Books

tall 8vo., 23.3cm, The First Edition, 371,[iv],1p., (colophon), in plain contemporary dust worn wrappers, spine cap frayed and the center of the panel is mostly wanting, wrappers loose, early pencil notation in Germany on the cover, (see below), text is shaken but holding, the text is clean, the rare first edition of this most important of books, in contemporary style clam shell box, designed by Red Bone Bindery, in crushed brown morocco grain calf, gilt decorated raised bands and spine borders, gilt titles, matched marbled boards, fine. Provenance: The first recorded owner was Dr. Robert Drill. The following is written in pencil (now faded) in German: "Elgen. Von Dr. Drill mit der Bemerkung übergeben, es sei wert, aufbewahrt, zu werden. (Mitte der 30er Jahre)". [Elgen. By Dr. Drill handed over with the comment that it was worth keeping. (mid-30s)]. The present owner found an article published in 1927 that quotes something Drill wrote in the Frankfurter Zeitung (undated) praising Freud. In der "Frankfurter Zeitung" schreibt Dr. Robert Drill: "Freud ist ein Entdecker und Wiederentdecker. Großen Formats. Seine Entschlüsselung des. Traumes ist von menschheitsgeschichtlicher Bedeutung. Hier ist ein Wissen -wiedergefunden, das mit der Antike untergegangen war. Freud ist ein Geschenk der Natur an die seelisch Leidenden." - [In the "Frankfurter Zeitung" Dr. Robert Drill: "Freud is an explorer and rediscoverer. Large format. His unraveling of the dream is of significance for human history. Here is some knowledge-rediscovered, which had disappeared with antiquity. Freud is a gift from nature to those who suffer mentally."]. Mid-1930s: Wilhelm & Elizabeth Hollbach received the book from Dr. Robert Drill who was Jewish and fleeing Germany with minimal possessions, moving to South Africa. Dr. Drill and Wilhelm Hollbach were colleagues and friends. Dr. Robert Drill worked at the Frankfurter Zeitung newspaper with Reiner Hollbach's father Wilhelm Hollbach (link is to Wikipedia page about Wilhelm - he was editor of the newspaper and acting mayor of Frankfurt immediately after the war). Post-World War II: In Germany, Elgen Hollbach received the book from their mother Elizabeth Hollbach after the Second World War, when she (Elgen) became interested in psychotherapy and later became a licensed psychotherapist. The inscription (see above) is assumed to be written by Elizabeth Hollbach. Mid-1990s: The book was received by Canadian relatives from Elgen Hollbach from Germany. Printing and the Mind of Man. 389.

Die Traumdeutung, which translates as 'The Interpretation of Dreams', is one of the seminal works of psychoanalysis literature. Written by Sigmund Freud, it introduces his theory of the unconscious with respect to dream interpretation and also discusses what would later become the theory of the Oedipus complex. Freud revised the book at least eight times and, in the third edition, added an extensive section which treated dream symbolism very literally, following the influence of Wilhelm Stekel.