o 1920 Die Sonne (Ltd edition)

Masereel’s wordless novel, Die Sonne, was published from the original wood blocks in a limited edition by Kurt Wolff.

• published in the late fall of 1920
• publisher: Kurt Wolff Verlag (note “ff”)
• printed from the woodblocks cut by Masereel in 1919 for Le Soleil.
• printed by Dr. C. Wolf and Son (note only one “f”)
• printed recto
• 800 numbered copies were published by Wolff in two versions:
  • numbers 1 to 50 printed on Imperial Japanese paper and signed by Masereel, and
  • numbers 51 to 800 (Note: there is no requirement for these to be signed but clearly some have been).

Die Sonne #1 to 50

I have very little information about this edition but it seems it was published in full leather (green only?). Depending on its condition, the leather colour can vary as below.

Die Sonne #51 to 800

• Dimensions: 15.5 x 12.5 cm (6 1/8 x 5 inches)
• as per the colophon, these copies are to be numbered -BUT – see bottom of this page illustrating one copy with a machine stamped number and another with a handwritten number and signature.

Numbering of 51 to 800 and the absence/presence of a signature

The colophon reads:

This book was published in the late fall of
1920 in the office of Dr. C. Wolf & Sohn in Munich
for Kurt Wolff Verlag in Munich in a one-
time edition of 800 numbered copies from the
woodblocks cut by Frans Masereel in 1919.
Copies #1-50 were printed on genuine Imperial
Japanese paper and signed by the artist.
This is No. ____

All rights reserved.

• Typically Masereel signed books with a mauve coloured pencil (as per #36 above) but there are many exceptions – one can only speculate as to why.
  • why is #227 machine printed while #488 is handwritten?
  • #488 is handwritten in a dark purple/blue ink (it is not that obvious in this photo)
  • I am speculating the pencil signature was added on a whim or at the request of the owner, which may be why it was done with a regular lead pencil.

Any information on this topic would be appreciated. wn@wordlessnovels.com