Attractive small volume, in fine condition, of these two very rare editions focusing on Czech proverbs, theatre, poetry and language. With fine provenances.
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]
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](https://www.pyrarebooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2993_1-300x324.jpg)
PUNIN, Nikolai and P[etr] MITURICH (artist)
Skaz gramotnykh detiam [Tale for Literate Children]
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.
KONASHEVICH, Vladimir (artist) and Evgeniia SOLOVEVA
Rozovaia azbuka [Rose (also Pink) ABC]
Only edition of this fine, large-format primer detailing the new Soviet orthography of Russian, illustrated by a master of the genre. A fragile production just after the Russian revolution, and a rare edition.
![Image for I. BILIBIN. Sakzki [Six Volumes of Russian Folk Tales]. First editions. St. Petersburg, 1901-1903 #2](https://www.pyrarebooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2878_1-300x386.jpg)
MEKSIN, Iakov, Nina SAKULINA, and Aleksandr MOGILEVSKII (artist)
Vystavka detskoi knigi i detskogo tvorchestva Iaponii [An Exhibition of Japanese Children Books and Art Work]
Uncommon booklet presenting a very early cultural exchange between Japan and the USSR, centred on children books. A lovely item, here in very good condition in spite of its fragility.
![Image for NARBUT & KRYLOV. Basni [Fables]. Knebel, Moscow, 1912, first edition with these illustrations. #2](https://www.pyrarebooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/2817_1-300x400.jpg)
NARBUT, Egor (artist) and Ivan Andreevich KRYLOV
Basni Krylova [Krylov's Fables]
Some of the most famous Russian fables here illustrated by the leading Ukrainian artist. Scarce in this lovely condition.
Fresh example of this rare, imposing and early German-Latin-Russian dictionary, one of only 11 Russian works printed in Russia that year. One of the earliest works in German printed in Russia.
CHERNYI, Sasha (pseud. for Aleksandr Mikhailovich GLIKBERG) and Boris GRIGORIEV (artist)
Detskii ostrov [The Children's Island]
Grigoriev's famous children book, in the original publisher's binding; a very good example.
OSTROGORSKII, Aleksei Nikolaevich
U rabochikh liudei: sbornik rasskazov [Among Working People: Collection of Stories]
Life among 'working people' for young readers - a fresh example.
TCHAIKOV, Joseph (artist) and Mendele MOCHER-SFORIM
Dos Kelbl [The Calf]
A fine illustrated production of the Kultur Lige, published in Kiyv in 1919. A scarce Yiddish children book, especially unopened without significant restoration.
How to get by in St. Petersburg in (phonetic) Russian during Pushkin's time: a great guide for the higher society. Uncommon.
A thick and uncommon dictionary explaning in German and French the Russian language used during Catherine the Great. A very good copy in contemporary binding.
SAN, Shan-fei and N[ikolai] KOCHERGIN (artist)
Mian kochuken gianur [and] Iu'niudiakotsia nia [Ten Little Friends]
A pair of translations of a popular Chinese children story, into two rare, minority languages of the Soviet Union, now considered endangered. Attractive, large-format editions, in fine condition. Very rare, with only one or two other copies traced worlwide (including Russia).
KAMPE [CAMPE, Joachim Heinrich; and Aleksandr Semenovich SHISHKOV, translator]
Detskaia biblioteka.. [Children's library [ie. Kleine Kinderbibliothek]...]
More than a translation, an original adaptation, dedicated to Princess Dahskova, the first woman head of an Academy of Sciences and first female member of the American Philosophical Society. A very rare early edition of this important book for Russian children - and a lovely example with a sewn translation label!
ZHANG, Leping, Vladimir SUTEEV and other artists, Ia. AKIM (translator)
Veselye Kartinki: Detskii iumoristicheskii zhurnal TsK VLKSM Funny Pictures: Children's Humourous Magazine of the Central Committee of the Komsomol]
Lovely issue of this famous Soviet children's magazine, focuing on Chinese artists just a year before the decline of the collaboration between the USSR and China.