Auction 80 - Part I - Jewish and Israeli History, Art and Culture
Six Books Inscribed by Max Brod – A Literary Dedication to His Secretary Ester Hoffe – Additional Dedications to Hoffe and to her Daughter, Eva
Opening: $400
Sold for: $500
Including buyer's premium
Six books by max Brod, inscribed by him, in German:
1-3. Three books to his secretary and life partner Ilse Ester Hoffe (1906-2007).
• Der Sommer den man zurückwünscht. Zurich: Manesse, 1952.
On the first page, a long dedication, dated 14.10.52: "Hesitatingly and at an inconvenient time these two books [this book and the book Almost a Gifted Pupil, see next paragraph] have come along – you know this – yet they of course do not hold the thought, the wish and the hope that they will be read immediately. I asked them myself, blushing they assured me that they do not wish at all to wait impatiently on the shelf until your hand holds them. 'Just do not leave us forever to gaze at the dark and gloomy night of the bookcase! Since all books, be they impertinent, humble, singing of lust or suffering, always yearn to please – and in their parlors there is but one heaven on earth – to be read'" (German).
• Beinahe ein Vorzugsschüler, oder, Pièce touché. Zurich: Manesse, 1952. With a dedication from 14.10.52 – "See the above dedication in Der Sommer…".
• Ein Abenteuer Napoleons. Zurich: Werner Classen, 1954. With a short dedication from 1.1.1955.
4-6. Three books with dedications to Eva Hoffe (1933-2018), Ilse Ester Hoffe's daughter.
• Unambo, a novel of the war in Israel. New York: Farrar, Straus and Young, 1952. English. With a short dedication (1962).
• Reuveni, sar ha-yehudim (Hebrew). Jerusalem: Youth and Pioneer Department of the World Zionist Organization, 1954. With a dedication (Tel-Aviv, August 1954).
• Prager Sternenhimmel, Literary, Theater and Music Criticism. Vienna-Hamburg: Paul Zsoinay, 1966. German. With a dedication: "In memory of a single afternoon on which we admired Shakespeare together", dated 18.6.1966.
6 books. Size and condition vary. Good overall condition.
1-3. Three books to his secretary and life partner Ilse Ester Hoffe (1906-2007).
• Der Sommer den man zurückwünscht. Zurich: Manesse, 1952.
On the first page, a long dedication, dated 14.10.52: "Hesitatingly and at an inconvenient time these two books [this book and the book Almost a Gifted Pupil, see next paragraph] have come along – you know this – yet they of course do not hold the thought, the wish and the hope that they will be read immediately. I asked them myself, blushing they assured me that they do not wish at all to wait impatiently on the shelf until your hand holds them. 'Just do not leave us forever to gaze at the dark and gloomy night of the bookcase! Since all books, be they impertinent, humble, singing of lust or suffering, always yearn to please – and in their parlors there is but one heaven on earth – to be read'" (German).
• Beinahe ein Vorzugsschüler, oder, Pièce touché. Zurich: Manesse, 1952. With a dedication from 14.10.52 – "See the above dedication in Der Sommer…".
• Ein Abenteuer Napoleons. Zurich: Werner Classen, 1954. With a short dedication from 1.1.1955.
4-6. Three books with dedications to Eva Hoffe (1933-2018), Ilse Ester Hoffe's daughter.
• Unambo, a novel of the war in Israel. New York: Farrar, Straus and Young, 1952. English. With a short dedication (1962).
• Reuveni, sar ha-yehudim (Hebrew). Jerusalem: Youth and Pioneer Department of the World Zionist Organization, 1954. With a dedication (Tel-Aviv, August 1954).
• Prager Sternenhimmel, Literary, Theater and Music Criticism. Vienna-Hamburg: Paul Zsoinay, 1966. German. With a dedication: "In memory of a single afternoon on which we admired Shakespeare together", dated 18.6.1966.
6 books. Size and condition vary. Good overall condition.
Manuscripts, Autographs
Manuscripts, Autographs