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Bartkowiak's Best: Book Art from the Hamburg Archives     
In the Gallery Jan 26-Apr 27, 2007     

 
 

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Every Third Match

Officina Ludi; Grosshansdorf near Hamburg, Germany; 1998

Author: Kurt Kusenberg

Illustrator/Artist: Egbert Herfurth

Printer: Claus Lorenzen

Binder: Ursula Banert

Contact: www.officinaludi.de

Book design by Claus Lorenzen. Edition of 120, 26 pages with 15 original acrylic engravings. Hand set in semibold Thannhaeuser-Antiqua and printed by hand press on Fabriano Palatina. The Stiftung Buchkunst (Book Art Foundation) awarded this book the honor "Unter den schönsten Bëcher des Jahres" ("Among the most beautiful books of the year").

This scurrilous, richly allegorical tale from 1941, published uncensored during World War II, treats a declaration of war by the dictatorial republic of "San Trajano" against the citizen of a neighboring state for their criticizing in a travel book the inferior quality of matches in San Trajano. The allusion to Nazi Germany is unmistakable, but even today the tale remains in part a valid satire of any powerful nation groping to justify war against a weaker enemy.

Officina Ludi, located in the small village of Grosshansdorf, has been in existence for 17 years. Founded and managed by Claus Lorenzen, it produces hand-printed limited editions of texts by major authors, illustrated by known artists.


 

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