PRODUCTIVE ARTS
For Sale
Russian Avant-Garde Books and Journals
[1] ( 2 Stenberg 2) The Complete Works of A.I. Sversky, 1865-1942, a Russian prose writer. Here are six (6) of the ten (10) volumes in the group (nos. 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, and 10). Each cover is a unique, multi-color graphic by the Stenberg Brothers, and each is a dramatic “mini-poster graphic” in its own right. ZIF. Moscow-Leningrad. 1928-1930. 7-3/4 x 5-3/4”. Overall in good condition with some minor loss of paper, fraying and bumping at the edges, problems at the spines and ex-lib stamps on the title pages; however, all the cover graphics by the Stenbergs are bright and attractive.
 


[2] (Suetin, N.) Henry Ford. 1925. Color Suprematist front cover designed by Nikolai Suetin . 9 x 6- 1/8”. Kubuch. See , Great Utopia item 490 (1992). This copy is in Fine condition.



[3] ( Malevich, K., Punin, N.) . Pervyi tsikl lektsii [Premier cycle de conférences]. Petrograd: Sovremennoe Iskusstvo, 1920. Unusually nice copy of this title. 8-1/2 x 5-1/2”.







[4] (Rodchenko, A) . Original packaging for Zebra baked biscuits. 1923-24. Produced by the Red October Factory. Lithograph (packaging). With the same poem by V. Mayakovsky on each of the 2 flaps. 

There are 3 separate pieces: The centerpiece measures 11-1/4 x 5-3/4”. The 2 flaps measure (a) 2-7/8 x 4-3/4” and (b) 3-1/4 x 4-3/4”. A beautiful example of Soviet constructivist and commercial design.
FINAL ISSUE OF KINO-FOT
[5] (Gan, A.) The Journal of Cinematography and Photography. Issue #6 of 6 (last issue in the series). Goskino. Moscow. 8 January 1923. Cover image by Aleksei Gan, engraved by Andrei Andreev. 11-3/4 x 8-1/2”. Some wear marks and small stains at staples and right front cover. An acceptable and very good copy of this rare and sought-after title. 1922 was the year Constructivism was used in graphic productions. Gan’s “Constructivism” and “Kino-fot” were his first works in print using a constructivist style.


[6] (Stenberg, G). Ignatov, S. “Fedra” v Moskovskom Kamernom Teatre. Phaedra. MKT. Three (3) black and white illustrations internally and cover by G. Stenberg. 7-1/2 x 5-3/8”. Kamerny Theater. Moscow. 1925. Small paper repair on front cover.


[7] (Telingater, S.)  Lenin 1870-1970. Telingater’s last album . Deluxe edition with acetate super-oblozhka and embossed portrait of Lenin on hardcover, with numerous illustrations. Moscow. 1970. 10 ¼ x 11”.
[8] Punin, N. Pamiatnik III Internatsionala. Monument to the Third International. A project by V.E. Tatlin. Describes the Narkompros commission for Tatlin to design a monument honoring the 3 rd International as well as Communism in the USSR. 11 x 8-1/2”. Some staining to the covers and first 2 pages. ½” tear at binding extends throughout. Even with its defects, this is the best overall copy we’ve seen of this title. Izo. Peterburg. 1920.



[9] Punin, N. Tatlin. Protiv Kubizma. Against Cubism. First monograph of Tatlin. Gosizdat, Peterburg. 1921. Fourteen full page replicas of Tatlin’s works. 1916 photograph of Tatlin. Some expert renovation to the spine.


[10] (Annenkov, Iu.) Sovremenii zapad. Modern West. Journal of Western Literature, science and art.  Complete run, issues numbers 1-4 for the years 1922-1923 and 2 issues in 1924. Cover design by Yuri Annenkov . Soft covers with professional repair to spine of issue numbers 1923- #2, 1924- ## 1(5), 2(6). 10-½ x 7” .
[11] Brik, Lili. (Mayakovsky illus.). Shchen. Pup. (A Memoir of Mayakovsky). Short memoir of Mayakovsky by Lili Brik with her signature and a separate typed letter. Mayakovsky referred to himself as Lili’s “pup”, and during the fifteen years the three lived together, he signed his letters to her and Osip Brik by drawing a small puppy with expressions, depending on his emotional state at the time. Molotovgiz. 1942. 8-1/2 x 5-3/4”. This book was published without a title page. On the back of the front cover is an inscription signed by Brik. Minor wear, small tears to top and bottom front cover.


[12] (Akimov, N.) Ia Brukson. Problema teatral’nosti. The Problem of Theatrical. The Disengagement in Marxist Court. Strong cover graphic by Akimov , an experimental theatre director, book and scenic designer noted for his work with the Leningrad Comedy Theater. Tret’ia Strazha. Petrograd 1923. 8-3/4 x 5-3/4” .
[13] Album of drawings of furniture . Compiled by P. Duplitsky and K. Musselius. Cardboard covers. Complete set of 38 loose leaves, about a third with tipped-in plates, including 4 photographic plates (1-4). Included with the separate index and essay on manufacturing furniture. Some scuffing and wear. SOKOL. Leningrad 1929. 10-3/4 x 14-1/2” .



[14] (Pimenov, Iu.) G. Gauzner. 9 let v poiskakh neobyknovennogo.  9 Years in Search of the Extraordinary. Sovetskaia Literatura. Moscow. 1934. Cover and frontispiece illustrations by Yu Pimenov. 6-3/4 x 5-1/8”.
[15] (Lissitzky, El). Erste Russische Kunstausstellung, Berlin, 1922 . First Russian Art Exhibition, Berlin, 1922. Galerie Van Diemen & Co. (Berlin) and Stedelijk Museum (Amsterdam in 1923, with Dutch translation insert). 5 ¾ x 9”. German and Dutch versions of these seminal exhibitions in the West of Russian avant-garde art. Lissitzky cover designs with illustrated works of Kustodiev, Burliuk, Falk, Filonov, Konchalovsky, Chagall, Pevsner, Popova, Exter, Malevich, Rodchenko, Kandinsky, Sterenberg, Altman, Lissitzky, Puni, Tatlin and Gabo. Moderate foxing on German covers and small paper loss at Stedelijk label on Dutch cover .
[16] Red Army Man. Krasnoarmeyets. 28 numbers in 16 issues of this illustrated journal from the early years of its run (1919 ## 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10-15; 1920/21 ## 1-2, 18-20, 24, 25, 26, extra issue of May 1920 (special unnumbered issue relating to Polish-Soviet war), 1921 ## 33-35, 36-38, 42-43; 1922 # 49). Large fold-out color illustration by Moor. Lacking few pages at ## 10-15 and 36-38. Generally, 12-½ x 9” .
ALEKSANDR RODCHENKO

[17] Zhurnalist. Journalist. 
1930, numbers 1-5. Covers with letterpress photo illustrations by Rodchenko .  8-1/2 x 11-1/2”. MoMA, #895 sh ows #3 of the five numbers. Moscow .
[18] Social Kunst nos. 6 (Tegnekunsten i Sovjet Unionen) and 8 (Fotomontage) . From leftist publishing house Mondes Forlag. Copenhagen. 1932. There were nine (9) volumes in all. Tegnekunsten i Sovjet Unionen . Color cover of First of May workers’ demonstration. Illustrations in color and black and white of political posters, charts and art work. Lebedev, Mayakovsky, Deni, Dobrokovski, Deineka and others. Fotomontage . Black and white. Social Kunst No 8 Heartfeld Lissitsky Moholy-Nagy Rodchenco 1932. Each 10-1/4 x 7-3/4" .


[19] Gogol, N.  Nos’. Nose. Illustrations by V. Masiutin. Gelikon’. Moscow-Berlin. German translation of Gogol’s 1834 short story. 10 x 7-1/8”. Covers are chipped and fragile. Internally bright and sound.



[20] Kniga o vkysnoy i zrorovoy pishche.   Book of Tasty and Healthy Food.  Moscow. 1939. 7 x 10 ¼”. First edition of the well-known Soviet cookbook with many illustrations. This book was reprinted for decades.




[21] (Rodchenko). International Literature . Cover designed by Rodchenko. 1932- #1. Articles and internal color plates. Graphics by J. Heartfield. 9-7/8 x 7”.


[22] Postroim pervuiu ochered’. Metro k 17 godovshchine Oktiabria. We are Building the First Metro… Mospartizdat. Moscow. 1934. With folding-map of station locations. Many photos. Celebrates the construction and opening of the Metro. Text block neatly separated from paper covers. Signature and stamps on title page and cover. 8-1/2 x 5”.



[23] Iskusstvo bytovoi veshchi. The Art of Household Things. Essays by D. Arkin, Soviet art critic and historian. Cover designs by S. Telingater. Ogiz-Izogiz. Moscow. 1932. 8-1/4 x 6”. Flawless copy.



(24) Pechat’ i poligrafiia za 15 let. Obzor vystavki. Komiteta vystavki. Print and printing for 15 years. Overview of the exhibition. Committee exhibition. Leningrad 1933. Mark designed by D. Mitrokhin. 7-1/2 x 5”. Fine copy.


[25] Oformlenie Upakovok. Packaging Design. By F. Goroshchenko. OGIZ. Moscow-Leningrad. 1932. Many black and white photos. Text block cleanly separated from the covers. Fragile but intact, especially the text block, which is tight. 6 x 4-1/4”.




(26) ( Klinch, B. ) Cover photo-montage by Boris Klinch. Krokodil 1932- #8. “Pacifists’ Tears”. Moscow. 14-1/4 x 10-1/2”.
[27] Front-line illustrated. Frontavaia illiustratsiia. Journal of the political management of the Red Army. 21 numbers from the first years, 1943 ## 4-5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 25, 27; 1944 ## 4 (76), 9 (81), 10 (82), 12 (84) and 1945 # 6(104). 11 ¾ x 9".  

PRODUCTIVE ARTS IMAGES

Productive Arts’ archive of over 30,000 digital images of Russian/Soviet avant-garde and Socialist Realism is available for reproduction. Contact us for details.