SPEYER, Leonora. Oberammergau. [New York?, 1922]. 17 etchings (plus cover label). Mostly ochre inks. 21.5 x 16 cm. (8 x 6 inches), heavy wove paper, tissue guards. Original hand-bound green cloth over green mottled paper-covered boards, etched label on upper cover. Signed in ink by author: "To Olivia with love. Leonora Speyer, January 1924."
First printing, limited edition, author's edition (#41 of 50 copies printed for private distribution by Sir Edgar Speyer, signed by author and etcher). Weber, p. 35 (citing the 1924 edition): "This poem by Leonora Speyer (b. 1872) was awarded the 'Blindman's Prize' by the South Carolina Poetry Society in 1923. It was dedicated to the author's husband, Edgar,' for Christmas, 1922.'" The poem relates to the Passion play enacted every ten years at the village of Oberammergau in Upper Bavaria beginning in 1633. The play requires eight hours to perform and is acted out by 700 residents of the village. 70000061
Plate list:
OBERAMMERGAU LEONORA SPEYER [cover label]. Green. 3.5 x 5 cm.
AUTHOR'S EDITION OBERAMMERGAU LEONORA SPEYER Copy No...POET ETCHER FIRST PRINTING 50 COPIES [limitation leaf]. Sepia. Signed. 8 x 5 cm.
OBERAMMERGAU BY LEONORA SPEYER ETCHED BY BERNHARDT WALL 1922 [title within ruled border]. Teal. 10 x 7.5 cm.
OBERAMMERGAU [illustration]. Slate blue. 7.5 x 10 cm.
To Edgar for Christmas 1922 lovingly given [dedication within ruled border]. Ochre. 9 x 5 cm.
FOREWORD It was night when I reached the ancient village of the Passion-play, and raining... [text]. Lime green. 10 x 7.5 cm.
many waves, enduring, inevitable... [illustrated text]. Lime green. 10 x 7.5 cm.
OBERAMMERGAU Rich man, poor man, beggar-man, thief... [illustrated text]. Cadmium gold. 10 x 7.5 cm.
II Christ will hang high... [illustrated text]. Raw sienna. 10 x 7.5 cm.
III Who called His name to me?... [illustrated text]. Cadmium gold. 10 x 7.5 cm.
IV Rich man, rich man, drawing near... [illustrated text]. Cadmium gold. 10 x 7.5 cm.
V "Doctor, lawyer, whom do you seek?... [illustrated text]. Raw sienna. 10 x 7.5 cm.
VI The Star leaned lower from the sky... [illustrated text]. Raw sienna. 10 x 7.5 cm.
VII The streets of Oberammergau are waking now... [illustrated text]. Raw sienna. 10 x 7.5 cm.
VIII Rich man, poor man, beggar and thief... [illustrated text]. Raw sienna. 10 x 7.5 cm.
IX Doubter, dreamer... [illustrated text]. Raw sienna. 10 x 7.5 cm.
Leonora Speyer [facsimile signature]. Teal. 5 x 9 cm.
BERNHARDT WALL ETCHER PUBLISHER [printer's illustrated device]. Sepia. 6 x 3.5 cm.
SPEYER, Leonora. Oberammergau. [New Preston], 1924. 17 etchings (plus cover etching). Mostly green inks. 6 x 11 cm. (6-1/8 x 4-1/2 inches), wove paper. Original hand-bound olive cloth over slate green paper-covered boards, etching on upper cover. Signed in pencil by Wall: "Etcher's Copy Series #5 Bernhardt Wall."
Limited edition (#5 in the Etcher's Copy Series, signed by Wall). Wall issued at least nine of his early works (1922-24) in this special, limited series. He revised this printing as follows: The title-page has been changed to a cutout etching in the shape of a cross; a page has been added noting the award of the Blindman Prize; stanzas two and seven have been redrawn. 70000017
Plate list:
OBERAMMERGAU LEONORA SPEYER [cover etching]. Brownish black. 3.5 x 5 cm.
OBERAMMERGAU LEONORA—SPEYER 1924 [title]. Brown. Cutout etching in the shape of a cross. 11.5 x 7.5 cm.
OBERAMMERGAU [illustration]. Slate blue. 7.5 x 10 cm.
To Edgar for Christmas 1922 lovingly given [dedication within ruled border]. Slate blue. 9 x 5 cm.
This poem was awarded the "Blindman Prize"... [text]. Lilac. 10 x 7.5 cm.
FOREWORD It was night when I reached the ancient village of the Passion-play, and raining... [text]. Green. 10 x 7.5 cm.
many waves, enduring, inevitable... [illustrated text]. Green. 10 x 7.5 cm.
OBERAMMERGAU Rich man, poor man, beggar-man, thief... [illustrated text]. Olive green. 10 x 7.5 cm.
II Christ will hang high... [illustrated text]. Olive green. 10 x 7.5 cm.
III Who called His name to me?... [illustrated text]. Olive green. 10 x 7.5 cm.
IV Rich man, rich man, drawing near... [illustrated text]. Olive green. 10 x 7.5 cm.
V "Doctor, lawyer, whom do you seek?... [illustrated text]. Olive green. 10 x 7.5 cm.
VI The Star leaned lower from the sky... [illustrated text]. Olive green. 10 x 7.5 cm.
VII The streets of Oberammergau are waking now... [illustrated text]. Olive green. 10 x 7.5 cm.
VIII Rich man, poor man, beggar and thief... [illustrated text]. Olive green. 10 x 7.5 cm.
IX Doubter, dreamer... [illustrated text]. Olive green. 10 x 7.5 cm.
Leonora Speyer [facsimile signature]. Brownish black. 5 x 9 cm.
BERNHARDT WALL ETCHER OF BOOKS [printer's illustrated device]. Burnt sienna. 6 x 3.5 cm.
Album mit Bildersammlung der Passionsspiele Oberammergau 1930. [Munich: Henneberger], n.d. [With]: SPEYER, Leonora. Second Printing. Oberammergau, a Prize Poem. [New Preston], 1924. [Album]: [27] leaves, containing 25 half-tone photographs; [Oberammergau]: 11 etchings (10 x 7.5 cm., wove paper); half-tone Christmas card; 2 miniature etchings (approximately 4.5 x 3 cm., wove paper), on one sheet (one signed by Wall), all mounted into original album. Various colored inks. 16 x 24.5 cm. (6-1/4 x 9-1/2 inches), wove paper. Original vellum over marbled paper-covered boards, gilt title on upper cover. Lower extremity of spine torn, else very fine.
Eleven individual sheets from Wall's edition of Speyer's poem are mounted on leaves at the end of the album. The title-page is a cut-out cruciform, as in the Etcher's Copy Series, but it has been re-etched with additional material added. The page noting the Blindman prize is not present, nor are stanzas 3-5. Two versions of stanza 2 are present, one of which is identical with the author's edition; the other has been re-written. Stanza 7 is identical with the Author's Edition. Another leaf at the end of the book has two small Wall etchings (executed after December 8, 1947) concerning a replica of Thorwaldson's Christus statue. 70000091
Plate list of Wall's etchings:
SECOND PRINTING OBERAMMERGAU A PRIZE POEM BY LEONORA SPEYER 1924 [title]. Slate blue. Cutout etching in the shape of a cross. 10 x 8 cm.
Leonora Speyer [facsimile signature]. Black. 5 x 9 cm.
FOREWORD It was night when I reached the ancient village of the Passion-play, and raining... [text]. Olive green. 10 x 7.5 cm.
many waves, enduring, inevitable... [illustrated text]. Green. Aquatint. 10 x 7.5 cm.
OBERAMMERGAU Rich man, poor man, beggar-man, thief... [illustrated text]. Brown. 10 x 7.5 cm.
II Last night I saw the hills kneel down... [illustrated text]. Sienna. 10 x 5 cm.
III Christ will hang high... [illustrated text]. Brown. 10 x 7.5 cm.
VI The Star leaned lower from the sky... [illustrated text]. Brown. 10 x 7.5 cm.
VII The streets of Oberammergau are waking now... [illustrated text]. Brown. 10 x 7.5 cm.
VIII Rich man, poor man, beggar and thief... [illustrated text]. Brown. 10 x 7.5 cm.
IX Doubter, dreamer... [illustrated text]. Ochre. 10 x 7.5 cm.
"CHRISTUS" In beautiful Forest Lawn Memorial Pk., Glendale, Calif... [text]. Olive. Miniature. 4.5 x 3.5 cm.
THORWALDSEN'S "CHRISTUS" | Wall [illustration]. Carmine. Miniature. Signed. 4.5 x 3.5 cm.
<< Previous Item (A.1.6) | Back to Berhardt Wall Contents | Next Item (A.1.8) >>
Home | email: rarebooks@sloanrarebooks.com