[Collection of 20 designs for book covers]

We imagined writing a completely fanciful description of this, with made-up names, dates, locations, and stories. But we’ve decided not to b.s. you. We don’t know anything about this that we’ve not discerned from looking. Here’s what we can tell you about this portfolio of designs for bookbindings: They are German and/or come from a German-speaking place. They’re from the early-20th century. We’re talking late-’20s/maybe early-’30s. They are loaded with that sort of abstract, geometric lettering that one would expect to see from that period. The sheets are painted with solid-but-mottled colors to mimic leathers and other skins and then lettered in gold inks. All are mounted on matboard in pairs and placed in a modern portfolio that serves only as a container and is otherwise unremarkable. But these designs are remarkable and form a spectacular collection of lettering and designs for covers that will take up less space than if you’d bought a collection of books as examples of lettering and design. Pure delight and a good showing how things were done before we forgot how to do things.