Bookvica

[STENBERG BROTHERS]

Item #884

Three of nine books from collected works of Alexei Svirsky. Each of them has a unique design by Vladimir and Georgy Stenberg.

1) Svirsky, A. Zapiski rabochego [i.e. The Diary of a Working Man]. Vol. 1. 8th ed. Moscow: Zemlia i fabrica, 1928. 327, [1] pp., 1 front. 21x14 cm. In original illustrated wrappers. Near fine condition, extremities are minimally rubbed. Uncut.

2) Svirsky, A. Tam, vnizu [i.e. There, Down Below]. Vol. 2. 8th ed. Moscow: Zemlia i fabrica, 1928. 308, [4] pp. 21x14 cm. In original illustrated wrappers. Very good, wrappers are rubbed at the extremities with small tears.

3) Svirsky, A. Ryzhik [i.e. Ginger]. Vol. 7. 10th ed. Moscow: Zemlia i fabrica, 1928. 382, [2] pp. 21x14 cm. In original illustrated wrappers. Good, tears
of edges, spine is restored but mostly preserved. Print run varies 5000-7000 copies. Extremely rare.

Cover designs were produced by constructivist artists Stenberg brothers. They worked with publishing house ‘Zemlia i fabrika’ (ZiF) in 1928-1930, brought their style of cinema posters to book design. Their expressive and laconic works perfectly matched the advertising style of the late ZiF covers. Besides them, some ZiF books were designed by Dlugach, Rodchenko, Elkin, Telingater and Chichagovy sisters.

These three books are from collected works of belletrist Alexei Svirsky (1865-1942) who wrote about Russian crimes. Became homeless at age 12, he was involved in the street life for many years. He knew everything about the activity of abandoned children and the low-income life of the working class. And all details of his stories were based on reality. ‘The Diary of a Working Man’ was banned twice. For the first time, it was published and burnt in 1907 for anti-imperialist propaganda. Later the book was criticized again because the life of Western proletarians was described as more successful than the Soviet one.

However, these books were read enthusiastically at the time and the condition of the covers is usually very rough.

Worldcat shows copies of all volumes of various editions located in NYPL, copies of vol.1 (9th ed., the same year) located in California and Indiana Universities, copy of vol. 7 located in Yale University.

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