Kurd Lasswitz (1848-1910) Auf Zwei Planeten [On Two Planets]. First Edition, First Printing. Weimar

Kurd Lasswitz (1848-1910)

Auf Zwei Planeten [On Two Planets]. First Edition, First Printing.

Weimar: Verlag von Emil Felber, 1897.

First edition, first printing, two octavo volumes; uniformly rebound in half brown morocco and marbled boards, ruled in blind, spine gilt-lettered, marbled edges, with the original illustrated wrappers preserved and bound-in at front of each (short marginal tear to page 475 in vol. II, small, scattered stains, occasional corner creases; both volumes cocked, surface losses to spine of vol. II, extremities rubbed, bumped, a few gatherings reinforced at gutter, toning to endpapers); 7 ¼ x 4 ¾ in.

This seminal work of German science fiction is renowned for its early imagining of inter-planetary travel and the existence of life on Mars. It was relatively popular upon its release in Germany but quickly fell into obscurity and out of print. The second edition was published almost 50 years later, with the text drastically reduced by almost 600 pages. Even the first English translation, released in 1971, did not print the full text. Thus, the present lot provides a rare opportunity to read the work in its original form. Very scarce, no copy of the first printing has ever been offered at auction, according to RBH.

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Condition
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