Browse | PY Rare Books

Image for A. AKHMATOVA. Chetki, Belaia Staia, Anno Domini. 3 volumes, 1923. #2

The whole series: Akhmatova's first 'collected works'

Chetki [with] Belaia staia [with] Anno Domini [Beads [with] White Flock [with] Anno Domini]

£950

AKHMATOVA, Anna, Chetki [with] Belaia staia [with] Anno Domini

Most of Akhmatova's pre-1923 poetry in three matching volumes, including some new publications. Rarely found together in fine condition without restoration. With provenance and poems added in manuscript.

Image for A. AKHMATOVA. Anno Domini. Peterburg, 1923. #2

First appearance of new poems

AKHMATOVA, Anna

Anno Domini

£125

AKHMATOVA, Anna, Anno Domini

Akhmatova's poetry during the Civil War, here in the first expanded edition.

Image for A. AKHMATOVA. Belaia staia. Third edition, Peterburg, 1922. #2

When she was still allowed in Soviet Union

AKHMATOVA, Anna

Belaia staia [White Flock]

£375

AKHMATOVA, Anna, Belaia staia

Fresh example of this uncommon, early edition of Akhmatova's third book.

Image for A. AKHMATOVA. Belaia staia. Berlin & Peterburg, 1923. #2

First time in Berlin

AKHMATOVA, Anna

Belaia staia [White Flock]

£195

AKHMATOVA, Anna, Belaia staia

The third collection of poetry of Russia's great poetess, here in the first edition to be printed abroad.

First from the Arabic - "the standard English version well into the twentieth century"

[QUR’AN] – SALE, George (translator)

The Koran, Commonly Called the Alcoran of Mohammed, Translated from the Original Arabic.

[QUR'AN] - SALE, George (translator), The Koran, Commonly Called the Alcoran of Mohammed, Translated from the Original Arabic.

Probably the most successful translation of the Qur'an in English - first edition of this translation.

Image for AKHMATOVA, A. U samogo moria. First edition, 1921. #2

A Black Sea youth

AKHMATOVA, Anna

U samogo moria [At the Edge of the Sea]

£750

AKHMATOVA, Anna, U samogo moria

The first edition of this important autobiographical poem by one of the best Russian poets, and a victim of Soviet censorship.

Image for HALL. The Book of the Thames. London, 1870s-80s. Imperial British-Russian copy. #2

Memories from home for the last Russian empress

HALL, Mr and Mrs [ie. Samuel Carter and Anna Maria]

The Book of the Thames. From Its Rise to Its Fall

£3,000

HALL, Mr and Mrs [ie. Samuel Carter and Anna Maria], The Book of the Thames. From Its Rise to Its Fall

Not only an imperial copy from the Tsarina's library, but possibly a book she had while still in England - since she was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. A fine example of this bestseller.

Image for NASH VESTNIK. Manuscript magazine, unique copy. Soviet Union, 1921-23. #2

Fun, absurd, art and sport in the first years of the URSS

BABKIN K., M. NEKRASOV, A. ALEKSANDROV, V. SVETLISHIN and others

Nash Vestnik. Literaturno-sportivnyi zhurnal Kruzhka Fizicheskogo Razvitiia KFR [Our Newsletter. Literary and Sports Magazine of the Physical Development Club]

£13,500

BABKIN K., M. NEKRASOV, A. ALEKSANDROV, V. SVETLISHIN and others, Nash Vestnik. Literaturno-sportivnyi zhurnal Kruzhka Fizicheskogo Razvitiia KFR

Exceptional manuscript describing sporting and other recreative activities in a small town of Russia immediately after the Civil War. A very entertaining read, mixing much information with humour and many illustrations.

Image for V. BAKHCHANIAN. Zerkalo No.21. First edition, New York, 1975. #2

Americano-Soviet pop art

BAKHCHANIAN, Vagrich (also BAKHCHANYAN)

Zerkalo No.21. Chitat s pomoshchiu zerkala [Mirror #21. Read with a Mirror]

£2,500

BAKHCHANIAN, Vagrich (also BAKHCHANYAN), Zerkalo No.21. Chitat s pomoshchiu zerkala

A booklet of contemporary art by a Ukraine-born Armenian artist, then just recently emigrated to the US. Extremely rare: only copy traced.

Image for N. CHERNISHEVSKII. Chto Delat? First book edition, Geneva, 1867. #2

Women's emancipation, Lenin's reshaping, and "the emotional dynamic" of the Russian revolution

CHERNYSHEVSKII, Nikolai

Chto delat? Iz rasskazov o novykh liudiakh [What Is to Be Done? Tales of New People]

£15,000

CHERNYSHEVSKII, Nikolai, Chto delat? Iz rasskazov o novykh liudiakh

First book edition of this groundbreaking novel, a cornerstone of Russian literature and, by its influence, political thought. A pleasant example in contemporary binding. Very rare.

Image for SHAKESPEARE & A. SOKOLOVSKII. Midsummer Night's Dream & Julius Caesar in Russian translations. St. Petersburg, 1885. #2

Two-in-one

SHEKSPIR, Uilliam [William SHAKESPEARE] and Aleksandr SOKOLOVSKII (translator)

Son v letniuiu noch [bound with] Iulii Tsezar [A Midsummer Night's Dream [bound with] Julius Caesar]

£2,500

SHEKSPIR, Uilliam [William SHAKESPEARE] and Aleksandr SOKOLOVSKII (translator), Son v letniuiu noch [bound with] Iulii Tsezar

Two first editions in one volume, by the man who translated all Shakespeare's significant plays for the first time. A pleasant example of this rarity: no other copy traced outside Russia.

Image for RAFFET and DEMIDOFF. Voyage dans la Russie méridionale... First edition, Paris, 1840. #2

Southeastern Europe in a signed full-morocco binding

DEMIDOFF, Anatole de, and Auguste RAFFET (artist)

Voyage dans la Russie méridionale et la Crimée par la Hongrie, la Valachie et la Moldavie exécutée en 1837

£2,500

DEMIDOFF, Anatole de, and Auguste RAFFET (artist), Voyage dans la Russie méridionale et la Crimée par la Hongrie, la Valachie et la Moldavie exécutée en 1837

Appealing copy of this classic travel account, here in first edition.

Image for L. TOLSTOY and A. SEURON. Nikolai Palkin and other works. 1895-1903. #2

Tolstoy's life and thoughts: a gathering of scarce pamphlets

TOLSTOY, Lev Nikolaevich, Anna SEIRON [SEURON] and Nadezhda ZHIVAGO (artist)

Nikolai Palkin. Rabotnik Emelian i pustoi baraban. Dorogo Stoit [BOUND WITH:] Shest let v dome grafa Lva Nikolaievicha Tolstogo [AND WITH:] Assiriiskii tsar Assarkhadon. Tri voprosa [Nikolai "The Beater". Emelian the Worker and the Empty Drum. Too Dear! [BOUND WITH:] Six Years at the Household of the Count Tolstoy [BOUND WITH:] The Assyrian King Assarkhadon. Three questions]

£1,500

TOLSTOY, Lev Nikolaevich, Anna SEIRON [SEURON] and Nadezhda ZHIVAGO (artist), Nikolai Palkin. Rabotnik Emelian i pustoi baraban. Dorogo Stoit [BOUND WITH:] Shest let v dome grafa Lva Nikolaievicha Tolstogo [AND WITH:] Assiriiskii tsar Assarkhadon. Tri voprosa

Banned works, illustrated tales, and memoirs of his household: a fine group of works by and about Tolstoy, most in first editions in Russian.

Image for Burliuk, Exter, Vasilieva, Livshits, Futuristy, inscribed, 1914 #1

Warmly inscribed by Burliuk

BURLIUK, David, Aleksandra EKSTER, Maria VASILIEVA (artists) and Benedict LIVSHITS (author)

Volchie solntse. Kniga stikhov vtoraia [v] "Futuristy" [Sun of wolves. Second book of poetry [in] "Futurists"]

£2,950

BURLIUK, David, Aleksandra EKSTER, Maria VASILIEVA (artists) and Benedict LIVSHITS (author), Volchie solntse. Kniga stikhov vtoraia [v] "Futuristy"

First edition of this collection of futurist poetry, inscribed by Burliuk to "the best customer" Lev Grinkrug. A lovely book, finely illustrated with plates by Burliuk and two famous Russian avant-garde female artists: Exter and Vasilieva.

Image for Gd Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich ROMANOV. Musical Sketches, Potpurri. Manuscript, 1888. #2

La Marseillaise, European operas, and romantic Russian songs

[ROMANOV, Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich] – TSVETKOV M. and Vasilii KITAEV (artist)

Muzykalnyia stsenki. Popuri [Musical Sketches. Potpourri]

£8,750

[ROMANOV, Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich] - TSVETKOV M. and Vasilii KITAEV (artist), Muzykalnyia stsenki. Popuri

An interesting compilation of various international and Russian music, all manuscript, with a lovely watercolour title page and all kept in a refined master binding: a very attractive imperial portfolio made for the Grand Duke. Very rare.

Image for BALLETS RUSSES: BARBIER and YORKE, Three works, First editions, 1913-20. #2

Dancing stars in more than 30 pochoir plates and attractively bound

BARBIER, George, and Arabella YORKE (artists), Jean-Louis VAUDOYER, Francis de MIOMANDRE and Cyril BEAUMONT

Album dédié à Tamar Karsavina [BOUND WITH] The Art of Lydia Lopokova [BOUND WITH] Designs on the Dances of Vaslav Nijinsky

£12,500

BARBIER, George, and Arabella YORKE (artists), Jean-Louis VAUDOYER, Francis de MIOMANDRE and Cyril BEAUMONT, Album dédié à Tamar Karsavina [BOUND WITH] The Art of Lydia Lopokova [BOUND WITH] Designs on the Dances of Vaslav Nijinsky

Scarce gathering of Yorke's beautiful and rare publication and both Barbier's 'albums', all bound at the time in a fine blue calf signed binding - a fine volume indeed.

Image for E. BISSINGER. Tainy masonstva. First Russian edition, Bruxelles, 1930s #2

Published in Brussels

BISSINGER, Edgar

Tainy masonstva [The Secrets of Freemasonry]

£325

BISSINGER, Edgar, Tainy masonstva

A striking cover design for this first Russian edition of a Nazi pamphlet translated for the Russian fascists.

Image for A. BENOIS. ABC in Pictures. First edition, St. Petersburg, 1904. #2

Exceptionally fresh

BENUA, Aleksandr [Alexandre BENOIS]

Azbuka v kartinakh [Alphabet in Pictures]

£8,000

BENUA, Aleksandr [Alexandre BENOIS], Azbuka v kartinakh

A fantastic copy of this great artist's book, very rare in such a fresh condition. First edition.

20th century: Avant-Garde

20th century: Dissidence & Emigre

Children, Education, Languages

Costumes, Fashion & Military

Erotica

Horses, Hunting, Gastronomy & Pastimes

Literature: European languages

Literature: Russian and neighbours

Performing Arts: Theatre, Dance, Cinema

Religions: Bibles, Theology, History

Russian Americana

Sciences, Economics, Politics, Philosophy

Travels & History: Caucasus and Central Asia

Travels & History: Eastern Europe, Poland, Ukraine

Travels & History: Russia, Siberia, Asia and Pacific

Varia

Visual Arts & Architecture

Members of:

20th century: Avant-Garde

20th century: Dissidence & Emigre

Children, Education, Languages

Costumes, Fashion & Military

Erotica

Horses, Hunting, Gastronomy & Pastimes

Literature: European languages

Literature: Russian and neighbours

Performing Arts: Theatre, Dance, Cinema

Religions: Bibles, Theology, History

Russian Americana

Sciences, Economics, Politics, Philosophy

Travels & History: Caucasus and Central Asia

Travels & History: Eastern Europe, Poland, Ukraine

Travels & History: Russia, Siberia, Asia and Pacific

Varia

Visual Arts & Architecture

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