Zargon Mowy Przestepcow, "Blatna Muzyka". Ogolny Zbiór Slow Gwary Zlodziejskiej. (Criminal Jargon, "Blatna Musika". A General Collection of the Thieves' Dialect.
Warsaw: Ksiegarni F. Hoesicka/ Ksiegarnia Hösicka, 1922 (1923)*. First edition. Softcover. Duodecimo. (vi) [2] 11-126pp. [2]. Original grey-green photo-illustrated wrappers with black lettering on the front cover. This obscure and intriguing work offers a comprehensive compiled dictionary of hundred of words of jargon used by Polish criminals and prison inmates, known colloquially as "Batna Muzyka" (Bland Music). It was compiled and produced by Polish police inspector, forensic investigator and criminologist Wiktor Ludwikowski (aka Wilczyński, 1886-1959), with the help of Henryk Walczak. The work was printed for intended use as "a manual for use by judicial and prosecutorial authorities, state police, military police, customs guard and private detectives." Printed on the top of the front cover and the title page is the author's motto: "In order to undetstand the crimanl world, you first have to speak their language". The second section is noteble for the inclusion of quite a few instances of slang of specifically Yiddish origin (p.81-121). Ludwikowski is among many things considered one of the founding figures of the International Criminal Police Commission (the precursor organization to Interpol) around this same period. The final text pages contained the text of letters written in the jargon as an example for the reader of its use in practice.
Text throughout in Polish.
Wrappers with minor to light stains and sunning to the covers. Spine chipped at the head and tail. Front cover and title page with the name of a previous owner in ink at the top of the front cover and title page. Title page with light water stains. Interior with sporadic minor foxing and water stains throughout. Book block still relatively tight. Wrappers in good-, interior in good condition overall. Protected in modern mylar. Quite scarce. g- to g. Item #48428
*Alternate tan wrappers exist.
*Title page is dated 1922, but the font cover states 1923.
Price: $1,750.00