STYX. Bulletin Skupiny Lacoste. (All Published)
Czech Surrealism
Brno. 1966–1969
The very scarce Czech samizdat Surrealist review 'STYX'.
Edited by Arnost Budik, Jiri Havlicak, Josef Kremlacek, Vaclay Pajurek, and others, this very scarce Surrealist magazine issued by the Brno-based Lacoste group struggled to be published during the lead up to, during and after the Prague Spring. Issues appeared sporadically: issue 2 was issued for 'technical reasons' as a single example, issue 3 was censored, issue 5 cancelled due to the 'well known reason' (i.e. the invasion prompted by the 'Brezhnev Doctrine' after the Prague Spring) and issue 6 included pages 'dealing' with 'some political problems'.
No. 1 - 20 June 1966. pp. 38 (lacking wrappers). From the edition limited to 98 copies signed by the editors; this example with stamped number crossed through and marked 'archiv'; this 'archiv' example without wrappers (as issued?).
No. 2 - This was not published. 'Numéro deux de notre bulletin a été realisé pour les raisons techniques dans un seul exemplaire ... '. (See the introduction to No. 3).
No. 3 - 1 May 1967. pp. 46 (no page 20 / 21 issued) with 4 plates of illustrations. Original wrappers. From the edition limited to 128 copies, signed by the editors.
No. 4. - July 1967. pp. 36. With 2 plates of illustrations. Original wrappers. From the edition limited to 128 copies.
No. 5 - This was not published. 'The greater part of this number originated before the fatal 21 August 1968 ... the No. 5 of this bulletin which - because of the well known reason - may appear in a single example ... '. (see the introduction to No. 6).
No. 6 - November 1968. pp. 1 - 16, 21 - 36. Pages 17 - 20 were only issued to a few subscribers - 'We insert into some / not many / examples of this number special sheets dealing No. 17 - 20 with some political problems ... '. Inserted is the original etching by J. Havlicek, 'Flagellent Pfeiffer' signed in pencil. Original wrappers with hand painted cover. From the edition limited to 128 copies, signed by the editors.
No. 7 - May 1969. pp. 44. With 3 plates of illustrations. Original wrappers with hand painted cover.
'STYX' is of considerable rarity and we can trace only the copy donated by Paul Destribats to the Bibliothèque Kandinsky in Paris (the notice appears to contain errors) together with E. L. T. Mesens' copy of issue 1 at the Getty. This copy is from the library of John Lyle, the bookseller and historian of Surrealism and each issue features his bookplate.
[Le Fonds Paul Destribats 699].
Edited by Arnost Budik, Jiri Havlicak, Josef Kremlacek, Vaclay Pajurek, and others, this very scarce Surrealist magazine issued by the Brno-based Lacoste group struggled to be published during the lead up to, during and after the Prague Spring. Issues appeared sporadically: issue 2 was issued for 'technical reasons' as a single example, issue 3 was censored, issue 5 cancelled due to the 'well known reason' (i.e. the invasion prompted by the 'Brezhnev Doctrine' after the Prague Spring) and issue 6 included pages 'dealing' with 'some political problems'.
No. 1 - 20 June 1966. pp. 38 (lacking wrappers). From the edition limited to 98 copies signed by the editors; this example with stamped number crossed through and marked 'archiv'; this 'archiv' example without wrappers (as issued?).
No. 2 - This was not published. 'Numéro deux de notre bulletin a été realisé pour les raisons techniques dans un seul exemplaire ... '. (See the introduction to No. 3).
No. 3 - 1 May 1967. pp. 46 (no page 20 / 21 issued) with 4 plates of illustrations. Original wrappers. From the edition limited to 128 copies, signed by the editors.
No. 4. - July 1967. pp. 36. With 2 plates of illustrations. Original wrappers. From the edition limited to 128 copies.
No. 5 - This was not published. 'The greater part of this number originated before the fatal 21 August 1968 ... the No. 5 of this bulletin which - because of the well known reason - may appear in a single example ... '. (see the introduction to No. 6).
No. 6 - November 1968. pp. 1 - 16, 21 - 36. Pages 17 - 20 were only issued to a few subscribers - 'We insert into some / not many / examples of this number special sheets dealing No. 17 - 20 with some political problems ... '. Inserted is the original etching by J. Havlicek, 'Flagellent Pfeiffer' signed in pencil. Original wrappers with hand painted cover. From the edition limited to 128 copies, signed by the editors.
No. 7 - May 1969. pp. 44. With 3 plates of illustrations. Original wrappers with hand painted cover.
'STYX' is of considerable rarity and we can trace only the copy donated by Paul Destribats to the Bibliothèque Kandinsky in Paris (the notice appears to contain errors) together with E. L. T. Mesens' copy of issue 1 at the Getty. This copy is from the library of John Lyle, the bookseller and historian of Surrealism and each issue features his bookplate.
[Le Fonds Paul Destribats 699].
5 issues. 4to. (298 x 215 mm). Typewritten text photocopied recto and verso as issued, text in Czech with occasional passages translated into French or English, inserted leaves of white paper with monochrome illustrations recto where applicable and original etching in issue 6. Original white paper wrappers with printed titles in black, stapled as issued, the final 2 issues with original works to covers (see below), wrappers frayed at spines, contents slightly brown due to paper quality..
#45556
