.
SUBJECTS: Thomas Mann; Nobel Prize Literature; Harrison of Paris; Monroe Wheeler; Fine Printing; Private Press Books; German Literature; Literary Autobiography; Modernism; Vellum Bindings; Limited Editions, Fine Press; Signed Books; Literary Autobiography; Limited Editions; German Literature; Modern Literature.
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