VONZBLEIN, Iu. and M. SHAMANOVA
Legkaia atletika dlia zheshchin [Athletics for Women]
Lovely booklet on Soviet female athletes, written by a 22-y old champion, the first Soviet woman to obtain international success. Very rare first edition, with no copies traced in the Americas nor Europe.
One of the most famous first editions of 20th-c. Russian literature: published by the CIA under a false imprint - or literature as a political weapon. A pleasant copy.
CHEKHOV, Anton, Ivan BUNIN, Maksim GORKY and others
Sbornik Tovarishchestva "Znanie" za 1903 god [Collection of the "Knowledge" Society for the year 1903].
Fine example of this literary almanac, rarer with both parts of 1903, including the very first publication of Chekhov's famous play. With other first publications by leading Russian authors of the time.
Suppressed and very rare first edition of this novel, written by an adventurous woman travelling in troubled times. Great book by a fascinating woman and a nice copy of it!
[DALI] – ARRABAL, Fernando and Julius BALTAZAR [pseud. for Hervé LAMBION] (artist)
Cinco sonetos
Excellent, unique copy of this rare livre d'artiste, warmly inscribed to Dali, with much added material and in a fine Leroux binding. "Let us suppress all the excesses / murderers tyrants and alligators" (colophon)
![Image for [P. QUESNEL]. Almanach du Diable. Manuscript copy. Ca. 1737 #2](https://www.pyrarebooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/3002_1-300x386.jpg)
A lovely object, the holograph copy of a blasphemous text written by a priest and suppressed in France upon publication in the late 1730s. The Devil's Almanac!
Fine group of important illustrations by Goncharova and Larionov, from the earliest days of Russian avant-garde, later used as scrap paper in Mayakovsky's circles.
The famous Arctic issue of the main propaganda magazine from Soviet Union, designed by Lissitzky. A superb production, here in its English version and in fresh condition.
SINIAKOVA, M[ariia] (artist) and S[ofia] FEDORCHENKO
Dobryi son [Kind Dream/Nice Sleep]
Very rare first edition of this children book: no copies traced outside Russia. A fine collaboration of two women active in circles of the Russian avant-garde.
Fantastic publication on the important Russian community in 1920s-30s Shanghai. Wide-ranging, very richly illustrated, with a wealth of fascinating details. A lovely copy of the first edition, scarce.
![Image for F. TAHIROFF [TAGIROV] and others. New York (an outline). First edition. Moscow, 1933. #2](https://www.pyrarebooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/3252_1-300x260.jpg)
TAHIROFF, F[aik] (artist), John KASHKEEN (compiler), John REED, John DOS PASSOS and others
New York (an outline)
"The price paid by American people": a fine Soviet book pulished in English in the wake of the Great Depression. With extensive photomontage; a very good copy of the first edition, rare complete with both supplements.
MAIAKOVSKII, Vladimir [MAYAKOVSKY] and David BURLIUK (artist)
Otkrytie Ameriki [Discovery of America]
Rare first edition of Mayakovsky's poem, illustrated by Burliuk and published in the USA. A little pamphlet, here in a fine copy.
First book edition of one of the most famous Russian novels of the last century and a celebrated 'tamizdat'. Uncommon on the market, here in attractive condition.
![Image for [ALEKSEI MIKHAILOVICH] - BARTENEV. Sobranie pisem Tsaria... First edition, Moscow, 1856. #2](https://www.pyrarebooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/55_1-300x225.jpg)
First edition of about all writings of Tsar Alexey, an important Romanov and the father of Peter the Great. Includes his falcon hunting instructions, the first such Russian book. The letters touch a wide range of important political matters in pre-petrine Russia.
REND, Ain [Ayn RAND; pseud. for Alisa ROZENBAUM] and D[mitrii] KOSTYGIN (translator)
Istochnik [The Source; ie. The Fountainhead in Russian translation]
Very rare first edition of 'The Fountainhead' in Rand's native language, Russian. No copies traced at auction, even in Russia; only two in libraries, none in America. A beautiful example.
Fresh example, in contemporary binding, of this extensive, high-quality, and very unusual study of private wealth in tsarist Russia. A fascinating and very informative read, curiously authorised by the censors.
![Image for LIUBAVINA & DUBOVNA. Mat' [Mother]. First edition, with original hand-colour. St. Petersburg, 1918. #2](https://www.pyrarebooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2179_1-300x401.jpg)
LIUBAVINA, Nadezhda Ivanova (artist) and Sofiia DUBNOVA
Mat [Mother]
Fine Russian children book from the avant-garde publisher, here in the preferred version with original hand-colour: one of only 125 copies.
