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KUBAŠTA, Vojtech. Pražský Betlém (Prague Bethlehem) - First edition Imprint: Orbis 1968; illustrations © Vojtech Kubasta; SG-V. Šenov; price 10 kopecs
Vojtech Kubasta's Prazský Betlém features Prague landmarks, including the Charles Bridge and Prague Castle's St. Vitus Cathedral in the background
Includes BOTH of the ORIGINAL separate free standing figures - the
kneeling Magi, and the four musicians with a violinist, trumpet player,
oboist, cello player' and a singing
dog.
Main pop-up scene is 10 by 20 inches unfolded. 50 [width] x
25 [depth] x 25 [high] cm. 33x25 cm when closed Near Fine condition - all original with no damage.
Note - This is the rare first edition (1968). The second edition was 1969, and the third edition was 1991
Collector's information about this nativity: Notice the beautiful backdrop of Prauge. This is the first edition and was printed in 40,000 copies. A second edition was made in 1969 - but not released until released in 1970 - and it was published again in 1991.
Collectors Corner:
See
the November 13 Volume 21 Number 4 edition of Movable Stationary for an
informative article on all of Kubasta's Christmas pop-ups by Theo
Gielen.
According
to the book Pop-ups, Illustrated Books, and Graphic Designs of Czech
Artist and Paper Engineer, Vojtech Kubašta (1914 - 1992) by James A
Findlay and Ellen G.K. Rubin, "Among the more collectible and rare of
Kubašta’s pop-ups are the nativity tableaux. It is estimated that he
made fifteen to seventeen nativities including table decorations,
greeting cards, and crèches"
The
decorative creche sets, some with the stand alone figures are difficult
to find with all the pieces.
History of Kubasta's stand-up nativities:
They started out as construction sheets
that you put together. The ones that we know about are:
The first
3 were all inserted into a Czech magazine
in 1952, 1953, and 1954 as Christmas decorations. They were:
1. Pojďte námi do Betléma - "Come with us to Bethlehem" - 1952
2. Lidovy Betlem - "People’s Crèche" - 1953 and 1967 - reprinted in 1991 by Pressfoto Publishing
3. Moravské Jesličky - "Moravian crib" - 1954
Later sets:
Lidové Jesličky - "People's Nativity" - 1967 and 1968 - possible 1991 reprint (had two free standing figures. 1st with two children, 2cond with one child)
Vánoční betlém
- (Looks like a Palm Tree nativity) 1968 Oftis - issued two sizes - 15 and 21 cm. in height . Second edition - 1990 Giamon Roman - then
later pirated editions in 90's and poorly printed 2011 edition. (two free standing figures that interlock) First edition has rough tan paper on back, later ones smooth white on back)
Pražský betlém - 1968 Orbis, 1969 Orbis and a 1991 panorama construction sheet
(two sets of stand-up figures. The
kneeling Magi, and the four musicians (a violinist, trumpet player,
oboist, and cello player and singing
dog)
Loretánský betlém - Orbis - 1972 (two free standing figures - sheep and a man with sheep)
Český Betlém - nativity sheet - (possible earlier one, we don't know) printed in Czechoslovakia in 1991, by Grafiatisk, A.S.
Product Code: K-32
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