Guske, F. Hairdressing Art (Parikmakherskoe iskusstvo), 1957. In Russian

Гуске Ф. Парикмахерское искусство. / Пер. с нем.
Лейпциг : Fachbuchverlag, 1957. (Отпечатано в СССР).
405 с. : 431 ил. Твёрдый издательский переплёт, формат 24 × 17 см. Мелованная бумага.
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Guske, F. Hairdressing Art (Parikmakherskoe iskusstvo). / Trans. from German.
Leipzig : Fachbuchverlag, 1957. (Printed in the USSR).
405 pp.: 431 ill. Publisher’s hardcover, 24 × 17 cm. Coated paper.

This 1957 edition of "Hairdressing Art" by Franz Guske is considered the ultimate "bible" of mid-century beauty and grooming. Originally published in East Germany and translated for the Soviet market, this comprehensive manual represents the rigorous German approach to vocational training. Printed on high-quality coated paper with over 400 detailed illustrations, it served as the foundational textbook for generations of top-tier stylists in the USSR.
The volume is exhaustive in its scope, bridging the gap between historical craft and modern chemical science. It begins with a fascinating history of the profession before diving into the technical minutiae of the trade: from the proper handling of straight razors and thinning shears to the complex chemistry of early synthetic dyes and permanent wave solutions. Unlike simpler manuals, Guske’s work includes advanced sections on wig making (postiche), anatomical studies for facial massage, and the medical foundations of skin and nail care.
The more than 400 illustrations and photographs are particularly valuable for historians of style. They document the transition from the structured, sculptural silhouettes of the 1940s to the softer, more versatile "New Look" aesthetics of the late 1950s. Every procedure—whether it be a surgical-style shave, a complex evening updo, or a medical pedicure—is captured with step-by-step photographic precision.
For collectors of fashion history, professional stylists, or enthusiasts of vintage "service industry" ephemera, this book is an unparalleled resource. It captures an era when hairdressing was treated not merely as a service, but as a discipline requiring knowledge of chemistry, hygiene, and artistic composition. Finding a copy with its 431 illustrations intact on its original heavy paper is a rare opportunity to own a piece of cultural history from the 1950s beauty industry.