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book (design) story #503

ilja ehrenburg:
die traumfabrik

malik-verlag, berlin, 1931
size: 19 x 13 cm
designer: john heartfield (jacket)

a stunning, but very fragile jacket design by john heartfield (1891-1968) who designed most of the books of his brother wieland herzfelde's malik-verlag.

not one of his famous photomontages for once, but a metallic foil with cut-out letters which appear green due to the underlying paper. there were variants with red, blue and white writing (see jürgen holstein's "blickfang", isbn 3000147861, p. 152). the golden foil has discoloured to silver on the front.

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ilja ehrenburg (1891-1967) was one of the most prominent soviet writers. in "factory of dreams" he takes on hollywood and the american film industry.