Albert Vikstén - The White Infinity 1937 | Band Design Johan Briedé

Dutch edition from 1937 of The White Infinity by the Swedish writer and naturalist Albert Vikstén. The book was originally published in 1931 under the title Den vita vidden and was translated from Swedish for this edition by A. N. Boelen-Ranneft.

The story is set in the far north and follows a man who withdraws from the inhabited world. In a remote polar landscape he lives among snow, ice and animals, with his dog Wolf as a faithful companion. Nature, hunting, solitude and the relationship between man and wilderness form important themes in the book.

A special feature of this Dutch edition is the original cloth binding, designed by the Dutch artist and book cover designer Johan Briedé. His name appears on both the title page and at the bottom right of the illustration on the front cover. The design shows an expansive ice landscape with a low-hanging red sun and is executed in a striking combination of black, red and white.

A characteristic Wereldbibliotheek edition from the interwar period, in which the original cover design in particular forms a beautiful example of Dutch book design from the 1930s.

Details:

• Author: Albert Vikstén
• Title: De witte oneindigheid
• Original title: Den vita vidden
• Original edition: 1931
• Dutch edition: 1937
• Publisher: N.V. Wereldbibliotheek
• Place of publication: Amsterdam
• Translation: A. N. Boelen-Ranneft
• Cover design: Johan Briedé
• Language: Dutch
• Extent: 309 pages
• Binding: hardcover
• Cover: light publisher's cloth binding with black and red printing
• Dimensions: approx. 20 × 14 cm
• Thickness: approx. 3 cm
• Origin: Netherlands
• Period: interwar

Condition:
Good vintage condition. The binding is firm and the interior is mostly clean and neat, with normal light age discoloration and locally a few small spots. The original light cloth binding shows some discoloration, light soiling and normal signs of wear at the edges and corners. The spine is slightly crooked. The characteristic illustration and red printing on the front cover are still bright and well preserved. On the back endpaper there are some clearer signs of age and spots. See the photos for a complete picture of the condition.