XX. Stoleti (The Twentieth Century) A survey of the Arts and Culture. Complete in 8 volumes

Prague: Vladimir Orel, 1930. First edition. Softcover. Very good condition. Quarto (10 1/2 x 7 1/5"). App. 600pp. each. Original wraps illustrated in photomontage. Each volume with some three hundred illustrations and sixteen photogravures. The typographical design is by Jindrich Kucera (The photomontages in the softcovers and the promotional brochure are often attributed to Vojtech Tittelbach in error). This set is one of the jewels of 1930s Czech printing.

Vol. 1: Daleké vesmiry nase zeme (Outer Space and Our Planet)
Vol. 2: Clovek, jeho duch a telo (People. Their Bodies and Souls)
Vol. 3: Z rise hmot a sil (From the Empire of Mass and Force)
Vol. 4: Stoleti techniky (A Century of Technology)
Vol. 5: Prokrory prumyslu (Advances in Industry)
Vol. 6: Národové a státy (Nations and States)
Vol. 7: Z Dusevni dilny lidstva (From Humanity's Spiritual Workshop. On modern literature and fine arts)
Vol. 8: Nove smery a proudy (New Directions and currents. On modern architecture and the visual arts)

Included with this set is an twelve page promotional brochure, including covers, illustrated in photogravure with each page featuring different thematic photomontages, one for each book. In addition a four page advertisement for the encyclopedia in tan illustrated wraps, an illustrated tan flyer printed in red on both sides, offering the key to mathematics by Th. Moreuxe: "As I understand it" and Eagle School manuals, and a postcard advertisement on tan stiff paper printed in blue for the encyclopedia of the XX. Century. The first three pieces of ephemera protected by modern mylar.

Text in Czech. Rare complete set in very good condition. 3/4" closed tear at foredge of front cover of volume 3. 3/4" inch tears at head of spine of volume 7 re-glued, no loss. (Inventory #: 47775)