Russian Antiquarian Books

The 36th Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair November 14-16, 2014 Pavel Chepyzhov is an antiquarian bookseller based in . He is a member of ILAB and the Russian Guild of Antiquarian Booksellers. As this is only his second appearance at a western fair, he hopes you will forgive any flaws in this catalog and concentrate on the books themselves. The idea of BOOKVICA is to present Russian books in all their magnificent variety to the western world. Hence the range of this catalog, which spans to the Old Slavonic printed books and manuscripts (e.g. pp. 37-42). Yet the main highlight of this catalog is Russian science and the history of thought. It opens with books by Russian Nobel Laureates (from Mechnikov to Kapitsa) (pp. 3-6). Earlier works of science can be found in the second section (Sechenov, Mendeleev and Bunyakovsky) (pp. 7-13). It is hard to imagine a world untouched by their ideas. We also present a bountiful selection of books on Russian thought, most of them focusing on the history of Marxism (pp. 15-21). Many are well-known in the West, such as What is to be done? by Chernyshevsky, whilst others remain undeservedly obscure, such as books like the ground-breaking work by Bervi-Flerovsky that encouraged Marx to learn Russian. In our catalog you will find among Russian classics, two of the most well-known Russian novels: War and Peace and Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (the first edition and first appearance in print respectively) (pp. 23-26). Although the main aim of this catalog is to reflect Russian thought, science and culture, it also offers good examples of the reception of American and British classics in , such as the first translations of Salinger, Joyce and Harper Lee, and also some material very rare in the West, for example the first Armenian translation of Much Ado About Nothing and American classics translated into Georgian (pp. 27-33). Our next fair will be the New York Antiquarian Bookfair in April 2015. Cover design: detail from the rear decoration of [33] Kannonik (p. 37). Inside back cover: title-page for the first edition of [17] War and Peace. Back cover: Stenberg’s cover design for Gorin’s book on [35] the Kamerny Theater. 2 I. RUSSIAN NOBEL LAUREATES [1] [MECHNIKOV ON THE book, originally published in IMMUNE SYSTEM] French. MECHNIKOV, Ilya. This edition is rare, Nevospriimchivost’ k infekcionnim especially in original wrappers. boleznyam. [i.e. Immunity in Infectious Diseases]. St * Petersburg: K.L. Rikker, 1903. [4], II, 604, VII pp. 8vo. Original [2] [RUSSIAN NOBEL PRIZE IN wrappers. Good condition. The CHEMISTRY] spine is carefully restored. SEMENOV, N.N. Tsepnyie reaksii Owner’s pre-revolutionary stamp [Chain reactions]. Leningrad: on the title. The first Russian Goshimtechizdat, 1934. 555 pp. + edition. leaf of misprints. 4200 copies printed. Original publisher’s Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov (1845- cloth. Very good condition. Few 1916), the celebrated Russian marks in ink on the front biologist, was the second Russian endpaper and a number in ink on Nobel Laureate. He was awarded the title-page. the prize for his work on Very rare. immunity. Mechnikov discovered and described phagocytosis – the This is the magnum opus of phenomenon that is pivotal for one of the brightest minds of the modern understanding of Russian science in the XXth- immunity. century – the celebrated Mechnikov only wrote three physicist and chemist, Nikolay major books in his lifetime – two Semenov. The English translation of them, The Nature of Man, and (Chemical Kinetics and Chain The Prolongation of Life: Reactions) followed the next year Optimistic Studies are works of and became the classic reference social philosophy. This is the main book of chemical physics. book on biology by him. He Semenov discovered an combined all of his studies and entirely new chemical process – discoveries in the field in this one branched chain reactions –

3 describing their kinetic properties. [3] [THE ONLY RUSSIAN NOBEL His theoretical models anticipated LAUREATE IN ECONOMICS] the discovery of nuclear chain Smirnov, Krilov, KANTOROVICH. reactions. Variatsionnoe ischeslenie. In 1926-27, Semenov [Calculus of variations]. observed in his laboratory sudden Leningrad.: Kubuch, 1933. 204 pp. changes from virtual inactivity to 5200 copies printed. Original card great intensifications in chemical boards. Very good condition. reaction brought about by only slight changes in conditions. To The first appearance of explain this phenomenon, in 1930 Kantorovich in book form -34 he developed the theory of (chapters I, IV, V were written by branched chain reactions. him). Semenov’s model was sufficiently Leonid Kantorovich (1912- general to explain many common 1986) is best known as the only characteristics of chain processes Russian economist to become a even without an identification of Nobel Laureate. This book was the precise nature of the active printed 42 years before the prize centers. was given to him – at a time Academician, A. F. Ioffe, when, as an impressive young noted in 1932 that Semenov’s mathematician, he was fast studies of chain reactions “have making his way to the top of his revised the classic study of rates field. Aged 22, the year after this of chemical reactions, [and they book was published, he became a supply the] basis of a new full professor at Leningrad kinetics.” In 1956, Semenov University – one of the leading became the first Soviet scientist Soviet institutions of the time – to be awarded a Nobel Prize in having that year been granted a Chemistry. PhD in mathematics without presenting any paper. The present book is an anthology of lectures for university students – young Kantorovich shared the

4 authorship with very good condition: the only tear is at distinguished professors of the the bottom of the front. University – Vladimir Smirnov, the Generally good condition. creator of the most popular First Edition. course on Higher Mathematics in the pre-War , and Pyotr Kapitsa (1894-1984) Professor Vitaly Krylov. was a celebrated Russian Kantorovich started to work physicist who was awarded the on economic problems after Nobel Prize for Physics (1978) for World War II. He adapted his discoveries in low- mathematic formulae temperature physics. He began considerably to refine the theory his career at Cambridge working of the optimum allocation of with Ernest Rutherford. He soon resources and it was in earned a reputation and a special recognition of this contribution laboratory in Cambridge was built that he became the first and only for him to conduct his Russian Nobel Prize Laureate in experiments. In 1934, he Economics. returned to Russia to visit his The book is in very good parents and was refused a visa to condition for a book of lectures. go back to England. Kapitsa thus became one of the Soviet Union’s * talents who would “improve physical science in his own [4] [THE MOST INFLUENTIAL country”. RUSSIAN PHYSICIST] Between 1934 and his death KAPITSA, Pyotr Leonidovich. in 1984, Kapitsa opposed his own Eksperiment, teoriya, praktika: government: he wrote numerous stat’i i vystupleniya [i.e. letters of complaint to all the Experiment, theory, practice: party leaders including Stalin; he articles and speeches]. Moscow: criticized the Secret Service for Nauka, 1974. 287 pp., 1 portrait, arresting scientists (and famously 22x14 cm. The book was saved the Nobel Laureate, Lev designed by S. Verkhovsky. The Landau, from the Gulag). He dust-wrapper is present and in never became a member of the

5 Communist Party, the only Fellow suggests a scientific approach, of the Presidium of the Soviet but it is aimed at a general Academy of Science without a reader, exploring the difference Party membership-card. between theory and practice in This is the best-known book Soviet life in general. by Kapitsa, the compilation he The first English edition made of his greatest appeared in 1980. The book has achievements. It explains his gone through five editions in major discoveries in a simple Russia and remains one of the language, his social position, his best-known Physics books for a outlook and his general general audience. philosophy. The title of the book

6 II. SCIENCE

[5] [FIRST RUSSIAN BOOK ON descent. He got his Bachelor PROBABILITY] degree from the Sorbonne in BUNYAKOVSKY, V. Osnovania France where he read the latest matematicheskoy teorii works on the theory of veroyatnostey [i.e. Foundations of probability before returning to St the Mathematical heorT y of Petersburg. The Department of Probability]. St Petersburg: v Probability Theory was created at tipografii Imperatorskoy Akademii St Petersburg University as early Nauk, 1846. [4], XVII, [3], 478, [2] as 1830, and Viktor Bunyakovsky pp. 1 table + Memoires De became the first Head of the L'Acadedemie Des Sciences De St. Department. In writing this book, -Petersbourg, VII serie. T. 1, № 5. Bunyakovsky wanted to adapt Tchebychef. Sur L'interpolation Laplace’s theory for a general Dans Le Cas D'un Grand Nombre audience – because the classic De Donnees Fournies Par Les study, Le Theorie Analitique des Observations [i.e. On the Probabilites (1812) was Interpolation in the Case of Grand “intelligible only for a few Number of Data Provided By readers”. Here, Bunyakovsky Observation] St Petersburg, 1859. developed Russian terminology [2], 81 pp. 4to. Crossed owner’s for the theory of Probability, stamp on p. I, title-page, p. 3 of much of which is still used today. the supplement, foxing. According to O. Sheynin, Contemporary quarter-leather. Bunyakovsky transferred the Spine and edges of the boards analytical theory of Probability to rubbed, a piece of spine missing Applied Mathematics. He also from the top. Foxing throughout. connected the theory with First edition. Rare. statistics. i.e. to the statistical control of quality, the field to Viktor Yakovlevich which he would contribute later Bunyakovsky (1804-1889) was a in his life (O. B. Sheynin, On V Ya celebrated Russian Buniakovsky's work in the theory mathematician of Ukrainian of probability, Arch. Hist. Exact

7 Sci. 43 (3) (1991) p. 205). [6] [THE FATHER OF RUSSIAN The book had great success in PHYSIOLOGY] Russia at the time because of its SECHENOV, I. Refleksy golovnogo practical emphasis, its use of mozga [i.e. Reflexes of the Brain]. multiple examples and the St Petersburg: A. Golovachov, analysis of how probability works 1866. [4], II, 186 pp. 8vo. in everyday life. For example, Contemporary quarter-leather Bunyakovsky dedicated around binding. The name of the author 60 pages of this text to the and the book title as well as treatment of election results, to owner’s initials in gilt on the the study of testimonies and spine. Owner’s private stamp on decisions passed by tribunals. the title. Some side foxing on the Bunyakovsky also examined first seven pages fo the text and demographic and social issues in on the last five. The top of the his book such as the increase of spine has been restored. Overall the population; he compared copy is in good condition. various methods of compiling Very rare. mortality tables. The book is listed in the First Edition of the ground- catalog of Nikolay Berezin: Ruskie breaking work that established knizhnie redkosti (i.e. Rare the basis of the Russian School of Russian Books, 1902) № 77 with Physiology. Ivan Mikhailovich the note: “a quite significant Sechenov (1829-1905) single- work in the field of mathematics, handedly created this field of containing not only theoretical Russian science, by introducing but some very useful practical electrophysiology and applications to different fields. neurophysiology into medical Sold out a long time ago and laboratories. according to Volf’s catalog (1880) This is one of the main is rare and can be priced up to 25 works by Sechenov. Originally an roubles.” article with the same name was to be printed in Sovremennik, the most influential periodical of the time, but it was forbidden by the

8 censor, but it was published in [7] [MENDELEEV ON CHEMICAL 1863 in the medical journal, SOLUTIONS - SIGNED COPY]. Meditsinsky vestnik. The MENDELEEV, D. Issledovanie expanded book version, now a vodnih rasstvorov po udelnomu classic text, appeared four years vesu [Study of Aqueous Solutions later. This work marked the from their Specific Gravity]. St beginning of the era of objective Petersburg: V. Demakov, 1887. physiology. Sechenov XXII, 520, [1] pp. 8vo. Original demonstrated that since reflexes cloth with the title in gilt on the cannot occur without external spine. Endpapers renewed. stimuli, physiological activity is Occasional staining at the start brought about by stimuli that act and end of the book. on the sense organs. He made a This copy is signed to a friend and significant contribution to our a chess partner of Dmitry knowledge of reflexes by Mendeleev, Anton Ivanovich determining that reflexes depend Skander, an engineer (see not only on current stimuli but Mendeleeva, A.I. Mendeleev v also on past influences. Sechenov zhizni [Mendeleev in life]. believed that the retention of Moscow, 1928). vestiges in the central nervous system is the basis for memory; Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev inhibition is the mechanism for (1834-1907), one of the most the selective control of behavior; celebrated Russian scientists, is and the operation of the best known for his formulation of amplifying mechanism of the Periodic Law and creating the brain is the foundation for periodic table of elements that motivation. was revolutionary for the time. Ivan Pavlov, the most He was particularly active in famous of Sechenov’s pupils, different fields of chemistry. As called him “the father of Russian he said in 1905: “There were four physiology”. things that gave me a name in science – my periodic table, study of elasticity of gases, understanding ‘solutions as

9 associations’ and Osnovy himii chemical solutions, Mendeleev [The Fundamentals of anticipated the theory of Chemistry].” Mendeleev began by hydration (and, in general, studying chemical solutions in his solvation) of ions. Mendeleev’s thesis, Udelnie Obyemi (1856) ideas about the chemical [Specific Volumes]. interaction between the He set forth his views on the components of a solution nature of solutions in this contributed significantly to the monograph, Study of Aqueous development of the modern Solutions from their Specific theory of solutions. Gravity (1887), which contains a vast quantity of experimental * data. According to Mendeleev, [8] [MENDELEEV LECTURES] solutions are liquid systems in a Organicheskiy analiz, state of dissociation. These sostavlenniy po lekciyam systems consist of molecules of professora Mendeleeva. [i.e. the solvent and solute and of the Organic analysis, compiled from products of their interaction— the lectures of Professor unstable chemical compounds. Mendeleev]. 1864. 81 pp. 8vo. On diagrams showing the Illustrations in text. Collotype dependence between the printing. Modern quarter-leather. composition and the derivative of The book belonged to Pyotr the density with respect to the Petrovich Alekseev (1840-1891), composition (that is, the Chemistry Professor of Kiev maximum ratio of increase in University. density to increase in Good condition. composition), Mendeleev found breaks corresponding to the Rare example of summaries formation of chemical made by students during compounds. Much later (from Mendeleev’s time as a lecturer. 1912) N. S. Kurnakov, proceeding Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev from Mendeleev’s ideas, created (1834-1907) wrote his first the theory of singular points of textbook on the subject of chemical diagrams. In his work on organic chemistry

10 (Organicheskaya khimiya) in 1861 problems he was currently and thereafter gave lectures on working on”. V. E. Grum- the subject at St Petersburg Grzhimaylo, the famous Siberian University. explorer, remembered how These student summaries “deep, brilliant and passionate” date from his early lectures on the lectures were, much more organic chemistry. In 1867, he captivating anth the material turned to general chemistry and from his textbooks. later to the chemistry of solutions. * This collotype is a fine example of student printing. Such [9] [MENDELEEV, THE cheap editions (sometimes ECONOMIST] lithographed) were made by MENDELEEV, Dmitry. Ob students for students from usloviyah razvitiya zavodskogo handwritten summaries. This one dela v Rossii [On the Conditions of features small illustrations in the Developing Industry in Russia]. St margins of the lecture notes. Petersburg: A.S. Suvorin, 1882. Usually such editions were 52pp. 8vo. printed in a range of only 100-200 Original wrappers. Good copies and were heavily used so condition. Water stain in the they rarely survive. Alexeev must lower part of title-page and two have bought it in St Petersburg following leaves. when he was giving private Chemistry lessons before leaving Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev for Kiev in 1866. (1834-1907) was not only a According to V.L. Komarov, leading scientist in his field, but the President of the Soviet also the author of several works Academy of Science, Mendeleev’s concerning Russian industry. This lectures constituted “a is his first such work. constructive process in itself, as In the context of Russia’s very often Dmitry Ivanovich was rapid industrial growth in the thinking aloud as he lectured, 1880s, and having been brought finding solutions to the chemical up among the factories of Siberia,

11 Mendeleev sought to encourage perevedeno s korrekturnih listov, industrial development and to prislannih avtorom [i.e. promote public interest in the translated from the proofs sent subject. by the author] by A. Kovalevsky. Mendeleev wrote, “I have St Petersburg: F.S. Suchinsky, seen enough to know how little 1872. [2] VI, 335 pp. 25 ill. 21х14 we did in terms of managing our cm. Of 25 illustrations, there are factories rightly. They are 18 imprints and 7 photo significant for the people, so the illustrations. Contemporary organization of the industrial quarter-leather. The owner's pre- process is pivotal.” revolutionary stamp on the title. This work, along with the Some scattered foxing to the other essays on industrial margins throughout the book. In problems written by Mendeleev the right bottom corner of the in the 1880s, was one of the title page is a water stain. It phenomena that prompted the remains in the corner and goes decree by Emperor Alexander III through to p. 227 diminishing in (1845-1894) to the Minister of size. All plates in tact, all but one Finance, I.A. Vishegradsky, to has the original tissue paper. undertake a general revision of Rare and little-known in the the customs tariff to bring it into West. proper alignment with the needs of modern industry, thus This edition is a fine comprehensively revitalizing it. example of the affection had for Darwin and his theories. * Vladimir Kovalevsky (1842-1883), the translator of this book, was a [10] [RUSSIAN EDITION OF Russian biologist and the founder DARWIN PRINTED AT THE SAME of evolutionary paleontology. His TIME AS THE ENGLISH ORIGINAL] own scientific works were printed DARWIN, C. O Vyrazhenii between 1873 and 1877, and oschucheniy u cheloveka I according to Henry Osborn zhivotnih [i.e. The expressions of (Osborn, H. The rise of Mammalia emotion in animals and men] / in North America // Proc. Amer.

12 Assoc. Sci. 1894. vol. 42, pp. 189– translate Darwin into Russian as 227) they “dare away” all soon as possible so he asked traditional and dry European Darwin to send him the paleontology. That was mainly manuscript proofs of his book because Kovalevsky was a The variation of Animals and devoted Darwinist and adapted Plants under domestication. That Darwin’s ideas to paleontology. book was translated by Luis Dollo, the Belgian Kovalevsky so quickly that it paleontologist, a contemporary came out earlier than the first of Kovalevsky’s, described him English edition (the first volume thus: “No paleontologist of that book came out in 1867 embodies so perfectly our epoch, but the English ‘original’ as the brilliant and miserable appeared in 1868). Vladimir Kovalevsky, friend and Five years later, Kovalevsky guest of the immortal Charles did it again with this particular Darwin”. work, The expressions of Indeed, Kovalevsky was a emotions in animals and men and friend of Darwin’s and they as a result the English and corresponded extensively Russian edition appeared in the (unfortunately all the letters have same year, 1872. been lost). When visiting Darwin This book also pioneers in 1877, the Russian botanist, Russian photo illustration – seven Timiryazev, asked Darwin about of the illustrations are actual his views of Russian science and photographs, earning it its Darwin replied that he thought reputation as one of the first Vladimir Kovalevsky was the Russian books to be illustrated bright hope of paleontology. with photographs. Kovalevsky was very eager to

13 14 III. SOCIAL THOUGHT

[11] [THE BOOK THAT about on the continent even by ENCOURAGED MARX TO LEARN so-called revolutionists, has been RUSSIAN] mercilessly exposed in this work. BERVI-FLEROVSKY, V.V. Polozhenie The virtues of the book are not rabochego klassa v Rossii. [The diminished if I say that it is in condition of the working class in several places not fully up to Russia]. St Petersburg: critical standards, from the purely N.P.Polyakova, 1869. [6], II, 494 scholarly point of view. This is a pp. 1 map (carefully restored). work of a serious observer, a 8vo. Contemporary quarter- dispassionate laborer, and an leather. Good condition. First impartial critic, a powerful artist, edition. etc...” Flerovsky was praised widely Vassily Vasilievich Bervi- and the impact he had in Russia Flerovsky’s (1829-1918) main was immense. He was one of the work was nicknamed the Russian ideologues of the narodnichestvo Das Kapital; its description of (Populist) movement, living his Russian economic reality was life in “voluntary poverty” along thoroughly Marxist. In turn, it with the peasants and lower influenced Marx himself. He classes of Russian society in order started to learn Russian in 1869 better to understand them. His in order to read this book that economics and lifestyle earned had already been praised by him widespread support among Engels. Marx was planning to students and the middle-classes. focus heavily on Russia in the He was routinely compared to third volume of Das Kapital Tolstoy in the extent (though not (specifically, on Russian agrarian the nature) of the influence both relations). men exerted on the minds of the Marx commented later: “The people. work by Flerovskii is a real Most of Flerovsky’s works discovery for Europe. Russian were banned in Russia as he was optimism which has been put an open revolutionary. Though

15 the first edition of this book was gilt “Razni knigi” [i.e. “Different banned, it sold so quickly that it books” in Bulgarian]. Good was not possible to destroy the condition. Owner’s inscription on whole run; but the second all the title-pages. edition, printed in 1872, was completely destroyed (2465 Among the books in this copies). single volume, the most Svodny katalog russkoy significant si the last, the first nelegalnoy i zaprechennoy impression of the first edition of pechati XIX veka. 187. Georgi Plekhanov’s Nashi raznoglasiya. It is considered one * of the three major works written by him. In this book, Plekhanov [12] [RUSSIAN IMMIGRANT explained the split between the MARXIST PRESS] pure Marxist movement and the Convolute (personal anthology) populist movement of Narodniki of books printed in Geneva by the (the group responsible for the Marxist organization assassination fo the Russian Tsar, “Osvobozhdenie truda” (The Alexander II, in 1881). This work liberation of labor) led by articulated the Marxist position G.Plekhanov, consisting of: on most aspects of Russian life. PLEKHANOV, G. Ferdinand Lassal, Plekhanov stressed that ego zhizn i deyatelnost [i.e. capitalism had begun to establish Ferdinand Lassalle, his life and itself in Russia, primarily in the deeds] Part 1 (and all) 1887. 66 textile industry but also in pp. , and that a working MARX, K. Nicheta filosofii [i.e. The class was beginning to emerge in poverty of philosophy]. 1886. Russia. It was this expanding XXXI, 154, [2] pp. working class that would PLEKHANOV, G. Nashi ultimately and inevitably bring raznoglasiya [i.e. Our about socialist change in Russia, differences]. 1884. XXIV, 332 pp. Plekhanov argued. The book was 8vo. Bound in contemporary officially printed in 1885 but first quarter-leather. On the spine in impressions have ‘1884’ on the title. 16 Georgi Plekhanov was one of Rare first edition of one of the earliest Russian Marxists, Plekhanov’s most important prominent in a then small group books. By the time of its of what were mainly immigrants. publication, the author was in He was the leading theorist of the exile, banned from returning to movement, and he corresponded Russia for 15 years. According to personally with Friedrich Engels. Lenin: “On this book the whole All three books from the generation of Russian Marxists convolute were banned in the was taught.” at the time. Georgi Plekhanov (1856- Svodny catalog russkoy 1918) was the founder of Russian nelegalnoy i zaprechennoy Marxism and its main pechati XIX veka. 1352-1354. theoretician. It was as a result of his efforts that Russian * revolutionaries turned from the Narodniki (populists) movement [13] [THE GOSPEL OF RUSSIAN fashionable in the 1860s and ’70s SOCIAL DEMOCRACY] to Marxism. Friedrich Engels, Beltov, N. [PLEKHANOV, G.] K who was in constant voprosu o razvitii correspondence with Plekhanov, monisticheskogo vzglyada na read and endorsed this book just istoriyu [On the Question of the before his death in 1895. He Monistic View of History] St wrote to Vera Zasulich Petersburg, 1895. [4], 287 pp. (01/30/1895) “it’s great that the 22x15 cm. In owner’s book will be printed in Russia - contemporary wrappers. The title Georgy will have huge success”. of the book in ink on the spine. Indeed it remains unclear why Spine is rubbed, it lacks a small censors allowed this book to be part at the bottom. The rear printed in St Petersburg – wrapper lacks a piece in the Plekhanov’s work had typically corner. Otherwise in good been printed in Geneva. condition. Some minor soiling on Engels was proved right: the title-page. Occasional according to Martyn Lyadov (a underlining in text. Rare. member of RSDLP) the book was

17 sold immediately and a lot of confined to the number of socially active young men turned delegates attending: just 134. to the Social-Democrats after The IVth Congress was held reading it. It was called “The in Stockholm, Sweden in April gospel of Russian Social- 1906. The main theme became Democracy” by Mikhail Ivanovich the agrarian debates – what to Bulgakov (a socialist and a party do with the land and landlords member) in 1907. after a revolution. Lenin’s During the Soviet years this position was typically very radical book became iconic. It was – he proposed that the lands translated into 12 languages and owned by the church and the 580,000 copies were printed. aristocracy should be nationalized. He argued that the * bourgeois-democratic revolution would be lead to a temporary, [14] [LENIN BEFORE 1917] transitional period during which LENIN. Peresmotr agragnoy the State would own the land. programmy rabochey partii. [The Only after the social revolution Revision of the Agrarian Program would it pass to the people. of the Workers’ Party]. St Lenin’s position was Petersburg, 1906. 31 pp. Original opposed by Mensheviks and printed wrappers. Some pale follow Bolshevik, Borisov, who water stains to the front wrapper. believed that the land should be The owner’s inscription in pencil given to the peasants on the title. Rare, like all of straightaway. That program was Lenin’s pre-revolutionary supported by the majority of pamphlets. at the Congress, amd Lenin was forced to vote for it too This pamphlet was printed so as not to split the vote. From to accompany Lenin’s speech at that debate the famous Bolshevik the IVth Congress of the RSDLP slogan was coined: “Zemli – (Russian Social Democratic abL or krestyanam!” (“land to the Party). It is probable that the peasants”). number of copies produced was Lenin started to publish his

18 books in the late XIXth century Marx famously stated (to but those printed in Russia Lopatin), “Of all contemporary appeared under the pseudonym, economists, Chernyshevsky is the Ilyin. Only after the revolution of only original mind; the others are 1905 was it possible for him to just ordinary compilers” (Lopatin, publish under his real name. This Avtobiografia (Petrograd, 1922) brochure is one of the first. p. 77). Chernyshevsky wrote the * novel in the cell of Petropavlovskaya krepost (the [15] [THE BOOK THAT PLANTED Peter and Paul Fortress, a prison) THE SEED OF REVOLUTION IN whilst awaiting trial. He stood RUSSIA] accused of writing a CHERNYSHEVSKY, N. Chto Delat? proclamation to peasants which [What Is To Be Done?] (In the government officials saw as an original printing of nos. 3-5 of appeal for revolution. When Sovremennik [The Contemporary] Chernyshevsky was arrested, he (March-May, 1863). St was already a significant and Petersburg, 1863, [2], 5-142; 373- popular figure in liberal circles 526; 55-197 + [1] pp: "Zagadka", and the idol of the student by N. Berg. Contemporary community. quarter-leather. New endpapers, The novel he wrote in his title in gilt on the spine is also cell is an appeal to the masses. It modern. Some very occasional is extraordinary that the novel staining, pencil underscores in passed through the censors and text. Good copy overall. Rare. appeared in the spring issues of Sovremennik [The This scarce first printing of Contemporary]. Censor Beketov all parts of the most influential was dismissed soon afterwards Russian novel ever written — and the issues of the journal Chernyshevsky's magnum opus is containing the novel were considered the single most banned, but by then it was important work of modern already too late – the seditious revolutionary thought. novel had reached its readers

19 and was already creating a storm Chekhonin. The wrappers can be in Russian society. Unlike separated from the block, some previous examples in Russian minor tears to the spine. The Literature, Chto delat? resonated owner’s inscription on the title- with Russian youth and moved page by Bernard Gartenshteyn – them to action. the well-known translator of the It set the tone for everyone early Soviet period. who craved change – and gave a voice to those who previously Vladimir Ivanovich lacked one. Chernyshevsky wrote Vernadsky (1863-1945) is well- the “bible” of the Russian known for popularizing the revolution and became a prophet concept of the biosphere – his of revolutionary thought just starting point was that life is a before being imprisoned for 19 geological force that can years. influence the changes of the As the Russian anarchist, Earth. He first formulated his Pyotr Kropotkin, put it: “For theory in the book Russian youth of that time this ‘Biosphere’ (1926) but this work book was a revelation, it became was adapted from the lecture their program of action, it Vernadsky gave in Dom became their banner” (Kropotkin, Literatorov in St Petersburg in P. Idealy I deystvitelnost v russkoy 1921. literature (St Petersburg, 1907) p. The significance of 306). Vernadsky’s understanding of the biosphere consists in its * combination of geology and philosophy. Vernadsky is [16] [RUSSIAN COSMISM MEETS considered one of the founders GEOLOGY] of geochemistry and VERNADSKY, V.I. Nachalo I radiogeology. His works in these vechnost’ zhizni [The Beginning fields made his scientific and Eternity of Life] Petrograd.: reputation. However, he was very Vremya, 1922. 58, [1] pp. Original interested in the ideas of Russian wrappers designed by Sergey cosmism, a philosophical

20 movement from the beginning of At the age of 59, Vernadsky the XXth century. It was a first realized he could combine philosophy that combined a wide two tendencies – Russian range of concepts, from religion cosmism and geology – and and ethics to history and the created the theory of the philosophy of the origin, biosphere. By 1922 he was the evolution and future existence of author of more than 200 works the cosmos and humankind. The on biogeochemistry and pivotal person in the movement radiogeology, but this book is the was Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (1857- first on cosmism – the first step 1935) the celebrated founding- towards the theory of the father of astronautics. biosphere.

21 22 IV. RUSSIAN CLASSICS

[17] [FIRST EDITION OF WAR The first edition of one of the AND PEACE] greatest Russian novels. Unlike TOLSTOY, Leo. Voina i Mir [i.e. Tolstoy’s other masterpiece, Anna War and Peace]. Moscow: T.Ris, Karenina, and many of 1868. First edition. Six parts Dostoevsky’s works, War and bound in three volumes. Volume Peace first appeared in full in I, Part I: [4], 297, 146. Part II. [4], book form, not in 186; Volume II. Part 3 [2], 284; periodicals. Tolstoy only made an Part IV: [4], 336; Volume III. Part attempt to publish parts of the V: [4], 323; Part VI: [4], 290 pp. novel under the title “Tysiacha All half-titles present. All the Vosemsot Piatii God” (“The Year volumes from one set of K.M. 1805”) in the journal, Russkii Soloviev (pre-revolutionary Vestnik, in 1865. Rare in such owner’s stamps on the titles of all condition. three volumes). Volume three is Kilgour 1195. in contemporary half-leather [See inside back cover for binding (new endpapers and photograph of title-page.] paper on boards), two others are in modern bindings copying the * contemporary one. Spines lettered and stamped in gilt (in [18] [ANNA KARENINA: FIRST Russian). Good condition. Some APPEARANCE IN PRINT] minor foxing to the title page of Tolstoy, Leo. Anna Karenina // Part I and Part III. A water-stain Russkiy vestnik [Russian Herald] goes through the top edge of pp. 1875. vol. CXV, nos. 1—4; 1876, [1]-179 of Part V with some vol. CXXI, nos. 1—2, vol. CXXII, scattered browning in Volume III. nos. 3—4, vol. CXXVI, № 12; Minor tear to the margin of p.3 1877, vol. CXXVII, nos. 1—4. of Part V not affecting the text. 8vo, pp. [243]-336, [1], [742]-817, Some marginalia in Volume III – [2], [246]-316, [1], [572]-641, [1], not affecting the text. [305]-390, [679]-745, [1], [291]- 339, [1], [641]-693, [1], [687]-

23 737, [1], [267]-324, [1], [830]- Rare both as an example of 898, [329]-382, [709]-763, [1]. devotion toT olstoy by an Any sections of text not from unknown reader and as the first Anna Karenina are covered in old appearance in print of this paper. Ink stains to first few canonical text. leaves, edges guarded, some mild staining and finger-marking in * places, some marginal water- staining towards the end. [19] [FIRST BOOK BY GORKY] Contemporary half morocco, re- GOR’KII, Maksim [i.e. Aleksei backed preserving original spine. Maksimovich Peshkov]. Ocherki i All parts bound together. razskazy [Sketches and Stories] … Izdanie S. Dobrovatovskago i A. Anna Karenina was Charushnikova. St Peterburg. serialized in Russkii Vestnik in Parovaia skoropechatnia I. A. 1875. This copy was created by a Bogel’man … 1898. 2 vols, 8vo devoted reader who removed all (206 × 135 mm), [4], 333, [1] pp.; the parts from 13 issues of the [4], 379, [5] pp.; uncut in the journal and bound them in a original printed wrappers; pencil single volume. Owing to a notes to a couple of pages; some political disagreement between light surface wear, sections of the Tolstoy and the periodical’s spine of vol. I repaired, small chip publisher, Mikhail Katkov, over at foot of vol. II; early ink Serbian independence (Katkov ownership inscription, and ink and his journal were in favor, and stamp of Kharkiv-based Tolstoy was against) the last part bookseller, Ioganson, to titles. of the story was never printed. A Very rare first edition of Gorky’s complete edition (with the final debut book. part) was published in book form in 1878, but this was the only Gorky published his first separate edition (that is, story, ‘Makar Chudra’, in a Tiflis excluding collections and newspaper in 1892. Later that selections) during Tolstoy’s year, he moved to Nizhny lifetime. Novgorod, where he “began his

24 career as a professional writer in A volume of stories collected earnest, publishing stories, to commemorate the death of sketches, essays, and poetry in the Russian classic poet, N. A. various periodicals of the Volga Nekrasov (1821-1877) printed region. In 1895, he broke into the immediately after his passing in a “big time” of Moscow and limited number of copies. Petersburg journals, and soon his In this collection different two-volume collection, Sketches contemporary writers shared and Stories (Ocherki i razskazy, stories about him. The most well- 1898) made him famous. Along known figure among them is with the Norwegian, Knut Dostoevsky (1821-1881) who Hamsun, and the American, Jack wrote three of the stories. Others London, he introduced a new include Polonsky, Arseniev, kind of romanticism to world Palmin etc. The profit from the literature, that of the hobo and sale of the book was used to fund drifter” (Terras). the Nekrasov Scholarship for Not in Kilgour, though there students of St Petersburg is a copy at Harvard (the only University. copy listed by OCLC). The drawing at the front of the book is a rare picture of * Nekrasov made by I. Mikhailov from a photograph that William [20] [DOSTOEVSKY ON Carrick took just days before NEKRASOV] Nekrasov’s death. William Carrick Na pam'at o Nikolae Alekseeviche (1827-1878) was an artist and Nekrasove [i.e. In memory of photographer from Edinburgh, Nikolay Alekseevich Nekrasov]. St Scotland, who spent most of his Petersburg: F.S. Suchinsky, 1878. life in Russia. He had a 147, III pp. 8vo. Frontispiece is a photographic studio in the center drawing from a photo of of St Petersburg. He was Nekrasov on his deathbed by associated with the finest Russian William Carrick. Contemporary artists of the time: Zichy, Ge, quarter-leather. Good condition. Kramskoy and Vasnetsov, who Spine leather restored. Rare. hired him to take photographs of

25 their works and to make prints. writers in pre-revolutionary His son, Valery, became one of Russia. the most successful children’s

26 V. ENGLISH AND AMERICAN CLASSICS: TRANSLATIONS TO RUSSIAN, GEORGIAN AND ARMENIAN [21] [FIRST TRANSLATION OF periodical Shamaran in Calcutta SHAKESPEARE IN ARMENIAN] in 1822. The first play performed SHAKESPEARE, W. Zur tegh mec in Armenian took place in 1867 in aghmuk. [i.e. Much Ado About Tbilisi (The Merchant of Venice). Nothing]. Tbilisi: I.Martirosyants, 1888. 111 pp. 8vo. Contemporary * quarter-leather. Spine is rubbed. Good clean copy. [22] [RUSSIAN JOYCE] Joyce, J. Uliss [Ulysses] // Novinki Unknown in the West, this is zapada. Al’manakh [Almanac of the first translation into Western Trends] no. 1 [all Armenian of Much Ado About published]. Pod redaktsiei Nothing. The translation aw s Evgeniia Lanna [New Books from made by Ovanes Laloyan, who the West]. Edited by Yevgeny translated several of Lann. Moscow, Leningrad: Shakespeare’s plays at the time. Zemlya I Fabrika, 1925. 8vo. 251, The translation has been made [3] pp., later binding, both from the German of August original wrappers are preserved Schlegel and Ludwig Tieck. under the binding but cropped. Layolan used ancient Armenian The owner’s inscription on the phrases to translate sections ni title (1932). Bookseller’s stamp Latin. on the rear wrapper. Extremely This is the first attempt to rare. translate this play. The classical Armenian translation appeared First appearance of any part much later by Ovanes Maseyan of Ulysses in Russian. The (1864-1931) – not printed until selections from the novel— 1967, in Beirut. excerpts from Episodes 1, 7, 12, The first translation of 17, and 18—appear here on pp. Shakespeare in the Armenian 65–94, translated by V. language appeared in the Zhitomirsky. A complete Russian

27 translation did not appear until This convolute indicates the 1989, published in book form in interest Soviet readers had in 1993. See Emily Tall, ‘The Western literature; though the reception of James Joyce in range of authors available to Russia’ in The Reception of James them was limited. Innostrannaya Joyce in Europe, vol. I (2004) p. Literatura was at the forefront of 245. bringing unfamiliar western Rogozhin, Literaturno- writing to the Soviet public. khudozhestvennye al’manakhi i The first book edition of the sborniki 429. novel appeared in 1965 (see below). * * [23] [FIRST APPEARANCE OF THE CATCHER IN THE RYE IN [24] [SALINGER PORTRAIT IN RUSSIAN] RUSSIAN EDITION] SALINGER, J. Nad propastyu vo SALINGER, J.D. Nad propastyu vo rzhi [i.e. The Catcher in the rye] // rzhi. Vyshe stropila, plotniki. Inostrannaya literatura. №11, Horosho lovitsya rybka-bananka. 1960. translated by R. Wright- Chelovek, kotoriy smeetsia. Kovaleva. The full text of the Goluboy period de Somye-Smita. novel is extracted from the Lyapa-rastyapa. [i.e. The Catcher November issue of Inostrannaya in the Rye. Raise High the Roof- literatura (Foreign Literature) and Beam, Carpenters. A Perfect Day bound together with other for Bananafish. The Laughing Western novels from the same Man. De Daumier-Smith’s Blue periodical including W. Faulkner’s Period. / translated from English The Mansion, Jay Deiss’ Great by R. Wright-Kovaleva. Moscow: infidel , Erskine Coldwell’s Jenny Molodaya gvardiya, 1965. 254, (all unfinished). In owner’s 1960s [2] pp., 1 portrait. The original Soviet Binding with the front illustrated cardboards. The wrapper of Inostrannaya boards are rubbed. Literatura №2, 1963 glued to the front cover.

28 The first edition in Russian of [25] [SALINGER GOES The Catcher in the Rye which had GEORGIAN] first appeared in serial form in SALINGER, Jerome D. Tamashi Inostrannaya Literatura five years chvavis kanashi, Cheri asciet earlier. As a devotee to the durglebo, Banana tevzis amindi, Kashkin school of translation, Rita Dzghvnad esmes, Konetikuteli Rait-Kovaleva attempted to kuti dzia, Chemi mcvane tvalebi convince the censors to allow her da lamazi tuchebi, Sevdiani to include Holden's language, simghera. [i.e. The Catcher in the viewed the world over as Rye, Raise High the Roof-Beam, obscene. The censor dismissed Carpenters, A Perfect Day for this outright. In consequence, Bananafish, For Esme – with Love Rait-Kovaleva made her and Squander, Uncle Wiggily in translation more “literary” in Connecticut, Pretty Mouth and tone. It remained the only Green My Eyes, Blue Melody] / authorized translation for the translated from English by duration of the Soviet period. Vakhtang Chelidze. Tbilisi: It is particularly interesting Nakdauli, 1969. 373, [2] pp. ill., to note that this is only the third 8vo. Original cloth in good publication of Salinger's to condition. No dust-jacket was include his portrait (the other printed. Several illustrations by two being the American first T.Mirzashvili. issue and first book club edition) as he famously demanded that all The second edition of the subsequent books of his must not first translation into Georgian of portray him on the cover or this collection of Salinger’s include any reviews. An stories. First printed in 1963 important and fascinating facet of (earlier than the first Russian the history of The Catcher in the book edition) by the same Rye. publishing house. This remained the sole translation into Georgian till 2006 when an edition appeared by Gia Chumburidze. However, this first

29 translation is still considered the The first edition of the first standard and the book was re- translations of these two published in 2011. Hemingway novels into Georgian. Vakhtang Chelidze (1917- This translation by the classic 2005) was one of the main Georgian translator , Vakhtang translators from English to Chelidze, remains the only one to Georgian after WWII. His first the language. This book was re- work was a translation of Romeo published in 1976 and 2011. and Juliet in 1945. Later, he Vakhtang Chelidze (1917- became the head of the 2005) was one of the main important Georgian publishing translators from English to house, “Sovetskaya Georgian in the post-WWII era. Gruzia” (“Soviet Georgia”). His first work was translating Romeo and Juliet to Georgian in * 1945; in 1967 he became the head of the important Georgian [26] [HEMINGWAY IN publishing house which printed GEORGIAN] this book — “Sovetskaya HEMINGWAY, E. Mshvidobit Gruzia” (“Soviet Georgia”). iaragho!, Aghmoxdebis mze / Piesta [i.e. A Farewell to Arms. * The Sun Also Rises /Fiesta] / translated into Georgian by [27] [OSCAR WILDE’S INFLUENCE Vakhtang Chelidze. Tbilisi: IN RUSSIA] Sovetskaya Gruziya, 1961. 477, CHUKOVSKY, K. Oskar Ual’d [4] pp.: ill. 8vo. Original illustrated [Oscar Wilde]. St Petersburg: cardboards. The design of the Raduga, 1922. 78 pp. 1000 copies boards and the illustrations in printed. 22x15 cm. text are by a collective of three In original printed wrappers. The illustrators: O. Kochakidze, A. top of the spine is missing and Slovinski and I. Chikvaidze. The the corner of the rear wrapper boards are slightly rubbed at the next to it. Tears to the edges of edges. pp. 199-200 are torn with the wrapper. On the front minimum of text missing. wrapper owner’s inscription “S.

30 Kara-Murza”. Sergei Kara-Murza [28] [FIRST RUSSIAN TO KILL A (1876-1956) was a well-known MOCKINGBIRD] theater critic, no e of the first LEE, Harper. Ubit’ peresmeshnika historians of Maly Teatr in [To Kill a Mockingbird] / Moscow. translated by N. Gal’ and R. Obolenskaya. Moscow: Molodaya Oscar Wilde wasn’t well- gvardiya, 1964. 352 pp. 20.5x13 known in Russia during his cm. Original illustrated lifetime but soon after his death cardboards. The binding is his popularity rocketed. All rubbed towards the edges, Wilde’s works were translated otherwise good. into Russian in 1900-1915. His plays were performed both in The first Russian edition Moscow and St Petersburg. The came four years after the original first translator of Wilde into was printed. The first translation Russian was Korney Chukovsky was undertaken by two female (1882-1969) – critic, ouj rnalist translators, Nora Gal’ and Raisa and the author of children’s Oblonskaya. Gal’ was well-known stories. His impact on for her translations, rt anslation popularizing Wilde in Russia was theory and literary criticism. This immense– most of his translation is considered the best translations are still considered to this day. the best. He is also responsible, The book was illustrated by along with Mikhail Likardopulo, Nikolay Grishin (1921-1985) who for publishing in Russian in 1907 also executed the design for the Florentine Tragedy by Wilde – binding. He became famous for before its appeared in English. illustrating Russian science-fiction This is the first Russian book – many books by Ivan Efremov, on Oscar Wilde. He would shortly the Strugatsky brothers and afterwards become persona non others were issued with his grata for Russian printing. Only illustrations. after WWII did the printing of Oscar Wilde’s books continued and his plays returned to Russian theaters. 31 [29] [PERESTROYKA BURGESS] [30] [FIRST FAULKNER BOOK IN BURGESS, Anthony. Zavodnoi RUSSIAN] apel’sin. [i.e. A clockwork FAULKNER, William. Sem’ orange]/ Roman. Perevod s rasskazov. [i.e. Seven short angliiskogo V. Boshniaka [A novel. stories]. Moscow: Izdatelstvo Translated from the English by inostrannoy literatury, 1958. 158, Vladimir Boshniak]. Leningrad: [2] pp. 8vo. Illustrated wrappers Khudozhestvennaia literature, by Sergey Chakhiryan. Wrappers 1991. 8vo. 156, [4] pp. Original a bit torn at the edges. Owner’s illustrated wrappers by S. inscription at the half-title. Good Lemekhov. Good condition. condition in general.

The first Russian edition of A The first translations of Clockwork Orange, published in Faulkner into Russian appeared in May 1991 (the month before the print in the 1930s, but it was not collapse of the Soviet Union). The until 951 8 that the first book by challenge for the translator was him appear. This was a collection to handle Burgess’s unique of short stories from the pre-war fictional register, so-called period, most of them originally Nadsat. In Nadsat (derived from published by “Izdatelstvo the Russian for “teen”) all the inostrannoy words had a Russian origin and literatury” (Publishing house for double meanings. A.Boshniak foreign literature). ‘Barn Burning’, decided to give these words in ‘Justice’, ‘Red leaves’, ‘Smoke’ Roman characters without and others are included in this translating them in an attempt to book. replicate for Russian readers the At the end of the book, experience of English readers. there is an article about Faulkner OCLC locates 2 copies in America. written by Ivan Kashkin, het book’s translator and editor. Kashkin started his translating career in the early Soviet years and was praised by Lunacharsky in 1930. Later he created a school

32 in the Soviet translation industry Literature) magazine and (‘Kashkintsy’) , which brought publishing house, making together a lot of talented available previously unknown translators, working in the Western authors and classics to Inostrannaya Literatura (Foreign Soviet readers.

33 34 VI. EARLY SLAVONIC BOOKS

[31] [EARLY RUSSIAN TRIODION] and the main language was Triod postnaya (i.e. Triodion). Russian and local Russian Vilno: Mamonichi, [1609]. 440 ll. dialects. But in the middle of the In-folio. Woodcuts: 2 initials, 16 XVIth century the Grand Duchy headpieces and 8 frames. Two- signed an agreement with Poland colored printing. Bound in to create a unified state beautiful XVIIIth-century (Rzeczpospolita). After that the embossed full calf. Two original influence of the Catholic Church brass clasps, both in good gathered in Lithuania and its condition. The first and the last capital, Vilno, in particular. The leaf of the book are in later paper first university in the country was frames. Leaves 437, 438, 439 are founded by Jesuits in 1579. As strengthened by paper, no the Polish had developed much damage to the text. Very good more advanced methods of condition. Rare. The bibliography printing, their numerous printers locates 29 copies. started to produce liturgical and polemical books to convert the Mamonichi’s typography local population – first the was one of the first private nobility and then the poor. Yet, presses in Western Russia. It was initially, few voices were raised in established in 1574 by Pyotr Lithuania in support of Orthodox Mstislavets who had previously Christianity. The answer was to printed the first book to be print polemics and several produced in Moscow with Ivan Orthodox books - a contrast to Fedorov. Catholic conquest. The most The book is a fine example successful typographers in this of the Catholic conquest of the field were the Mamonichi Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Only a brothers. They printed around 85 century before this book was books in Russian, Greek and printed – at the start of the XVIth Polish. At that time (1609) there century – the main religion in the was no market in Lithuania for region was Orthodox Christianity Orthodox liturgical books so they

35 were mostly sold to the Russian in contemporary full-leather. No state. That is how some (though clasps. Some minor defects to the only a few) survived. pages but otherwise a good copy. Subsequent attempts to Very rare. print liturgical non-Catholic books were made at the end of the A fine example of the XVIIIth century when Old typography in Chernigov that was Believers (starovery) were founded in the late XVIIth allowed to print several books in century by Lazar Baranovich Vilno which was a part of Poland (1616-1693). After his death it at that time. passed to the auspices of the Golenchenko. 69. The book monastery. At that time it was came out without any printer’s one of the most liberal imprint but detailed research typographies in Russia: it was suggests that it is linked with printing a lot of Ukrainian Triod Tsvetnaya which came out authors (including books in the the same year in the same Ukrainian language) as well as bi- typography and shares similar or tri-lingual texts (in Russian, printing materials. Ukrainian, Polish and Latin). The preface, and the verse * on the title-verso, is in Ukrainian. It was written by Nil, the Prior of [32] [MINIATURE PSALTER FROM the monastery. It is dedicated to THE BEGINNING OF THE XVIIITH Peter the Great and the hetman, CENTURY] Ivan Skoropadskiy. Psaltyr’. [Psalter]. Chernigov: the Complete copies of books in typography of St Ilia Monastery, miniature formats are very rare, 1712. [12], 300 ll. 24mo. Two full- and many have not survived at page illustrations, the engraved all, because they were frequently decorations of the title-page and used by travelers. the coat of arms of Ivan Skoropadsky on the title-verso. Ornamentation: 194 initials, 23 headpieces and 4 endings. Bound

36 [33] [CALLIGRAPHIC CANONS] near Tikhvin c. 1383. Icons of the Kannonik [Book of Canons]. Virgin, known as “The Sign”, Russian Empire, last quarter of appeared in Russia between the XVIIIth century. 4to. Manuscript. XIth and XIIth centuries. The Written in Church “Novgorod Znamenie” icon was Slavonic. Decoration: Cinnabar highly venerated in the Novgorod headlines, neat ornamental Republic. This manuscript was initials and sophisticated ligature. presumably in the possession of Colophons. After the Canon to St Old Believers given the very Zosima and St Savvaty – the unusual content of the book. sketch of the Archangel. Wooden binding covered in leather with * ornamental stamping (hot stamping), contemporary binding, [34] [AN EARLY BOOK PRINTED but two canons in the middle of IN PETER THE GREAT’S REIGN] the book have been added later Irmologiy [Irmologion]. Moscow, (latter half of the XIXth century). 1683. [2], 307 ll. 4vo. The pages are in frames. A fine example of the late Ornamentation: 1 initial, 27 calligraphic Cyrillic handwriting headpieces and 1 ending. Bound and sophisticated decoration. in XIXth-century half-leather. The This Book of Canons is mainly paper on the front board is devoted to the saints and relics of carefully restored. Some minor the so-called “Russian North”. St defects to the pages but Zosima and St Savvaty were the otherwise a fine copy. founders of the Solovetsky Monastery (XVth century). Since This book was only the 6th to 1547, Savvaty and Zosima have be printed during the reign of been venerated as saints by the Peter the Great in Moscow. On Russian Orthodox Church. The 25 June 1682 Peter, who was 10 Theotokos of Tikhvin is one of the years old, became the tsar along most celebrated Orthodox with his brother, Ivan (Ivan V) Christian icons. The icon itself who, because of very poor miraculously appeared in Russia health, could not rule on his own.

37 Ten months later this book was only the third Irmologion printed produced. Understandably, it in Moscow, which is remarkable bears none of the hallmarks of for a book in such demand; but, what was later known as the at that time, manuscript versions epoch of Peter the Great, but it were still widely used. Patriarch carries his name on the title. Yet Ioakim, who was in charge when it is fascinating as one of the first the book was printed (he is duly appearances in print of the name acknowledged on the title-page of the man who would change as well as the tsars) fought the printing tradition in Russia against the manuscript tradition completely – even introducing a as it was associated with Old new alphabet and starting the Believers – the variation of texts new printing language. in the manuscripts did not serve Irmologion is the book used well the interests of the Official in the Orthodox service for choral Orthodox Church. This was one singing. Usually it contains the of several Irmologions printed most common prayers – the main during Peter’s reign. liturgies and canons. This was Zernova. 382

38 VII. EARLY SOVIET BOOKS

[35] [STENBERG DESIGN] designed by the prominent GORIN, A. Kto, chto I kogda v Russian constructivist artist, Kamernom teatre. [i.e. The Who, Georgy Stenberg. Along with his what and where of the Kamerny older brother, Vladimir, he Theater] Moscow: Mospoligraf, created the genre of Soviet 1924. [40] pp. 35x26 cm. The poster art, and contributed to the design of the book by Georgy development of book design Stenberg. 1500 copies printed. more generally. In the period Original illustrated wrapper. Good 1922-25, they also worked on condition. Some tears to the front decorations for Tairov’s stage wrapper and title-page are productions. carefully restored. Presentation The Kamerny Theater copy – with the inscription by the became one of the first Soviet actor of the Kamerny Theater, theaters to tour in the West. It Ivan Arkadin to Lidiya Nazarova was also heavily criticized by the (Demyan Bedny’s wife-to-be). government, especially after the production ofPurple Island by The Kamerny Theater was a , which was an chamber theater in Moscow open satire on the Soviet reality. founded in 1914 by Alexander Stalin damned Kamerny as “a real Tairov. It managed to survive the bourgeois theater” but took no Revolution unchanged and its further action. unique style endured for Ivan Arkadin (1878-1942), decades. In the early days, the who inscribed the title-page, was theater was linked with the one of the leading actors in the Russian constructivist movement: Kamerny Theater from its artists such as Alexandra Ekster foundation in 1914 and was and Konstantin Medunetsky famous for playing comical worked on the sets and the décor buffoons. for the theater. This book, [For book cover, see the back published to celebrate the 10th cover of this catalog.] anniversary of the theater, was

39 [36] [SOVIET AGITPOP THEATER] ideological creator of the theater; Sinyaya bluza. 5 let. [Blue Blouse. amd Vassily 5 Years] / posvyaschaetsya Lebedev-Kumach were among its pyatiletiyu Sinei bluzy. Sbornik writers. A tour of the theater to pod redakciey B. Uzhanina i V. Germany, Lithuania and China Mrozovskogo. [i.e. dedicated to connected with a wide public. “Blue Blouse” 5th Anniversary. This collection celebrates Collection edited by B. Uzhanin the 5th anniversary of the theater. and V. Mrozovsky]. Moscow: Iskra It includes reviews of Sinyaya revolutsii, 1928. [64] pp. 26x17 Bluza productions and describes cm. 5000 copies printed. Wrapper the most notable performances. designed by B. Sakhnovsky, photo -montage by A. Akhtyrko, L. * Zotov, B. Sakhnovsky. Spine is repaired with paper, otherwise [37] [SOVIET RUSSIA FIGHTS good condition. RELIGION] BEDNY, D. Kak krokodil v tserkov “Blue Blouse” was a popular hodil [i.e. How the Crocodile theater-collective of the early Went to Church]. Moscow: Soviet era. First a small troupe, it Krokodil, 1923. 16 pp. The design was soon replicated across the of the wrapper and illustrations country, and by 1927 there were throughout by Mikhail 5000 troupes with more than Cheremnikh. Perfect condition. 100,000 actors involved. Essentially, they filled the gap left This book is a fine example by the pre-revolutionary of agit-prop in action. Demyan phenomenon of folk-theater. The Bedny (1882-1946) was the most “Blue Blouse” founded the style celebrated official poet of the of agitprop theater, a corollary of early Soviet years; more than 2 the poster propaganda of the day. million copies of his books were Most of the well-known printed in the 1920s. The loyal Soviet poets and writers were servant of the Soviet regime, he involved in “Blue Blouse” was ready to mock any aspect of productions: Osip Brik was the life that was at odds with the

40 new order. of the wrapper. Signed by Deni to Religion was a major target Stalin. for early Soviet propaganda and so this book is quite typical for Viktor Deni (1893-1946) was the time. The illustrator of the one of the creators of the style in book is the celebrated poster- Soviet art now called agitprop. designer, Mikhail Cheremnikh He created posters and (1890-1962). He founded the well caricatures ridiculing the West -known Soviet agit-prop group, while celebrating everything “Okna TASS” and the long- Soviet. running satirical periodical, This copy is signed to Stalin Krokodil. This book is printed as a by Deni himself. He wrote: “Iosif supplement to that magazine. Vissarionovich! If ever you give This form of colorful anti- me the pleasure of meeting You, church propaganda did not last I'd be most grateful and filled beyond the 1920s. In the 1930s with joy. Yours, Deni.” On the title Stalin put an end to it and the -page is the stamp of Stalin’s pencils of the satirists turned to personal library. the West and to Russian citizens Deni was the main considered disloyal to the USSR. caricaturist of Stalin's Russia and A fine example of the took his inspiration from the man period. himself. This is a grateful gift from the pupil to the master. * * [38] [THE PIONEER OF AGITPROP AND HIS GIFT TO STALIN] [39] [MAYAKOVSKY AS AN Mi, nashi druzya i nashi vragi v ARTIST] risunkah Deni [Ourselves, Our Vladimir Mayakovsky. Moscow: Friends and Our Enemies in Deni’s GIZ, 1932. 287pp. 8vo. In original Drawings]. Moscow-Leningrad: wrapper and illustrated dust- GIZ, 1930. 175pp: ill. 4to. jacket. Spine of the dust-jacket is Original printed wrappers. Small re-backed, some tears to the top tear to the spine and to the back of the dist-jacket.

41 Vladimir Vladimirovich revolutionary Russia);agit -lubok Mayakovsky (1893-1930) was not is a term Mayakovsky coined only a celebrated Russian poet himself to describe the popular but also a very influential artist posters he created, mostly during and the illustrator of his own the Civil War. poetry. His art went through This book appeared two various stages, much as his years after the poet’s death and poetry did – from futurism was the first monograph on his (before the revolution) to less well-known talent in agitprop and the constructivist graphical art. It consists mostly of images of the early Soviet years. images but also includes Most of his legacy consists in previously unpublished articles posters and so-called agit-lubki on French art by Mayakovsky (lubki are popular woodcuts written in 1922. common among the poor in pre-

42 43 www.bookvica.ru [email protected] (Russian-language site) +7 985 218 6937

44