RUSSIAN
BOOKS
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BURLIUK, David and Nikoli Davidovich. [Service Book of the Three], poems by D. and N. Burliuk, Vladimir KHLEBNIKOV, and Vladimir MAYAKOVSKY. Mosco: G.L. Kuzmin and C.D. Dolinsky, 1913. With 13 lithographs after the Burliuks, V. Mayakovsky, and Vladimir TATLIN. Square 8vo, 86 pp + [2] adverts; wrapers with lettered paste-down label, few pencil notes. A nice copy. Markov pp.57-60; Compton 51; Barron/Tuchman 17 [Missal of the Three]. | |
ILIAZD [Il’ia Zdanevitch]. lidantIU fAram. [Ledentu le phare./ Ledentu as a Beacon.] 61, (3)pp., with typographic compositions, printed in letterpress. Sm. 4to. Publisher’s wraps., decorated with an original collage composition by Naum Granowskii of mounted, variously shaped elements of gold and patterned silver foils, leatherette and cork, partly overprinted in black, on printed grey wove stock. One of 500 copies on papier de Rives, from the stated edition of 530 in all. Although the justification states the limitation of the book as 530 copies, François Chapon, in his exhaustively detailed bibliography of Iliazd’s publications, states that no more than 150 copies of the book were ever completed, and the remainder pulped. Loosely inserted: Iliazd. Ledentu le phare, poème dramatique en zaoum. Préface de G. Ribemont-Dessaignes. Couverture de N. Granowsky. Typographie de l'auteur. Paris (Éditions du 41º), 1923. (8)pp. Self-wraps., stapled as issued. Published shortly after Iliazd’s arrival in Paris, “lidantIU fAram” was the culminating work in a series of five plays (or “dra,” as he called them) written in the transrational language known as “zaum,” which is the basis of much Russian Futurist literature. Isselbacher, Audrey: Iliazd and the Illustrated Book (New York: Museum of Modern Art, 1987), 8-10; Chapon, François: “Bibliographie des livres imprimés édités par Iliazd” (in: Centre Georges Pompidou: Iliazd [Paris, 1978], p. 110, with a reproduction of the original book in its entirety on pp. 99-106); MOMA 458-459, illus. p. 128f.; Getty 249; Markov p. 354ff.; Compton p. 61ff.; Bowlt, John E.: Russian Art of the Avant-Garde: Theory and Criticism 1902-1934 (New York, 1988), p. xxxiii f.; Barron/Tuchman 424; Janacek p. 174ff.; Siena 30; Franklin Furnace 63; Spencer p. 28; Drucker, Johanna: The Visible Word: Experimental Typography and Modern Art, 1909-1923 (Chicago, 1994), p. 169ff.; Andel, Jaroslav: Avant-Garde Page Design 1900-1950 (New York, 2002), p. 113; Logan Collection 37; Dada Global 204; Sanouillet 107; Dachy, Marc: Archives dada: Chronique (Paris, 2005), p. 331ff. (including the full preface of Ribemont-Dessaignes); Pompidou: Dada 1253, illus. p. 724 |
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KULAGINA KLUTSIS, Valentina. Zaumyi Yasyk [Transrational Language in Seifullinia vs. Ivanov, Leonov, Babel, I. Selvinski, A.Veselyi, and others] by Alexei E. Kruchenykh. Moscow: 1925, 8vo, pp; two-color wrappers designed by V. Kulagina-Klutsis. Includes bibliography of A.E. Kruchenykh. Kulagina, the talented wife of Gustav Klutsis, was a well-known poster artist in her own right; she flourished as a designer until 1938 until her husband was arrested and sent to prison. Leclanche-Boule 169. The Russian Avant Garde Book 1910-34, Museum of Modern Art p.205 | |
LARIONOV, Mikhail Fedorovich. Solntse [The Sun], by Vladimir Mayakovsky. Moscow and Petersburg: Krug," 1923. With illustrations by M.F. Larionov. Small 8vo, [28] pp + [2] adverts; two-color decorated self wrappers designed by the artist (minor wear). A lovely copy. Paris Moscou p 447 | |
LISSITZKY, El. USSR en Construction. [1931-1941] 1935. Issue no. 12. A lavishly illustrated magazine in the format of photomontage engaged the talents of Avant-garde artists such as Rodchenko, Stepanova and El Lissitzky to glorify communism and its leaders. [Some wear to the cover] One of the most important issues of the entire run of the periodical. It relates to Airplanes, Parachutes and Pilots. Rare. Avant Garde Page Design 1900-1950, Andel p.274 | |
LISSITZKY, El. Solntse na izlete. [Sun at the End of its Flight], poems by Konstantin Bolshakov. Moscow, 1916. 8vo, 63 pp + [1] advert; two-color lithographed self wrappers designed by Lissitsky (minor soiling). One of 480 copies. A lovely copy with the early Cubo-Futurist covers; soon the artist devoted his full energy to Constructivist principles. Markov pp 266; 286; Compton cp 18; Leclsnche-Boule 192; Nobis 9. | |
MASIUTIN, Vasilii. Pyesn Torjestvuyuschjay Lyubvi, Moscow: Helikon, 1922. Small 4 to, 78 pp. + (6) pp., including 15 full page lithographs initialled in the plate, vignettes and decorated initials. Original decorated boards illustrated by the artist. One of 100 numbered copies of Turgenev's 1881 tale, The Song of Triumphant Love. Masiutin's striking drawings reflect Symbolist influences in their Egyptian frieze-like compositions. Russian Construcitivist motifs are sometimes apparent within this context, however, infusing the images with a modern feeling. | |
RODCHCHENKO,
Alexandr. Izbran. [Selected Verse] 1912-22 by Nikolai
Aseev. Moscow: Small 8vo, [130] pp [2] adverts; two-color decorated self-wrappers designed by A. Rodchenko (some wear). Barron/Tuckman 306; Leclanche-Boule 132 Khan-Magomdov p 130. The Russian Avant Garde Book 1910-34, Museum of Modern Art p.189. |
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RODCHCHENKO, Alexandr. To Sergei Esenin poem by Vladidmir Mayakovsky. [Moscow]: "Zakniga", 1926. Ed: 10,000. With 2 photomontage plates by A. Rodchenko. Small 8vo, 15 pp; two-color Constructivist photomontage wrappers designed by the artist. Letterpress, 6 7/8 x 5 1/8" The Russian Avant Garde Book 1910-34, Museum of Modern Art p.213. | |
ROZANOVA, Olga and Iosif Solomonovich SHKOLNIK. "soiuz Molodezhi" [Union of Youth] Pri Uchastii Poetov "Gileia" No. 3 St. Petersburg, March 1913. With 11 lithographs, 6 by O. Rozanova and 5 by I.S. Shkolnik. Oblong 8vo, 82 pp + [2] adverts; decorated pale purple wrappers designed by I.s. Shkolnik, some wear as usual. One of 1000 copies. The last and most important issue of this Cubo-Futurist journal. It contains contributions by the Burliuk Brothers, Mikhail V. Matiushin, Viktor Khlebnikov, Benedikt K. Livshits and Elena Guro. Markov pp 55-57; Compton 64l Barron/Tuchman 324; Kunstlerinnen der Russischen Avantgarde 74-75; Zhadova p 17; Art et poesie russes pp 66-70. | |
ROZONOVA, Olga. Utinoe Gnnedyshko....Dyrnykh Slov [Duck's Nest...of Bad Words], poem by Alexei Kruchenykh. St. Petersburg: "EUY", 1913. With 14 lithographs (including 2 adverts) by O. Rozanova, hand-lettered by A. Kruchenykh. 8vo, 24] ff; paper wrappers. One of 500 copies. A fine copy. Rozanova was one of the crucial figures in the early Russian Avant-garde. She was associated with the Realists, the Cubists, the Cubo-Futurists and the Suprematists. Her death in1918, at age 32 ended a most promising career. Markov pp 204-205; Compton p 126; Barron/Tuchman 329; Kunstlerinnen der Russishen Avant-garde 95 (hand colored copy); Andel 60; The Russian Avant Garde Book 1910-34, Museum of Modern Art (handcolored copy) p. 76 | |
TELINGATOR, Salomon. 1914-i, by Illya Feinberg. Moscow, 1934. Designed by S. Telingator. 8vo, 92 pp; silver stamped black coth, fold-outs split but intact. A satirical history of World War I as Stalinist progaganda, illustrated with caustic photomotages. | |
RUSSIAN
CHILDREN'S BOOKS |
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LEBEDEV, Vladimir,
Vasel’evich and MARSHAK, Samuel. Doska Sorevnovanie. Moscow 1931. Illustrated by Lebedev, Vladimir, Vasel’evich. 20 pages, lithographs. Ref: Musee Imaginaire 1 1920-1930, James Fraser and Tayo Shima 1991 p.140, 3, Dictionnaire Des Illustrateurs de livres d’enfants russes 1917-1945 p.164-165. |
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KASSIL, Lev Abramovich (1905-1970). Lodka vezdekhodka [All-Terrain Land and Sea Boat]. Illustrated with photomontages. Designed by E. Nekrosov. Moscow: Ogiz, 1933. Unusual but striking two-color Constructivist photomontage wrappers over cardboard binding. Condition: Although there is some watercoloring of a few pages by a child, the book is rare. An imaginatively designed agit-prop children’s book about one of the wonders of Soviet technology that brilliantly combines photomontage with typographical experimentation. Kassil was one of the Jewish children’s book writers along with Samuil Marshak, Agniya Barto, Lev Kvitko and “Der Nister” (Pinchas Kahanovich) who were denounced for their “Hebrewization” of Russian juvenile literature during the last great wave of Soviet anti-Semitism known as the “Struggle Against Cosmopolitanism” of the early 1950s. The Jewish Virtual Library website calls Kassil “probably the most important Soviet writer for juveniles since the beginning of the 1930s.” | |
KONDRATEV,
Pavel Mikhailovich. Parizhskaya communa (The Paris Commune). Moscow: OGIZ,
1925. Color lithographs by the author. Square12mo (18,5 x 17,5 cm) (12)
pp. : color lithograph pictorial paper covers. First edition. Soviet propaganda
children’s book on the Commune of Paris, linked to the Russian Revolution Another of Pavel Filonov’s gifted students, Pavel Mikhailovich Kondratev (1902-1985) produced Parizhskaya kommuna (“The Paris Commune,” 1931) about the failed 1871 uprising. He worked in a brightly colored and slightly self-conscious naïve style in the manner of fellow students Tatyana Glebova and Alisa Porets. Lovely Book. |
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KUSTODIEV (Boris). MARCHAK (Samuel). Tchudesa. [Wonders]. Moscow and Leningrad: "Raduga," 1925. Color lithographs by Boris Kustodiev. First edition for both text and pictures. 4to (16) pp. : color lithograph pictorial paper covers. Boris Kustodiev (1878-1927) painter, sculptor and stage designer studied in Saint-Petersburg under Repin and traveled widely in Europe. He exhibited in Paris at Diaghilev’s exhibition, with the World of art in 1911, Berlin in 1922 and Paris in 1925. "[Boris] Kustodiev and [Samuil] Marshak defined what they considered the Seven Wonders of the Modern World in Chudesa ([Wonders], 1925). These were from the every-day life of Lenin's New Economic Policy like the transcontinental railroad, a newsboy hawking Pravda and Novosti, and a modern stenographer. The author and artist constructed a clever riddle book that provided the answer to each puzzle with the turn of the page to Kustodiev’s picture on the back. The final illustration shows a man reading newspaper ads for the Moscow circus, a Charlie Chaplin picture, and other popular entertainment." Rare. | |
SAMOKHAVALOV, A. Svet bez Ognya [Light Without Fire]. Illustrated by A. Samokhvalov. Moscow and Leningrad, 1927. Square 8vo, [32] pp; decorated lithographed wrappers designed by the artist. A fine copy. The wonders of electricity in simple terms for young children. |
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TAMBI, Vladimir. Saveliev (A.). Vozduchnye Rabotniki [Workes of the Air]. Ogiz. Leningrad. 1934. 8vo (21,6 x 19cm). (12) pp.: full color lithograph pictorial covers. First edition. The contribution of the aircraft in the Soviet life. By Vladimir Tambi (1906-1955). Covers and 7 plates (including a double central page) showing airplanes in their various functions: areial reconnaissance, sowing and crop processing, transportation, exploration and forest protection. Lithographs in shades of blue and orange. Only two copies located in Princeton and at the University of Chicago. |
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TSEKHANOVSKY, Mikhail. Marchak, Samuel. Pochta [Post]. [Drawings Mikhail Tsekhanovsky]. Raduga. Leningrad, Moscow 1927. First edition. The journey of a letter around the world. The characters designed by Tsekhanovsky (1889-1965) according to the processes of poster and photomontage. | |
VANETSOV, Yourii. Khvosty [Tails], by V. Bianki. Moscow 1939. With color lithographs after Lurii Vanetsov. Square 8vo, [15] pp; decorated color self-wrappers designed by the artist. A lovely picture book illustrated by Vladimir Lebedev's prolific protégé. |
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