Russian classics Keywords | PY Rare Books

Showing 1–18 of 26 results

Image for Nabokov, Mashenka, first edition of his first novel, Berlin, 1926, in the original wrappers. #2

The birth of a great novelist

[NABOKOV, Vladimir Dmitrievich, as:] SIRIN, V

Mashenka

£6,950

[NABOKOV, Vladimir Dmitrievich, as:] SIRIN, V, Mashenka,Slovo, Berlin , 1926.
First edition of Nabokov's first novel, in the original Russian: a great example of this important edition, in the original publisher's wrappers in very good condition. 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 Pouchkine, Ruslan et Ludmila, première édition en vers, avec envoi, Paris, 1898. #2

Inscribed by the translator, a feminist character

[PUSHKIN] – Alexandre POUCHKINE, Véra STARKOFF (transl.) and Marie EGOROFF (artist)

Rouslane et Ludmile

£2,450

[PUSHKIN] - Alexandre POUCHKINE, Véra STARKOFF (transl.) and Marie EGOROFF (artist), Rouslane et Ludmile,Lafoyer, Vannes, for Librairie de l'art indépendant, Paris , 1898.
The first complete poetic French translation of Pushkin's celebrated work. Strikingly illustrated by an original Russian female artist, and this copy inscribed by the translator: a politically-engaged playwright and one of the main figures of the feminist theatre movement in France. Rarely found, and only 500 copies printed. Read More

The first two Italian translations of Pushkin - two rarities

[PUSHKIN] – Alessandro POUSCHKINE, Alessandro ROCCHIGIANI (translator) [and] Cesare BOCCELLA (translator)

Il Prigioniero del Caucaso
[together with]
I Quattro Poemi maggiori di Alessandro Pouschkine

[PUSHKIN] - Alessandro POUSCHKINE, Alessandro ROCCHIGIANI (translator) [and] Cesare BOCCELLA (translator), Il Prigioniero del Caucaso

[together with]

I Quattro Poemi maggiori di Alessandro Pouschkine,Napoli, Stamperia e Cartiera del Fibreno, 1834 [and] Pisa, Didot , 1841.
The first two Italian translations of Russia's greatest poet, both examples in lovely condition, bound in plain wrappers. Both books are very rare. 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 TOLSTOY, Anna Karenina, first edition, 1878 #1

Anna Karenina in first edition and contemporary binding

TOLSTOY, Lev Nikolaevich

Anna Karenina

£14,500

TOLSTOY, Lev Nikolaevich, Anna Karenina,T.Ris, Moskva , 1878.
Tolstoy's masterpiece in first edition: a complete example of this classic of Russian and world literature in contemporary Russian binding. Read More

Image for Pushkin through the Caucasus, one of 50 copies, by Serge Lifar #1

Svetlov-Fekula copy - one of 50 only

PUSHKIN, Aleksandr Sergeevich, Sergey LIFAR and Prof. M. L. GOFMAN (editors)

Puteshestvie v Arzrum vo vremia pokhoda 1829 goda

£2,950

PUSHKIN, Aleksandr Sergeevich, Sergey LIFAR and Prof. M. L. GOFMAN (editors), Puteshestvie v Arzrum vo vremia pokhoda 1829 goda,Lifar, Paris , 1934.
Pushkin's best travel account in a fine bibliophilic edition, one of 50 'ad nominem' copies only, this one for Valerian Svetlov. 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 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

First prose work of the young Gogol

GOGOL, Nikolai Vasilevich

Bisavriuk, ili vecher nakanune Ivana-Kupala

£4,950

GOGOL, Nikolai Vasilevich, Bisavriuk, ili vecher nakanune Ivana-Kupala,Pavel Svinin, Skt Peterburg , 1830.
First publication of the first prose work of the young Gogol, one of the greatest Russian authors. Very rare outside Russia and Ukraine. Read More

Image for Pushkin through the Caucasus, fine edition by Serge Lifar #4

Pushkin escapes the Tsar's police

PUSHKIN, Aleksandr and Sergey LIFAR (editor)

Puteshestvie v Arzrum vo vremia pokhoda 1829 goda

£495

PUSHKIN, Aleksandr and Sergey LIFAR (editor), Puteshestvie v Arzrum vo vremia pokhoda 1829 goda,Lifar, Paris , 1935.
Pushkin's best travel account in a fine bibliophilic edition, with the first publication of his draft. Read More

Image for Kotliarevskii, Virgil's Aeneid translated into Ukrainian, 1809 edition #2

The birth of Ukrainian literature

KOTLIAREVSKII, Ivan Petrovich

Virgillieva Eneida, na malorossiiskii iazyk prelozhennaia

£5,950

KOTLIAREVSKII, Ivan Petrovich, Virgillieva Eneida, na malorossiiskii iazyk prelozhennaia,Meditsinskaia tip., Skt Peterburg , 1809.
The first literary work wholly written in modern Ukrainian: a important edition of the main book written by "the father of modern Ukrainian literature" (Encycl. Britannica). This is the first edition authorised by the author and the first to include 4 parts, with a dictionnary of more than 1000 Ukrainian words. A very rare book: only two copies in WorldCat and no copy traced outside Russia and Ukraine in recent decades. Read More

Image for TOLSTOY, Childhood and Adolescence, Moskva, 1876; in wrappers. #1

In publisher's wrappers

TOLSTOY, Lev Nikolaevich

Detstvo i Otrochestvo

£3,950

TOLSTOY, Lev Nikolaevich, Detstvo i Otrochestvo,Torletskii and Terekhov, Moskva , 1876.
Tolstoy's own editing of his first novel: a lovely example, rare in original wrappers, of this second edition, specially adapted for children's reading and showing for the first time a different version from the standard text. Read More

Image for Skitalets, Famous Russian People, rare Japan imprint, first edition, 1927 #1

From Tolstoy to Lenin, Gorky and Chaliapin - in Japan

SKITALETS [pseud. of Stepan Gavrilovich PETROV].

O znamenitykh russkikh liudiakh

£750

SKITALETS [pseud. of Stepan Gavrilovich PETROV].

, O znamenitykh russkikh liudiakh,Nagoia, Robunkaku , 1927.
Very rare Russian book published in Japan, presenting short sketches of important Russian contemporaries, such as Tolstoy, Lenin, Gorky and Pleakhanov. Read More

Image for Norov analyses Tolstoy's War and Peace: first edition of this rare pamphlet #2

Extensive contemporary analysis of Tolstoy's masterpiece

[TOLSTOY] – NOROV, Avraam Sergeevich

Voina i mir (1805-1812). S istoricheskoi tochki zrenia i po vospominaniam sovremennika. Po povodu sochinenia L.N.Tolstogo "Voina i mir"

£850

[TOLSTOY] - NOROV, Avraam Sergeevich, Voina i mir (1805-1812). S istoricheskoi tochki zrenia i po vospominaniam sovremennika. Po povodu sochinenia L.N.Tolstogo "Voina i mir",Tip. departamenta udelov, Skt. Peterburg , 1868.
A very rare extensive review and analysis of Tolstoy's masterpiece, published by a writer and book collector immediately when War and Peace's first edition was being brought out. Read More

Image for Pouchkine, Anthologie russe, 1823, originale avec envoi #2

First Pushkin in Europe, inscribed

[PUSHKIN] – DUPRÉ DE SAINT-MAURE, Jean-Pierre-Émile (editor)

Anthologie russe, suivie de poésies originales

£2,500

[PUSHKIN] - DUPRÉ DE SAINT-MAURE, Jean-Pierre-Émile (editor), Anthologie russe, suivie de poésies originales,Paris, C. J. Trouvé , 1823.
A great work: the first European publication of Russia's greatest poet, and the first French anthology of Russian poetry. A fresh example of the first edition, inscribed by the author Read More