Russian literature in first editions

The remarkable CIA-backed first edition of a Nobel Prize

Doktor Zhivago

G. Feltrinelli, Milan [but Mouton, The Hague], 1958. £17,500

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.

Image for CHEKHOV, BUNIN, GORKY etc. Znanie collection for 1903; with first edition of Cherry Orchard. St. Peterburg, 1904. #2

First publication of the Cherry Orchard anywhere

CHEKHOV, Anton, Ivan BUNIN, Maksim GORKY and others

Sbornik Tovarishchestva "Znanie" za 1903 god [Collection of the "Knowledge" Society for the year 1903].

Isidor Goldberg, Skt. Peterburg, 1904. £2,950

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.

Image for MAYAKOVSKY & BURLIUK. Otkrytie Ameriki. New York, 1925. First edition. #2

On the way to the New World

MAIAKOVSKII, Vladimir [MAYAKOVSKY] and David BURLIUK (artist)

Otkrytie Ameriki [Discovery of America]

New York, New World Press, [1925]. £2,250

Rare first edition of Mayakovsky's poem, illustrated by Burliuk and published in the USA. A little pamphlet, here in a fine copy.

Image for V. EROFEEV. Moskva-Petushki. First edition. Paris, 1977. #2

"One of the major achievements of Russian prose of the 20th century" (Oborin)

EROFEEV, Venedikt

Moskva-Petushki [Moscow-Petushki, also translated as Moscow to the End of the Line]

Floch, Mayenne, for YMCA-PRESS, Paris, 1977. £2,750

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 Ayn RAND. The Fountainhead - First edition in Russian. St. Petersburg, 1995. An excellent copy. #3

First in her native language - at last

REND, Ain [Ayn RAND; pseud. for Alisa ROZENBAUM] and D[mitrii] KOSTYGIN (translator)

Istochnik [The Source; ie. The Fountainhead in Russian translation]

Assotsiatsiia biznesmenov Peterburga, Skt. Peterburg, 1995. £3,750

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.

Image for KUPRIN, BUNIN, GORKII & SKITALETS. Sbornik Tov. 'Znanie'. First edition, St. Petersburg, 1905. #2

"Topical, interesting, colorful, exciting, and sentimental" (Terras)

KUPRIN, Aleksandr and others

Poedinok [v] Sbornik Tovarishchestva 'Znanie' za 1905 god. Kniga 6 [The Duel [in] Almanach 'Znanie' for 1905. Book 6]

Montvid, Skt. Peterburg, 1905. £1,250

Scarce first publication of Kuprin's most famous work, together with texts by Bunin and Gorky. A pleasant example.

Image for TOLSTOY, L. Vlast Tmy [The Power of Darkness]. First edition, Moscow, 1887. #2

"For adults" as printed on the title page

TOLSTOY, Lev

Vlast Tmy [The Power of Darkness]

Sytin, Moskva, 1887. £1,100

First edition of Tolstoy's play, forbidden for the stage during some years. A very good example in contemporary binding.

Image for M. KUZMIN. Vtornik Meri. First edition, one of 100 copies. St. Petersburg, 1921. #2

"For live puppets"

KUZMIN, Mikhail Alekseevich

Vtornik Meri. Predstavlenie v trekh chastiakh dlia kukol zhivykh ili dereviannykh [Mary's Tuesday. A Spectacle in Three Parts for Live or Wooden Puppets]

Petrograd, Petropolis, 1921. £950

One of 100 numbered copies, in lovely condition: an attractive example of this diminutive edition.

Image for M. BULGAKOV. Master & Margarita. Complete, uncensored text. Second edition, Frankfurt, 1971. #2

The complete, uncensored text - with the striking dust-jacket

BULGAKOV, Mikhail

Master i Margarita [Master and Margarita]

Possev-Verlag, Frankfurt/M., 1971. £1,750

Bulgakov's masterpiece in its entirety, complete with the famous dust-jacket. A very good copy, fresh internally. This is the 1971 second printing.

Image for L. TOLSTOY. Anna Karenina. First edition in contemporary binding. Moscow, 1878 #2

Anna Karenina in first edition and contemporary binding

TOLSTOY, Lev Nikolaevich

Anna Karenina

T.Ris, Moskva, 1878. £14,500

Tolstoy's masterpiece in first edition: a complete example of this classic of Russian and world literature in contemporary Russian 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]

Vladikavkaz, Terkavtsentropechat, 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 L. TOLSTOY. Khadzhi-Murat. First separate edition. Moscow, 1912. #2

Tolstoy's "most painful text and the most intimate"

TOLSTOY, Lev

Khadzhi-Murat [Hadji-Murad]

Riabushinskii for Posrednik, Moskva, 1912. £2,250

Likely the first separate edition of this important novella, telling the tragic story of a Caucasian leader in the midst of Russia's conquest. A very rare edition, with only one other copy located.

Image for PUSHKIN. Eugene Oneguine. First English translation, inscribed. London, 1881. #2

Onegin in English for the first time, "with the translator's compliments"

PUSHKIN, Alexander and Henry SPALDING (transl.)

Eugene Onéguine

London, Macmillan and Co., 1881. £8,000

Desirable copy of this landmark translation, the first into English and here inscribed by the translator.

Image for BYRON & KOZLOV. Nevesta Abidosskaia [The Bride of Abydos]. First edition in Russian verse, Skt. Peterburg, 1826. #2

Byron's Turkish poem in Pushkin's Russia

[BYRON, George Gordon] Dzh.-G. BAIRON and Ivan KOZLOV (transl.)

Nevesta Abidosskaia. Turetskaia povest [The Bride of Abydos. A Turkish Story]

Smirdin, Skt Peterburg, 1826. £4,750

Very attractive copy of this rare work, the first translation in verse of Byron's 'Eastern poem'. Praised by contemporaries and influential, here retaining its original wrappers. Only 3 copies traced in WorldCat.

Image for V. SIRIN [NABOKOV]. Invitation to a Beheading. First edition, original Russian. Paris, 1938. #2

Nabokov's political fiction

SIRIN, V. [pseud. for Vladimir NABOKOV]

Priglashenie na kazn [Invitation to a Beheading]

Dom Knigi, Parizh, 1938. £1,850

First ediion of Nabokov's last Russian novel printed in Paris, a work chosen by Radio Liberty to distribute clandestinely in USSR.

Image for S. ESENIN. Radnitsa. First edition, St. Petersburg, 1916. #2

Esenin's first published book

ESENIN, Sergei Aleksandrovich

Radunitsa [Ritual for the Dead]

M.V. Averianov, Petrograd, 1916. £2,500

First edition of this important book of poetry, Esenin's first offered for sale. In the original wrappers. Scarce: no copy traced in public institutions outside Russia.

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

Lafoyer, Vannes, for Librairie de l'art indépendant, Paris, 1898. £2,450

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.

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"]

Ekonomiia, Kherson, for Gileia, Kherson-Moskva, 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.

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