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two red and gold book covers with ornate designs on thema white book with a gold design on the cover
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873 - Nietzscheana – Dite Collection – Van de Velde, Henry
See original version (German)

Estimate €2,700 - €3,600
Sale commission
Description
Nietzscheana – Dite Collection – Van de Velde, Henry Nietzsche, Friedrich Thus Spoke Zarathustra. A book for everyone and no one. With an ornamental double title page and 7 vignettes – 4 of which are full-page – equally ornamental in gold and purple colours in pochoir style, as well as numerous gold-coloured ornamental borders, all by H. van de Velde. Leipzig, Insel, 1908. 1 blank leaf, 3 leaves (publisher’s mark, double title page), 160 (2) pp., 1 leaf (table of contents, printer’s mark). Folio. Original parchment binding with Spanish edges, cover vignette and ornamental spine title in gold embossing, as well as gold edging on the top edge (slightly rubbed and stained). Nietzsche’s best-known work, in the magnificent folio edition by Insel-Verlag. – Brinks, VdV 79. – Eyssen 286 and p. 17ff. – Sarkowski 1193 – Schauer II, 16. - One of 430 copies (total print run 530) on substantial handmade Van Gelder laid paper, bearing the watermark of the Weimar Nietzsche Archive’s logo designed by H. van de Velde. The typeface, designed by G. Lemmen and cut with the collaboration of Harry Graf Kessler, is here embellished in the typesetting with headings printed in gold and decorative borders composed of alinea marks. - Henry Van de Velde, a great admirer of Nietzsche, was, as director of the Weimar School of Applied Arts, also in close proximity to the archive run by the philosopher’s sister. He had been commissioned to redesign Villa Silberblick, the archive’s headquarters. Against this backdrop, Van de Velde designed the covers, as well as the illustrations, book decoration and typesetting for all three major Nietzsche editions published by Insel: in 1914, *Dionysos Dithyramben*, and prior to that, in 1908, *Ecce Homo* and the present volume, *Zarathustra* – all of which are milestones in the German book art movement. - Slightly dusty along the top and bottom margins; the endpapers and flyleaves have slight edge discolouration and glue stains. Overall, a superbly preserved copy of this bibliophilic rarity, with the sections printed in gold and purple still vibrant. Nietzsche’s most popular philosophical work, in the magnificent luxury folio edition published by Insel-Verlag. Featuring an ornamental double title page and 7 vignettes – 4 of which are full-page – equally ornamental, in gold and purple using the pochoir technique, as well as numerous gold-coloured ornamental borders, all by H. van de Velde. Bound in the original publisher’s vellum with wide Spanish edges, a gilt vignette on the cover and a gilt ornamental title on the spine, as well as a gilt top edge (very slightly and barely visible wear and staining). - For references, see above. - One of 430 copies (total print run 530) on heavy handmade Van Gelder mould paper, bearing the watermark of the Weimar Nietzsche Archive’s logo, designed by H. van de Velde. The typeface, designed by G. Lemmen and cut under the supervision of Harry Graf Kessler, is here embellished with headings printed in gold and decorative borders composed of pilcrow characters. - The legendary Flemish architect and designer Henry Van de Velde, a profound admirer of Nietzsche, who was already serving as director of the Weimar School of Applied Arts at the time, enjoyed close ties to the archive managed by the philosopher’s sister, particularly after receiving the prestigious commission to architecturally redesign Villa Silberblick, the archive’s premises. Against this backdrop, Van de Velde orchestrated the complete design – including bindings, ornamentation, illustration and typesetting – for a trio of bibliophilic Nietzsche editions published by Kippenberg’s Insel publishing house, comprising *Dionysos Dithyramben* (1914), **Ecce Homo* and the present volume *Also sprach Zarathustra* (both 1908), all of which stand today as definitive milestones in the German Buchkunstbewegung. - Slightly dusty along the deckle-edge margins; the endpapers and flyleaves show minor signs of shelf wear. Overall, a superbly preserved copy of this bibliophilic rarity, with the sections printed in gold and purple standing out vividly.
See original version (German)
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About the sale Valuable books, prints, historical photographs
Auction location
Auction time 10/24/2026 at 10:00 AM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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