Problem series „Sachove umeni“ 1936-1947:
Miroslav Soukup's
Christmas greeting cards
First published: October
15, 2021
Last Update: October 15, 2021
This article deals with
Christmas cards in the form of cards that Miroslav Soukup used to put in
some of the books of his
„Sachove
umeni“
series. Specifically, these books were the ones
Soukup sent to his friends for Christmas. So far 9 types of cards with
Soukup's wishes have appeared - some of these cards are handwritten, some
are pre-printed, they can be signed or unsigned, dated or undated.
All known types are
described below. It is possible that these are all the cards, but it is
possible that some more will turn up.
These cards are
very rare, they practically do not appear in the
market. Probably only a few pieces or dozens of each exist. The books to
which Soukup enclosed them were usually published in low editions of 50-100
copies, and Soukup probably added them to only a part
of the print run. In addition, the cards were loosely
inserted into the books, so they may have been lost over the years.
Soukup's
series „Sachove
umeni“
consists of 17 books and booklets, 13 of which were
limited editions. All titles are described in more detail in our Collector's
Corner in the article "Problem Series Sachove umeni
1936-1947".
My hypothesis is that the cards were enclosed to following books of the
series: 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 15, and 16. I believe that the following
issues of the edition usually did not include a Christmas card:
-
numbers 3, 12, 13, 17, because they are not limited editions
-
numbers 6, 7, because they were published in 1940, it means in the same
time like Soukup’s „Od Kuneticke
hory“. It can be assumed that Miroslav
Soukup inserted the card to the book with his own problems.
-
number 10, Havel’s „Ceske
granaty dil II“, because a) it was published
in 200 copies, unnumbered, and b) it was published in the same year like
number 11, „Verny
Cech“.
-
number 14, Vetesník’s „Zen
sedesati let“ because a) it was published in
200 copies, unnumbered, and b) it was published in the same year like
number 15, „Zapomenuty
pseudonym“.
However, this is only a speculation, which is difficult to prove today.
Following types of cards were recorded:
|
|
Type 01
|
|
Size:
|
10,2 x 7,4
cm. Unsigned.
|
|
Located in:
|
Valasske
dumky, by Kainer (no.2) – 2 copies found in this title.
|
|
Text means:
|
to the left:
Peace on earth to people of good will
to the
right: Merry Christmas / Happy Year 1938 / wishes M. Soukup
|
|
Note:
|
In this case,
the assignment is certain - the „Valasske dumky“ was the
only title published for Christmas 1937.
|
|
|
|
xxx
|
|
Type 02
|
|
Size:
|
11,3 x 8,7 cm.
Unsigned.
|
|
Located in:
|
Vecery na vsi, by Hlineny (no.4) – 2 copies found in this title.
|
|
Text means:
|
Merry Christmas / and good Year 1940 / wishes to you / Miroslav
Soukup
|
|
Note:
|
In this case, the assignment is certain - the „Vecery na vsi“ was the
only title published for Christmas 1939.
|
|
|
|
xxx
|
|
Type 03
|
|
Size:
|
cca
12,5 x 7,8
cm. Unsigned.
|
|
Located in:
|
Ceske
granaty v miniature, by Havel (no.1) – 1 copy found in this
title.
|
|
Text means:
|
Merry Christmas / and Happy New Year / wishes /
M. Soukup
|
|
Note:
|
In this case, In this case,
the assignment is probable – should be confirmed.
|
|
|
|
xxx
|
|
Type 04
|
|
Size:
|
9,1 x 6,6 cm.
Signed.
|
|
Located in:
|
Od Kuneticke
hory, by Soukup (no.5) – 2 copies found in this title.
|
|
Text means:
|
Merry / Christmas and on the back
handwritten: wishes / M. Soukup
|
|
Note:
|
In this case,
the assignment
is very
probable. The card (both of them) has vertical
center fold (what is not good visible in
the picture), it looks like a booklet.
|
|
|
|
xxx
|
|
Type 05
|
|
Size:
|
12,8 x 7,7 cm. Signed.
|
|
Located in:
|
Zertem doopravdy, by Cumpe (no.8) –
2 copies found
in this title.
|
|
Text means:
|
Merry Christmas / and / Happy New
Year / signature
|
|
Note:
|
In this case,
the assignment is probable.
|
|
|
< ">
|
xxx
|
|
Type 06
|
|
Size:
|
11,2 x 7,2
cm.
Signed.
|
|
Located in:
|
unknown
|
|
Text means:
|
Pleasant / Christmas Holidays / signature
|
|
Note:
|
|
|
|
< ">
|
xxx
|
|
Type 07
|
|
Size:
|
10,3 x 7,5
cm.
Signed.
|
|
Located in:
|
unknown.
|
|
Text means:
|
Merry / Christmas / signature |
|
Note:
|
|
|
|
< ">
|
xxx
|
|
Type 08
|
|
Size:
|
8 x
5,9
cm.
Signed.
|
|
Located in:
|
unknown
|
|
Text means:
|
handwritten:
Merry Christmas! / signature
|
|
Note:
|
|
|
|
< ">
|
xxx
|
|
Type 09
|
|
Size:
|
11 x
6,7
cm.
Signed.
|
|
Located in:
|
unknown
|
|
Text means:
|
Happy / and Merry / Christmas / wishes M. Soukup
|
|
Note:
|
|
|
|
< ">
|
xxx
|