Kubasta, Vojtech (illustrator). Letime Vesmirem. Prague: [ARTIA], 1959. First edition. Folio (34 x 24 cm; 13.4 x 9.4 in). Original pictorial card covers with die-cut cellophane telescope window. [16] pp. Two double-page pop-up spreads. Text in Czech.
Condition: Very Good. Both pop-up spreads are complete and functional with no missing pieces or tears. Cellophane window on the front cover fully intact. Moderate edgewear to covers, some rubbing along extremities. Binding sound, interior clean.
This exceptionally scarce Czech-language edition, Letime Vesmirem (“Flying Through the Universe”), is among Vojtech Kubasta’s most visually dynamic creations. The book begins with a die-cut telescope window on the cover, where a young boy peers into space and glimpses a rocket and moon beyond—an effect made possible by a transparent cellophane insert, still present and undamaged in this copy.
The story follows Petr and Miloš, two inseparable ten-year-old boys, as they embark on an imaginative journey into space. Petr’s father is an astronautics engineer, and the narrative blends science with wonder, introducing readers to the mysteries and grandeur of the cosmos.
Collector’s Corner:
This 1959 edition is among Kubasta’s earliest works combining didactic storytelling with ambitious three-dimensional design. The final double-page spreads open into vibrant, multi-layered dioramas of space exploration. The piece also serves as an artifact of Cold War-era optimism around the space race, particularly within Czechoslovakia’s cultural and scientific circles.
Notably, this title was featured on the cover of the 2005 exhibition catalog Pop-ups, Illustrated Books, and Graphic Designs of Czech Artist and Paper Engineer, Vojtech Kubasta (1914–1992), curated by James A. Findlay and Ellen G. K. Rubin at the Bienes Museum of the Modern Book.
References:
Findlay, James A., and Ellen G. K. Rubin. Pop-ups, Illustrated Books, and Graphic Designs of Czech Artist and Paper Engineer, Vojtech Kubasta (1914–1992). Bienes Museum of the Modern Book, 2005.