London: George Allen & Unwin, 1935, 1st edition in English, original orange cloth with violin device to front cover, pp. 287, 14 b/w photographic plates (complete); condition VG- with all pages present and attached in solid binding, gutter cracked at 224-25 (see last photo) but holding well.
This autobiography of Carl Herrmann Unthan (1848-1929), a Prussian-born violinist and actor who was born without arms, is both astounding and inspirational as it shows what can be accomplished with fortitude and determination. His father was very strict and accorded his handicapped son no special treatment, insisting that he acquire the skills needed to fend for himself. From an early age he developed extraordinary dexterity with his legs, feet, and toes. Carl could feed and clothe himself, play the trumpet and the violin, take apart and regulate his own watch, shoot a rifle with great accuracy, and accomplish many other tasks that seem incredible to us today. He later toured the world as a multi-faceted performer, and wrote this autobiography near the end of his life. The book is whimsically called "a pediscript," not a manuscript, because he typed it using his toes.
As a teenager Unthan studied the violin with Ferdinand David, dedicatee of the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto. After a period of instruction, David loaned his priceless Guarneri del Gesu violin to young Carl for his debut performance, a movement from de Beriot's seventh concerto. (This is the same Guarneri that later became the concert instrument of Jascha Heifetz.) His subsequent Vienna solo debut in 1868 was with Johann Strauss conducting the orchestra.
To play the violin, Unthan first strapped the instrument to a stool, then held the bow with his left foot and fingered the strings using the toes of his right foot(!)
Unfortunately there is no extant recording of his playing, but he did appear in the 1913 Danish silent film Atlantis. By searching on YouTube under "Atlantis 1913" his remarkable skills can be seen, starting at about 1:20:30. For the next few minutes in the film he plays the trumpet, shuffles, deals and plays a game of cards, uncorks and serves a bottle of wine, and types a letter.
Both the German (pub. 1925) and English (1935) editions are quite rare. At present I can locate no other example of this English edition listed on the internet, although a xerox print-on-demand from India (without the photos) has been made available, as the work is deemed to be of historical importance.
- Jacket Condition: N/A
- Binding Condition: Good
- Overall Condition: Good
- Size: 21x15cm
