Browse | PY Rare Books

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

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 & GOLDBERG, Romeo and Juliette in Yiddish, first edition, Minsk, 1935; inscribed. #2

First in Yiddish - inscribed

SHAKESPEARE, William and I. GOLDBERG (translator)

Romeo un Zshulyete: tragedya in finf aktn [Romeo and Juliet: the Tragedy in Five Acts]

£2,950

SHAKESPEARE, William and I. GOLDBERG (translator), Romeo un Zshulyete: tragedya in finf aktn

Lovely example of a rare book: the first 'Romeo and Juliet' published in Yiddish, here in fine condition and inscribed by the translator to a famous Yiddish author and professor.

Image for Procession funèbre [...] du corps de feu l'Empereur Alexandre I. Lithographed roll, first edition, 1826. #2

Unexpected early use of lithography in Russia - for an "an extremely tedious enterprise"

[ALEXANDER I]

Procession funèbre qui doit avoir lieu lors de la translation du corps de feu l'Empereur Alexandre I, de glorieuse mémoire, de la barrière de St Petersbourg à l'Eglise cathédrale de Notre-Dame de Cazan et le jour son inhumation dans l'Eglise cathédrale de Saint Pierre et Saint Paul

£2,500

[ALEXANDER I], Procession funèbre qui doit avoir lieu lors de la translation du corps de feu l'Empereur Alexandre I, de glorieuse mémoire, de la barrière de St Petersbourg à l'Eglise cathédrale de Notre-Dame de Cazan et le jour son inhumation dans l'Eglise cathédrale de Saint Pierre et Saint Paul

A great, very unusual printed artefact: an early example of Russian lithography in form of a long roll, giving extensive illustrated details on the future funeral of the tsar. 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.

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 G.W. HUNTER. Turki Dialects. First edition, Ürümqi, 1918. #2

Central Asian languages printed and bound in chinese style

HUNTER, George W

Examples of the Various Turki Dialects. Turkish Text with English Translation

£2,250

HUNTER, George W, Examples of the Various Turki Dialects. Turkish Text with English Translation

An unusual book: produced by a Scottish protestant in Western China, printed in mimeography and detailing and translating many Central Asian dialects related to Turkish. First edition of this remarkable item, here in appealing condition.

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 Artikul voinskii... Kiregs-Artickeln... & Ekzertsitsii...Exercitia.... First separate and corrected editions, St. Petersburg, 1755-56. #2

Another of Peter's innovations: Russia's first military criminal code

Artikul Voinskii s kratkim tolkovaniem i s Protsessami. Kriegs-Artickeln mit beygefügten kurzen Anmerckungen und Processen [BOUND WITH] Ekzertsitsii, Prigotovlenie k marshu, zvaniia i dolzhnosti polkovykh chinov. Exercitia, Marsch und Pflichten wie auch Devoir der Regiments-Chargen [Military Articles... [BOUND WITH] Exercises, Preparation for Marching...]

£3,500

, Artikul Voinskii s kratkim tolkovaniem i s Protsessami. Kriegs-Artickeln mit beygefügten kurzen Anmerckungen und Processen [BOUND WITH] Ekzertsitsii, Prigotovlenie k marshu, zvaniia i dolzhnosti polkovykh chinov. Exercitia, Marsch und Pflichten wie auch Devoir der Regiments-Chargen

Attractive example of these important legal and military texts, rarely found.

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.

Image for E. FILIPOVSKII. Smert Marii Stuart... First edition, Moscow, 1803. #1

European cross-cultural publication

FILIPOVSKII, Efrem

Smert Marii Stuart, korolevy Shotlandskoi.. [The Death of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots […]: historical description illustrated with seven prints engraved after English originals […]]

£4,750

FILIPOVSKII, Efrem, Smert Marii Stuart, korolevy Shotlandskoi..

Complete copy of this bibliographical rarity, a charming book with skilfully engraved plates, and a great witness of cultural exchanges in Europe and Russia in the early 19th century. No copy traced in libraries outside Russia.

Image for WARNERY, C.E. de. Remarques sur le militaire des Turcs et des Russes. Uncut. Breslau, 1771. #2

As issued

WARNERY, [Charles-Emmanuel] de

Remarques sur le militaire des Turcs et des Russes

£1,250

WARNERY, [Charles-Emmanuel] de, Remarques sur le militaire des Turcs et des Russes

Excellent example of this detailed account of the forces in presence during the 1768-74 war between Russia and the Ottoman Empire.

Image for PEVZNER & SHVARTS. Skotnyi dvor. First edition, Moscow, 1931. #2

Another Animal Farm - jolly and colourful

PEVZNER, Teodor (artist) and Evgenii SHVARTS [Evgeny SHWARTZ]

Skotnyi dvor [The Farmyard]

£1,250

PEVZNER, Teodor (artist) and Evgenii SHVARTS [Evgeny SHWARTZ], Skotnyi dvor

Celebrated Soviet children book with beautiful full-page images. First edition, in excellent condition.

Image for ATKINSON. Picturesque Representation...of the Russians. First edition, folio. London, 1804. #2

In signed full contemporary red morocco

ATKINSON, John Augustus (artist)

A Picturesque Representation of the Manners, Customs, and Amusements of the Russians

£16,500

ATKINSON, John Augustus (artist), A Picturesque Representation of the Manners, Customs, and Amusements of the Russians

One of the most beautiful and impressive British works on Russia, with many great plates in fine colouring. Here unusually bound in a luxury full red morocco gilt signed.

Image for I. SAPIR. Sionizm [ZIonism]. First edition, Vilnius, 1903. #2

Zionism in lovely art-nouveau wrapper

SAPIR, I[osif] B[erkovich]

Sionizm. Nauchno-populiarnoe izlozhenie sushchnosti i istorii sionisticheskago dvizheniia [Zionism. Scientifico-Popular Study of the Essence and History of the Zionist Movement]

£950

SAPIR, I[osif] B[erkovich], Sionizm. Nauchno-populiarnoe izlozhenie sushchnosti i istorii sionisticheskago dvizheniia

Fine summary of the Zionist question at an important time for the movement. A very good copy of the true first edition.

20th century: Avant-Garde

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Children, Education, Languages

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Erotica

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Performing Arts: Theatre, Dance, Cinema

Religions: Bibles, Theology, History

Russian Americana

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Travels & History: Russia, Siberia, Asia and Pacific

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Visual Arts & Architecture

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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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