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book (design) story #157

alexej s. nowikow-priboj:
zussima

büchergilde gutenberg, zürich/prag, 1935
printer: unionsdruckerei bern
size: ?? x ?? cm
designer: emil zbinden

russian writer alexei silyc novikov-priboj (1877-1944) is best remebered for this book about the battle of tsushima (1905) – the final, crushing defeat of the russian navy in the russo-japanese war (1904-05). novikov had served on the "orel", one of the russian battleships involved. his memories of the battle were published in two volumes in 1932 and 1935.

this "authorised german translation" is by alexandra ramm-pfemfert (1883-1963) who also translated trotsky's books (see story 22).

the book design is by swiss graphic artist emil zbinden (1908-1991) who designed numerous books for the büchergilde – first in berlin, after 1933 in switzerland (see stories 9, 10, 131).

the jacket combines a photo of the devastated "orel" after the battle with a hand-drawn vertical title and three white doves – symbols of peace flying above the wrecked warship. the title design is repeated on the spine of the blue cloth cover which also features a vignette (anchor) and a drawing (cannon).

also inside the book emil zbinden uses an interesting mix of photos, montages, ink drawings and woodcut (or linocut) initial-letter vignettes. woodcut was the graphic medium zbinden concentrated on in later years.

the entire book is typeset in a modernist, geometric slab-serif – memphis, designed in 1929 by emil rudolf weiss (1875-1942). even the hand-drawn "zussima" titles are based on the memphis typeface – shadowed and with "naval" waves.