Banned books - Ouvrages censurés Keywords | PY Rare Books

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Image for D.H. LAWRENCE, first edition of Lady Chatterley's Lover in Russian, Berlin, 1932 #2

In the publisher's wrappers

LORENS, D. G. [D. H. LAWRENCE] and Tatiana LESHCHENKO (transl.)

Liubovnik ledi Chatterlei

£3,950

LORENS, D. G. [D. H. LAWRENCE] and Tatiana LESHCHENKO (transl.), Liubovnik ledi Chatterlei,Petropolis, Berlin , 1932.
First edition in Russian of Lawrence's famous scandalous work, banned in the UK, USA and Soviet Union. An early translation by a talented Russian woman who went from Moscow to New York and to the GULAG, and inspired Solzhenitsyn. Very rare: no copy in Russian libraries, none in the UK, only two traced in WorldCat (Princeton and Syracuse). Read More

Image for Akhmatova, Podorozhnik, first edition in original Russian, 1921 #2

One of 60 nominal copies

AKHMATOVA, Anna

Podorozhnik

£1,750

AKHMATOVA, Anna, Podorozhnik,Petropolis, Petrograd , 1921.
First edition of this celebrated poetry collection by one of Russia's best poets. A fresh example of the rare issue of only 60 nominal copies. Read More

Image for MILLER, Tropik raka: first Russian edition, New York, 1964. #2

First Russian edition, at Miller's request

MILLER, Genri [Henry] and Georgii EGOROV (transl.)

Tropik raka

£2,750

MILLER, Genri [Henry] and Georgii EGOROV (transl.), Tropik raka,Grov Press, Niu Iork , 1964.
First Russian edition, initiated by Miller himself as soon as 1964, of this most transgressive work, banned in the USA and in Soviet Union. Published by Rosset in New York, limited to 200 copies, and now very rare on the market. Read More

Image for Bulgakov, Heart of Dog, first Russian book edition, Paris, YMCA, 1969. #2

U-u-u-u-u-u... in first edition

BULGAKOV, Mikhail

Sobache serdtse

£1,450

BULGAKOV, Mikhail, Sobache serdtse,Beresniak for YMCA, Paris , 1969.
Uncommon first book edition in Russian of Bulgakov's suppressed satirical masterpiece. A lovely copy in its original wrappers by Annenkov. Read More

Image for BURTSEV, Tsar i vneshniaia politika, Russo-Japanese War, Berlin, 1910. #2

Another war which didn't go the 'right' way...

BURTSEV, Vladimir Lvovich

Tsar i vneshniaia politika. Vinovniki russko-iaponskoi voiny

£65

BURTSEV, Vladimir Lvovich, Tsar i vneshniaia politika. Vinovniki russko-iaponskoi voiny,Eberhard Frowein Verlag, Berlin , 1910.
Great denunciation of the catastrophy for Russia of the war against Japan. A pre-revolutionary publication banned in tsarist Russia. Read More

Image for TSVETAEVA, Poslee Rossii, first edition in wrappers, 1928 #1

Her last poems - in original wrappers

TSVETAEVA, Marina

Posle Rossii. 1922-1925

£3,950

TSVETAEVA, Marina, Posle Rossii. 1922-1925,Imp. Union for I.E. Povolotsky, Paris , 1928.
The last poetry of Russia's great poetess, banned in the USSR: a fine example of the first edition, in the original wrappers. Includes one of Tsvetaeva's most famous poems. Read More

Image for Tsvetaeva, Volshebnyi fonar, The Magic Lantern, first edition in original binding, 1912 #2

Possibly Russia's greatest poetess - in the original velvet

TSVETAEVA, Marina Ivanovna

Volshebnyi fonar. Vtoraia kniga stikhov

£19,500

TSVETAEVA, Marina Ivanovna, Volshebnyi fonar. Vtoraia kniga stikhov,Ole-Lukoie, Moskva , 1912.
RARE FIRST EDITION OF Tsvetaeva's SECOND BOOK OF POETRY, CONTAINING TWO OF the MOST FAMOUS POEMS of the Russian writer. One of only 500 copies; an attractive example with the fragile original velvet binding unrestored. Read More

Image for Akhmatova, Brodsky and others, Important poems and other texts, incl. Poem bez geroia [Poem Without a Hero], first editions. #1

The Pantheon of the Silver Age - a complete set

AKHMATOVA, Anna, Isaac BABEL, Iosif BRODSKII, Osip MANDELSHTAM, Vladimir NABOKOV, Boris PASTERNAK, Marina TSVETAEVA et al

Vozdushnye Puti

£1,500

AKHMATOVA, Anna, Isaac BABEL, Iosif BRODSKII, Osip MANDELSHTAM, Vladimir NABOKOV, Boris PASTERNAK, Marina TSVETAEVA et al, Vozdushnye Puti,New York , 1960-67.
The first publication of Akhmatova's 'Poem Without a Hero' [Poem bez geroia] - as well as many other works by some of the best Russian poets and authors of the 20th century: a complete set of this important literary almanac, rare so. Read More

Image for BULGAKOV, Khanskii ogon, Leningrad, 1924. First publication. #2

Early publication of the great author

BULGAKOV, Mikhail (and others)

Khanskii ogon

£2,000

BULGAKOV, Mikhail (and others), Khanskii ogon,Rabochee izd-vo Priboi, Leningrad , 1924.
First appearance in print of this short story by Bulgakov, the celebrated author of 'Master and Margarita': an early publication of one of Russia's best novelists, before he was banned. Rarely found. Read More

Image for Akhmatova, typed letter signed by her, 1962 #2

The great Russian poetess lists her Russian publications

AKHMATOVA, Anna

Typed letter signed ('Anna Akhmatova') to Boris Tarasov ('Dear Boris Aleksandrovich')

£2,750

AKHMATOVA, Anna, Typed letter signed ('Anna Akhmatova') to Boris Tarasov ('Dear Boris Aleksandrovich'),Moscow , 25 November 1962.
Fine book-related letter signed by Akhmatova, one of Russia's greatest poets, where she lists her recent publications in Russia, after a difficult period of hard censorship. Read More

Image for Belzen, Geroi Smutnogo Vremeni, album of Russian caricatures of the Civil War, Berlin, 1921. #2

Large caricatures of a troubled year

BELZEN, Ia. Ia. (artist)

Geroi Smutnogo Vremeni

£1,950

BELZEN, Ia. Ia. (artist), Geroi Smutnogo Vremeni,Golos Rossiii, Berlin , 1921.
Very rare album of full-page satirical illustrations of the situation in Russia during the turbulent years of the Civil War. Published in Berlin in 1921, and particularly remarkbale for its even-handed swipe at all participants in the War. Only three copies traced in Western public institutions. Read More

Image for AKHMATOVA, Rekviem, Requiem, first edition, 1963 #2

Celebrated poetical tamizdat

AKHMATOVA, Anna

Rekviem

£750

AKHMATOVA, Anna, Rekviem,T-vo Zarubezhnikh izdanii, Miunkhen , 1963.
First edition of one of Akhmatova's most famous works, considered by many to be her finest. An important tamizdat of one of the best Russian poets; one of 500 copies only. Read More

Out of stock

SOLD

"International city": Russian caricatures in Japanese China

RUF [pseud. for Ruf Sozonovich ANANIN] (artist)

Kharbin v krivom zerkale

RUF [pseud. for Ruf Sozonovich ANANIN] (artist), Kharbin v krivom zerkale,[Harbin , mid-1930-early 1940s].
Witty depictions of the Russian diaspora in Harbin under Japanese occupation. A complete set of these fine postcards, within the printed wrappers: very rare so. Read More

Image for Bulgakov, White Guard, second issue of the second foreign edition, UK, 1971 #2

Out of stock

SOLD

With the dust-jacket

BULGAKOV, Mikhail

Belaia Gvardiia

BULGAKOV, Mikhail, Belaia Gvardiia,Bradda Books, Letchworth, Hertfordshire , 1971.
An attractive example, with the rare original dustjacket, of the second complete 'tamizdat' edition of the Bulgakov's first novel. Read More

Image for Grossman, Vse techet, Posev, 1973 #2

Out of stock

SOLD

Pocket format on thin paper

GROSSMAN, Vasilii

Vse techet

GROSSMAN, Vasilii, Vse techet,Posev, Frankfurt/Main , 1973.
Grossman's first novel being published abroad,and banned in Soviet Union until 1989. A fine example of this pocket-size edition, aimed at being smuggled into the USSR. Read More

Image for UKRAINE: NOMYS, Ukrainski prykazy..., St. Petersburg, 1864. First edition #4

Out of stock

SOLD

Ukrainian expressions - later banned

Ukrainski prykazky, pryslivia i take inshe. Zbirnyky O. Markovycha i druhykh

NOMYS, Matvii, Ukrainski prykazky, pryslivia i take inshe. Zbirnyky O. Markovycha i druhykh,Skt. Peterburg, V drukarniakh Tyblena i komp. i Kulisha , 1864.
First edition of this compendium of more than 14,000 Ukrainian proverbs, sayings and riddles - published in Russia before the Ukrainian language was partly banned. Censored again in Soviet Union. Read More