Schönheit im Olympischen Kampf.
by RIEFENSTAHL, Leni
- Used
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
London, United Kingdom
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Berlin: Im Deutschen Verlag,, 1937. The Berlin Olympics First edition, first printing, an exceptional copy retaining the rare glassine and card slipcase. This photobook was produced alongside Olympia, Riefenstahl's landmark documentary of the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Olympia was immediately recognized as truly innovative, experimenting with cutting-edge shooting and editing techniques, winning the Best Foreign Film in Venice following its premiere in 1938. The majority of the images featured in this volume are taken from the film, but the concluding section adds 31 behind-the-scenes production photos. Riefenstahl's legacy has been bitterly contested since the Second World War. Some (including Riefenstahl herself) have attempted to portray her as an independent artist, with a purely aesthetic mission, having little interest in the Nazi programme. It has been argued that her film, in fact, offended the sensibilities of senior Nazis and that Goebbels tried to have it destroyed. However, the consensus has been less forgiving. Susan Sontag, in her essay "Fascinating Fascism", attacked these attempts to sanitize Riefenstahl's reputation, asserting that Olympia was "commissioned and entirely financed by the Nazi government... and facilitated by Goebbels's ministry at every stage of the shooting". However, both the film and book inevitably included images of African-American quadruple gold medallist Jesse Owens, an electrifying refutation Nazi claims to Aryan athletic superiority. Quarto. Original red cloth, spine and front cover lettered in gilt, Olympic rings to front cover in gilt. With dust jacket, glassine, and original card slipcase (stamped "Riefenstahl") for mailing. Illustrated throughout with photographic plates, mostly full page. Book in fine condition, jacket in near-fine condition with tiny chips and rubbing at extremities else clean and fresh, glassine with chips yet all holding and still in good condition, slipcase in very good condition with small chip at front entry and very marginal split along joints; overall, a very desirable copy. Roth 101, p. 96.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Peter Harrington (GB)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 141073
- Title
- Schönheit im Olympischen Kampf.
- Author
- RIEFENSTAHL, Leni
- Book Condition
- Used
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Place of Publication
- Berlin: Im Deutschen Verlag,
- Date Published
- 1937
Terms of Sale
Peter Harrington
All major credit cards are accepted. Both UK pounds and US dollars (exchange rate to be agreed) accepted. Books may be returned within 14 days of receipt for any reason, please notify first of returned goods.
About the Seller
Peter Harrington
Biblio member since 2006
London
About Peter Harrington
Since its establishment, Peter Harrington has specialised in sourcing, selling and buying the finest quality original first editions, signed, rare and antiquarian books, fine bindings and library sets. Peter Harrington first began selling rare books from the Chelsea Antiques Market on London's King's Road. For the past twenty years the business has been run by Pom Harrington, Peter's son.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Rubbing
- Abrasion or wear to the surface. Usually used in reference to a book's boards or dust-jacket.
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- Quarto
- The term quarto is used to describe a page or book size. A printed sheet is made with four pages of text on each side, and the...