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Metropolis
Thea von Harbour; Maurits J. Vles
1928
Uitgevers-Maatschaap : Amsterdam
8" by 5.5"
208pp
SUMMARY
The very scarce first Dutch edition of this monumental science fiction novel by Thea von Harbou, illustrated with stills from the 1926 film.
First Edition,Illustrated,Publishers' Original Binding,Scarce
Overall Condition: Good
This book weighs 0.5 KG when packed
UK Postage: £ 3.99
US Postage: £ 15.99
EU Postage: £ 13.99
European Postage: £ 14.99
Asia Postage: £ 18.99
Worldwide Postage: £ 19.99
DESCRIPTION
The very scarce to see first Dutch edition of this work, translated by Maurits J. Vles. No record of this edition having previously sold at auction.
Illustrated with a frontispiece, and seven plates, depicting scenes of the film. The frontispiece shows Brigitte Helm, who portrayed the Maria and the robot Futura in the film.
'Metropolis' is a monumental 1925 science fiction novel by Thea von Harbou, set in a technologically advanced city. The tale is one of clashing classes who are struggling to co-exist, the exploited class living underground, the better off class living on the surface of the world.
This novel was based on Harbou and Fritz Lang's screenplay for the film, a collaboration between the married couple which would be released in 1927. The couple wrote the screenplay together, then Harbou wrote and published this novel with the sole purpose of it being made into a film. Production on the film began before the book had been published.
The film, a German expressionist silent film, was a pioneering production, and was one of the first feature length sci-fi films. To this day it is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential films ever made. Filming took seventeen months to complete, and cost more than five million Reichsmarks, about eighteen million pounds today.
Collated, complete.
CONDITION
In the original publisher's cloth binding. Externally, generally smart, with light marks and discolouration to the boards and spine, including a faint dampstain to the fore edge of the front board. Very light bumping to the head and tail of the spine and to the extremities. Spine is a little faded. Spots to the fore edge. Hinges are starting but firm. Internally, generally firmly bound. Pages are lightly age-toned with some scattered spots, spotting heavier to the first and last few pages. Frontispiece is working loose.
Overall Condition: Good
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Overall Condition
(Dustwrapper condition rating is shown after that for the book itself, where a dustwrapper is present)
Fine - Very well preserved copy showing very little wear
Very Good Indeed - Only one or two minor faults, really a very attractive copy
Very Good - Quite a wide term meaning no major faults but probably several smaller ones
often expected given the age of the book, but still a respectable copy
Good - Meaning not very good. Some more serious faults as will
be described in the condition report under 'condition'
Good Only - Meaning one or more faults that could really do with repair
Fair - As with good only above but with other faults
leaving a compromised copy even after repair
Poor - Really bad and possibly seriously incomplete.
We only sell books in this condition where their rarity or value makes them
attractive none the less. Major defects will be described.
GUARANTEE
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