Bachmann, Ludwig. Schachmeister Steinitz. Ein Lebensbild des ersten Weltschachmeisters dargestellt in einer vollständigen Sammlung seiner Partien. 4 volumes (complete). Ansbach, Brügel, 1910 - 1921. In German. All volumes in original cloth binding. LN 3131.

The life's work of German chess historian Ludwig Bachmann (1856–1937), documenting the career of the 1st World Champion Wilhelm Steinitz from 1859 to 1900, including 969 of his games.

Volume 1: published 1910. 1 plate with a portrait photo, XIV, 418 pages. Covers the years 1859–1877. Condition - Still Good: binding is somewhat dusty and soiled. Inside, sporadic small stains.

Volume 2: published 1913. IV, 1 leaf, 232 pages, 1 leaf with advertisements. Covers the years 1878-1883. Condition - Still Good: binding is somewhat dusty and stained. Label on the spine. Inside, sporadic small stains.

Volume 3: published 1920. 1 plate with a photo from the 1894 World Championship match between Steinitz and Lasker (by the way, this is probably the first ever photo from a World Championship match where the exact position of the ongoing game can be determined. This is the 15th game of the match played on May 15, 1894 in Montreal. The position on the board is after Black's 23rd move (23...Rc6). Lasker subsequently played 24.Rab1 and won in move 44.), VIII, 482 pages, 3 leaves with advertisements. Covers the years 1884-1893.
Condition - Fair to Good: binding is worn, slightly soiled, and has remnants of a label on the spine. A crack in the gutter. Slight foxing on the edges. Handwritten numbers on page 385 (likely removable).

Volume 4: published 1921. 1 plate with a photo from the 1898 tournament in Cologne, XVIII, 391 pages, 3 leaves with advertisements. Covers the years 1894-1900.
Condition - Fair to Good: binding is somewhat soiled and stained. Label on the spine. A crack in the gutter. The first 256 pages with browned paper.

From the author's preface in Volume 1: 

How did this book come into being?

It was on August 17, 1896, when I sat with Steinitz in the garden of the Café Augusta in Augsburg, engaged in a lively exchange of ideas. Steinitz had accepted an invitation from the energetic second chairman of the Augsburg Chess Club, Mr. Kaspar Hofmann, to join him at the time of the then Nürnberg tournament. He gave a very interesting simultaneous exhibition against 21 players, which he conducted in brilliant style, winning all the games except for one draw, despite all the strong players of the club participating.

On this occasion, I suggested to him whether he had considered recording his experiences and games in a book, which would certainly generate great interest and could expect a wide readership. Steinitz replied that it was still too early for a memoir, and that he first needed to restore his prestige. He expressed the view that the failures of the previous years (1894 against Lasker, 1895 in Hastings, 1896 in St. Petersburg and Nürnberg) were solely due to his unfavorable physical condition; he would now go to Wörishofen, undergo the Kneipp cure, and then, physically refreshed, show Lasker in a second match that he was still the world champion. This idea was so firmly rooted in him that it is no wonder that the subsequent heavy disappointment shook his mental equilibrium. At that time, I gently pointed out that I did not share his confidence and noted that for him, chess laurels might be easier to acquire in literary or practical fields, and no one would blame him if, in his advanced years, he withdrew from serious competitive play.

But he refused to hear of it. The idea of voluntarily laying down the chess scepter was unbearable to him, for Steinitz was a fighter. "I am not concerned about a historian," he said confidently. "I myself am a piece of chess history, through which no one can pass indifferently. If I do not write down my own chess deeds, someone else will surely do it, perhaps even you yourself."

And since no more qualified person has yet appeared, I have undertaken the task of reminding future generations of the great, sometimes misunderstood, master. I consider this not only an act of reverence but a duty of the historian.

All four volumes come from the estate of Czech chess master Frantisek Treybal. He is signed on the title page in all 4 volumes with the exception of the third volume, where he is signed on the first endpaper.

Frantisek Treybal (1882-1947) was a Czech chess master and second official Czech chess champion. He won this title at the Congress of the Czech Chess Association in Brno 1907 (the first Czech champion was Oldrich Duras in Prague 1905). He was also the winner of the 1907 Berliner Schachgesellschaft tournament and took part in the first international tournament in Prague 1908. Older brother of the better known Czech chess master Karel Treybal.