ANITA BERBER (1899–1928) / SEBASTIAN DROSTE (1898–1927) ‘Die Tänze des Lasters, des Grauens und der Ekstase’ (Dances of Vice, Horror & Ecstasy), Gloriette-Verlag, Vienna 1923

Special limited deluxe slipcase version, produced on Japanese paper (50 copies only, this is no. 11), hardcover with slipcase, 16 x 22,5 cm, 128 pages, hand-coloured drawings and illustrations, photographs printed in Van Dyck-Druck and mounted on card, hand-painted silk cover and parchment spine This compendium of texts, poems, drawings and photographs is a rare contemporary document of the ‘decadent’ twenties. The book outlines a dance performance entitled ‘Die Tänze des Lasters, des Grauens und der Ekstase’ (Dances of Vice, Horror & Ecstasy) that Anita Berber performed with her husband Sebastian Droste (real name Willy Knobloch). The performances took place at the Vienna Konzerthaus in 1922. The illustrated section of the book consists of photographs of the authors by Viennese Atelier d’Ora (Dora Kallmus & Arthur Benda), drawings by Anita Berber and illustrations by Harry Täuber. Each artwork is protected with a glassine sheet. The photographs show Anita Berber and Sebastian Droste in various poses connected to the dances described in the text. This was undoubtedly a provocative, if not scandalous, book at the time, and is a highly collectable one today.