Manhattan Rare Book Company

“I have begun work on a strange thing which I brought with me from Venice, a novella, earnest and pure in form...” —Thomas Mann, in a letter, 1911

FIRST PRINTING IN EXCEEDINGLY SCARCE ORIGINAL WRAPPERS of arguably Thomas Mann’s most celebrated work.

"At the beginning of 1911, Mann’s health was poor and his development sluggish. Nothing he had published since Buddenbrooks had been received with such universal acclaim. He had planned but abandoned several long works, and had published chiefly short stories. Convinced that he needed to make a mark with a new piece that would appeal to current tastes, he poured all his mastery into Death in Venice … The story was written between July 1911 and July 1912 … Mann had intended it for S. Fischer’s magazine, by that time merely called Die Neue Rundschau, but was uncharacteristically hesitant about submitting it once it was done—it was too innovative and personal. His wife convinced him to send it in. It was first published in the October and November 1912 issues" (S. Appelbaum).

The publication in the October and November issues of Die Neue Rundschau preceded the rare limited edition printed by Hans von Weber.

In: Die neue Rundschau (October and November issues, 1912; pp. 1368–1398; 1499–1526). Berlin: S. Fischer Verlag, 1912. Octavo, original publisher’s printed wrappers; custom box. Minor foxing to text block edges, very light edgewear to wrappers. SCARCE IN THE ORIGINAL WRAPPERS.

Price: $9,500 .