R.U.R. Rossum's Universal Robots: Kolektivna Drama V Treh Dejanjih Predigro
Ljubljana, Slovenia: Natisnila om Zalozila Zvezna Tiskarna, 1921.
First Slovenian edition. Signed by Karel Capek on the title page. [vi], 77 pp. Bound in publisher's decorative paper boards with green leather title inset stamped in gilt; inclusion paper endsheets. Near Fine with slight loss at extremities, trivial toning to spine. Old price at front free endpaper. The Czech writer's best known work that gave the world the word "robot", borrowed from the Czech word "robota," for forced labor. R.U.R. made its stage debut at Prague's National Theatre in 1921. An instant hit, it was soon translated into 30 different languages after the first Czech publication. This Slovenian edition was translated by theatre director, actor and professor Osip Sest. Sest fought for the Austrian Army during WWI, was captured as a Russian prisoner of war and worked in Moscow theaters before returning to Slovenia to work at National Theatre in Ljubljana. A sharp copy in an attractive Arts & Crafts binding, signed copies are rather scarce. Seven copies of this edition are located in Slovenia, one in Italy found in OCLC with no copies found in the United States.
Price: $7,500