20th century: Avant-Garde

Image for GONCHAROVA & RUBAKIN. Gorod - La Cité. First edition, Miguet binding. Paris, 1920. #2

Goncharova's wide artistic spectrum

GONCHAROVA, Natalia (artist) and Alexander RUBAKIN

Gorod. Stikhi. La Cité [The City. Poems]

£6,250

Goncharova's wide artistic spectrum
GONCHAROVA, Natalia (artist) and Alexander RUBAKIN. Gorod. Stikhi. La Cité. [The City. Poems]
Published/created in: 1920

£6,250

Fine exampe of this great avant-garde production, strikingly illustrated by Goncharova and here housed in a Miguet binding.

Image for EVANGULOV & others. Koster. First edition, inscribed. Vladikavkaz, 1920. #2

Very rare poetry in Civil War – twice inscribed

EVANGULOV, Gerogii, G. A[STAKHOV], Liudmila BERIDZE, Riurik IVNEV, Konst. IUST, and Ivan IVANOV (artist)

Koster. Stikhi [Bonfire. Poems]

£2,250

Very rare poetry in Civil War – twice inscribed
EVANGULOV, Gerogii, G. A[STAKHOV], Liudmila BERIDZE, Riurik IVNEV, Konst. IUST, and Ivan IVANOV (artist). Koster. Stikhi. [Bonfire. Poems]
Published/created in: 1920

£2,250

Extremely rare provincial publication in the aftermath of the Civil War - a choice copy with the striking cover coloured and a double inscription to its artist.

Image for REMIZOV & TUROVA. Snezhok. First edition, hand-coloured. Petrograd, 1918. #2

Avant-garde children book in post-revolutionary Petrograd

TUROVA, E[katerina] (artist) and Aleksei REMIZOV

Snezhok [Snowball]

£2,500

Avant-garde children book in post-revolutionary Petrograd
TUROVA, E[katerina] (artist) and Aleksei REMIZOV. Snezhok. [Snowball]
Published/created in: [1918]

£2,500

Fine example of this rare, fragile edition of the Russian avant-garde, in the preferred version with original hand-colouring.

Image for MAYAKOVSKY. The Fire Horse, in Azerbaijani. Baku, 1940. #2

WWII production for Azerbaijani children

MAYAKOVSKY, Vladimir, A. BREI and A. KRYLOV (artists)

Od At [The Fire Horse]

£1,250

WWII production for Azerbaijani children
MAYAKOVSKY, Vladimir, A. BREI and A. KRYLOV (artists). Od At. [The Fire Horse]
Published/created in: 1940

£1,250

Mayakovsky for Azeris: a scarce edition of this children book in Azerbaijani language, published in 1940.

Image for KHLEBNIKOV & others. Bez Muz [Without Muses]. First edition. Nizhnii-Novgorod, 1918. #2

Avant-garde poetry just after the Revolution

KHLEBNIKOV, Velimir, R. IVNEV, S. SPASSKIY and others

Bez Muz: khudozhestvennoe periodicheskoe izdanie [Without Muses: Literary Magazine]

£850

Avant-garde poetry just after the Revolution
KHLEBNIKOV, Velimir, R. IVNEV, S. SPASSKIY and others. Bez Muz: khudozhestvennoe periodicheskoe izdanie. [Without Muses: Literary Magazine]
Published/created in: [June] 1918

£850

Large-format poetry collection published in Nizhnii-Novgorod and including a first appearance of Khlebnikov, together with many avant-gardist poets. Very rare outside Russia.

Image for ALEXEIEFF & SOUPAULT. Chant du Prince Igor. First edition thus. Rolle, 1950. #2

Alexeieff illustrates Russian literature: one of the 'tirages de tête'

ALEXEIEFF, Alexandre (artist) and Philippe SOUPAULT

Chant du Prince Igor

£4,950

Alexeieff illustrates Russian literature: one of the 'tirages de tête'
ALEXEIEFF, Alexandre (artist) and Philippe SOUPAULT. Chant du Prince Igor.
Published/created in: 1950

£4,950

A beautiful work with superb colours. One of only 6 copies on papier de Chine, with an additional print signed by Alexeieff and complete with its suites, kept in the original box. First edition of the plates and of this translation of this important text of Russian literature.

Image for VIAZMENSKII, P. Propaganda postcard. 1930s. #2

A great Constructivist postcard by a victim of the Purges

VIAZMENSKII, Lev

Malo vypolnit promfinplan, Nado perevypolnit [The Working-Plan Must Not Only Be Carried Out, but Surpassed].

£500

A great Constructivist postcard by a victim of the Purges
VIAZMENSKII, Lev. Malo vypolnit promfinplan, Nado perevypolnit. [The Working-Plan Must Not Only Be Carried Out, but Surpassed].
Published/created in: [1930s]

£500

Great design for a postcard of typical economic propaganda, by a Communist enthusiast and victim of Stalin.

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

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"]
Published/created in: 1914

£2,950

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 Chagall's first book, first edition of his only children book, 1917 #1

Chagall's first book and a landmark of Yiddish book illustration

CHAGALL, Marc (artist) and Der NISTER [pseud. for Pinchus KAHANOVICH]

A Mayse mit a Hon; Dos Tsigele [A Story About a Rooster [and] The Little Goat]

£22,500

Chagall's first book and a landmark of Yiddish book illustration
CHAGALL, Marc (artist) and Der NISTER [pseud. for Pinchus KAHANOVICH]. A Mayse mit a Hon; Dos Tsigele. [A Story About a Rooster [and] The Little Goat]
Published/created in: 1917

£22,500

Chagall's first illustrated book, his only children book, and a landmark of Yiddish book illustration, published the year of the Russian revolution. Very rare, especially in this very good condition: about 5 other copies known.

Image for N. PUNIN & P. MITURICH. Skaz gramotnykh detiam [Tale for Literate Children]. First edition of this very rare Russian children book; inscribed. Moscow, 1919 #2

Rare and fascinating avant-garde children book - inscribed

PUNIN, Nikolai and P[etr] MITURICH (artist)

Skaz gramotnykh detiam [Tale for Literate Children]

£7,500

Rare and fascinating avant-garde children book - inscribed
PUNIN, Nikolai and P[etr] MITURICH (artist). Skaz gramotnykh detiam. [Tale for Literate Children]
Published/created in: 1919]

£7,500

A book like we love them: with many different interesting aspects, from the beautiful gold illlustrations, and the research principle at their source, to the 'missed propaganga' theme of the tale and the tragic fate of his author, Akhmatova's husband, who here added a fine handwritten inscription to the copy. Just fantastic.

Image for BLOK & ANNENKOV. Dvenadsta [The Twelve]. First edition. St. Petersburg, 1918. #2

"The best I've written"

BLOK, Aleksandr and Iurii ANNENKOV (artist)

Dvenadtsat [The Twelve]

£6,500

"The best I've written"
BLOK, Aleksandr and Iurii ANNENKOV (artist). Dvenadtsat. [The Twelve]
Published/created in: 1918

£6,500

Rare first edition of one of the best modernist books and a Russian 'livre d'artiste', published in the aftermath of the Revolution and WW1. One of 300 copies only, this one kept in its original printed wrappers.

Image for GENKEL & SUETIN. Ford and Fordism. First edition, Leningrad, 1925. #2

Ford's influence in the early USSR

GENKEL, German and Nikolai SUETIN (artist)

Ford i fordizm: vpechatleniia [Ford and Fordism: Impressions]

£1,750

Ford's influence in the early USSR
GENKEL, German and Nikolai SUETIN (artist). Ford i fordizm: vpechatleniia. [Ford and Fordism: Impressions]
Published/created in: 1925

£1,750

Fine cover for one of the great Russian books on the influential American industrialist. Uncommon, and here in a pleasant example.

Image for GONCHAROVA & LARIONOV. L'Art décoratif théâtral moderne. First edition, Paris, 1919. #2

Ballets Russes innovations in large pochoirs

GONTCHAROVA [Natalia GONCHAROVA] and LARIONOW [Mikhail LARIONOV] (artists), and Valentin PARNAKH

L'Art décoratif théâtral moderne

£10,000

Ballets Russes innovations in large pochoirs
GONTCHAROVA [Natalia GONCHAROVA] and LARIONOW [Mikhail LARIONOV] (artists), and Valentin PARNAKH. L'Art décoratif théâtral moderne.
Published/created in: 1919

£10,000

Fine complete copy of the first, limited edition. With beautiful plates by the two Russian avant-garde artists working for Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in Paris, some of these illustrations large and strikingly colourful.

Image for KRUCHENYKH. Stories and Drawings by Children, first edition in the original Russian, St. Petersburg, 1914. #2

Children's spontaneity and the Avant-Garde

KRUCHENYKH, Aleksei

Sobstvenniie razskazy i risunki detei [Actual Stories and Drawings by Children]

£2,350

Children's spontaneity and the Avant-Garde
KRUCHENYKH, Aleksei. Sobstvenniie razskazy i risunki detei. [Actual Stories and Drawings by Children]
Published/created in: 1914

£2,350

Pleasant example of this curious work, gathering children's texts and drawings within the frame of the buoyant Russian avant-garde. A delicate production, fragile, here is fresh internal condition. First edition.

Image for PICASSO, GONCHAROVA, LARIONOV etc. Grand Bal Travesti - Transmental. First edition, Paris, 1923. #2

The complete set

LARIONOV, M[ikhail], Nataliia GONCHAROVA, Ilia ZDANEVICH, [Pablo] PICASSO and others

Grand Bal Travesti / Transmental [Programme, Ticket and Handbill]

£1,950

The complete set
LARIONOV, M[ikhail], Nataliia GONCHAROVA, Ilia ZDANEVICH, [Pablo] PICASSO and others. Grand Bal Travesti / Transmental [Programme, Ticket and Handbill].
Published/created in: 1923

£1,950

Lovely gathering of three 'ephemera' items produced for the first Russian ball of the avant-garde in Paris - an eclectic show with music and dances in newly designed costumes. With Larionov's ticket, Goncharova's handbill and the famous programme with many artistic contributions.

Image for GRIGORIEV & CHERNYI, Detskii ostrov, first edition, Berlin 1921. #2

Famous Russian children book

CHERNYI, Sasha (pseud. for Aleksandr Mikhailovich GLIKBERG) and Boris GRIGORIEV (artist)

Detskii ostrov [The Children's Island]

£1,950

Famous Russian children book
CHERNYI, Sasha (pseud. for Aleksandr Mikhailovich GLIKBERG) and Boris GRIGORIEV (artist). Detskii ostrov. [The Children's Island]
Published/created in: 1921

£1,950

Grigoriev's famous children book, in the original publisher's binding; a very good example.

Image for SHKOLVSKII, V. & El LISSITZKY. Zoo. First edition, Berlin, 1923. #2

Berlin's fauna of Russian immigrants

SHKLOVSKII, Viktor and El LISITSKII [LISSITZKY] (artist)

Zoo. Pisma ne o liubvi ili tretia Eloiza [Zoo. Letters Not About Love or the Third Eloise]

£600

Berlin's fauna of Russian immigrants
SHKLOVSKII, Viktor and El LISITSKII [LISSITZKY] (artist). Zoo. Pisma ne o liubvi ili tretia Eloiza. [Zoo. Letters Not About Love or the Third Eloise]
Published/created in: 1923

£600

Cover design by El Lissitzky for this depiction of the Russian emigration in Berlin in the Golden Twenties.

The preferred first edition, rarer than the Russian one published shortly afterwards.

Image for CHEKHONIN - EFROS & PUNIN. First edition in English. 1923. #2

Propaganda's beauty

[CHEKHONIN] – EPHROS, Abram and Nikolai PUNIN

S. Chekhonin. A Master of the Soviet Empire Style [and] On the Art of Chekhonin

£1,450

Propaganda's beauty
[CHEKHONIN] - EPHROS, Abram and Nikolai PUNIN. S. Chekhonin. A Master of the Soviet Empire Style [and] On the Art of Chekhonin.
Published/created in: 1923

£1,450

Avant-garde and propaganda's early days: the English version of this celebration of one of most striking Russian artists and designers.

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