Bauer, Bernhard: Komödiantin - Dirne? Der Künstlerin. Leben und Lieben im Lichte der Wahrheit.

Wien und Leipzig, Fiba-Verlag, 1927. Large 8vo. x + 468 pp. + plates.

Contemporary half morocco with leathers in contrasting colours, spine gilt, covers patterned with bands of coloured paper in brown and silver, multicoloured edges, full-page bookplate of the binder bound in, binding signed on inside rear cover. ”Bunden av: O. Degerstedt. M. D. E.” (Meister der Einbandkunst). Spine faded, slight edgewear to lower edges of covers.

Bookbinder Olof Degerstedt MdE (1908-19) studied 1930-31 at the Landeskunstschule in Hamburg for Franz Weisse and others. He was in charge of the Nordiska Bokhandeln bindery in Stockholm 1947-77.

”Comedienne - Harlot?”, in German. Bernhard Adam Bauer (1882-1942) was an Austrian gynecologist and writer on women. His ”Women and Love” (1927), dealing with female sexual anatomy and methods of achieving sexual satisfaction, was an immediate hit and was frequently reprinted. The present book, ”Komödiantin - Dirne?” linked the role of actress with that of prostitute, tracing the history of the profession to indecent erotic dances in Greek drama, and arguing that actresses were characterised by both infantilism and exhibitionism.