• Title: Z Mého Dětství: Kniha Dřevoryty (From My Childhood: Book of Woodcuts)
  • Author and Illustrator: Helena Bochořáková Dittrichová
  • Introduction: Arne Novák
  • Year: 1929
  • Publisher: Orbis
  • Place of publication: Prague
  • Printer:
  • Copyright: Bochořáková?
  • Language: Czech titles, etc
  • Paginated: unpaginated
  • Printed: recto
  • Editions
    • 10 copies numbered and signed, on true Japan,
    • 50 numbered, on Ullersdorf,
    • plus an popular/Trade edition (edition size not stated but other Trade editions seem to be done in 300 copies)
  • Description: 95 woodcuts for the story, woodcut title, woodcut used for front cover and woodcut used for the DJ; 10 page preface written by Arne Novák.
    • The title page and the Trade cover were done as a woodcut and one can make out the accent marks over Bochořáková Dittrichová. In the French and English later editions, the accent marks are absent.

Z Mého Detství – 10 copies numbered and signed, on true Japan

  • Size:
  • Dust jacket: I doubt it. The trade edition had a DJ and given that the paper thickness, etc would be different, it is unlikely the DJ would fit this special edition.
  • Binding: hard cover – but I have not seen a copy
  • This should be numbered (out of 10) and also signed in pencil.
Z Mého Dětství - limitation page and title page of the ten copies numbered and signed by the artist on the title page.
On Japan, numbered out of the 10 and signed in pencil on the title page.

Z Mého Detství – 50 numbered, on Ullersdorf

NOTE: while some of these may be found signed, the edition only needs to be numbered.

  • 6″ x 4.5″
  • Original quarter vellum,
  • grey boards with gilt device based on one of the woodcuts.
  • Fore- and bottom edges uncut, with a number of leaves left unopened.
  • With an introduction by Czech literary critic and historian Arne Novák.
  • Limited edition, one of 50 hand-numbered copies on Ullersdorf paper
  • some may be signed by Bochorakova-Dittrichova in pencil on title page.
  • 14, [194] pages.
Z Mého Detství - the 50 numbered copies - showing the front cover in quarter vellum.
Quarter Vellum
Z Mého Detství - the 50 numbered copies showing the vellum spine and gold lettering.
vellum spine and gold lettering.
Z Mého Detství - the 50 numbered copies showing the limitation page and title page (some copies are also signed as is this example.
Numbered and some are also signed on title page as here.

Trade – 300? copies

  • The Trade edition was not numbered and only some copies were signed – not sure why any were signed but it may have been a simple case of owners approaching the artist asking for a signature.
  • Copies were issued with a dust jacket.
  • Slipcase – I have seen one copy with a slipcase but oddly, no dust jacket. It had the title and author’s name written in ink on the spine of the slipcase – for this reason I suspect the slipcase was an aftermarket production.
  • The DJ was printed from woodblocks
  • The medallion in the centre of the DJ was a separate woodblock that was reused in the French and English editions.
  • paper covered boards with small woodcut on the front cover.
Z Mého Detství -of 300 Trade copies showing the DJ.
Dust Jacket
Ze Meho dust jacket and book
Ze Meho front flap; paste down, and FFEP
Z Mého Detství -of 300 Trade copies showing the woodcut on the front cover.
Woodcut on front cover
Z Mého Detství -of 300 Trade copies - this copy pencil signed by the artist on the title page but a signature was not required for any Trade copies
Signed but a signature was not required for Trade copies