Between 1927 and 1928, Kurt Wolff published Masereel’s wordless novel, Die Idee, in a Trade edition with 9,000 copies.

  • Title: Die Idee
  • Author and Illustrator: Masereel
  • Introduction: Hermann Hesse
  • Date of publication:
    • 1927 in an edition, 1 to 4 thousand
    • 1928 in an edition, 5 to 9 thousand
  • Publisher: Kurt Wolff
  • Place of publication: Munich
  • Book Dimensions: 6 1/4 x 4 7/8 Inches; 15.7 x 11.8 cm
  • Dust jacket: Yes
  • Binding: hard cover
  • Cover: paper covered
  • Language: German titles, etc
  • Paginated: unpaginated
  • Printed: recto
  • Edition: Trade, not limited
  • reproduced the original images
book and dust jacket

Comparing image sizes in the Trade with the original prints

  • This is the first image of the book. Presumably it depicts Masereel with “writer’s block”.
  • Dimensions of this image from the Wolff Trade edition were compared to 1920 French publication, which was printed from the original woodcuts. They were both the same size, ie 9 x 6.5 cm.
  • Having said this, it is assumed the Trade editions were printed from reproductions and not printed from the original blocks.

1927 Wolff Trade edition

1928 Wolff Trade edition

1928 was printed in an edition size of 5000.

Ads at the back of the book

Trade editions were sold for RM 3.50
Back flap of DJ

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