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[MARSHAK & LEBEDEV COLLABORATION] Bagazh [i.e. Luggage]

Marshak, S.

Item #2360

Leningrad: Raduga, 1926. [12] pp.: ill., including covers. 19x15 cm. In original illustrated wrappers. Spine, edges of covers and pages restored, some small stains, period ink inscription on p. 3.

First separate edition of the legendary Marshak’s poem.

Since the story has debuted in a collection ‘Sovetskie rebiata’ (1926) and simultaneously in a separate edition of the Raduga publishing house, it caused a sensation in Soviet children’s literature and was reprinted numerous times. This edition was unhesitatingly printed in 30 thousand copies and later printruns got bigger as time went on. The funny verses were created by coryphaeus of Soviet children’s books Samuil Marshak (1887-1964) in 1926. According to him, he was interested in wordplay. ‘Bagazh’ was made with many repetitions, so it resembles ‘The House that Jack Built’, the sole translator of which Marshak became earlier. The story is about a NEP lady who was going to Zhytomyr by train and checked various items and a little dog in her luggage, but upon arrival she got a much bigger mutt. Some critics compared the story with the Russian history of the 20th century.

The work changed designs and publishing houses, but the illustrator remained the same until World War II. The artist Vladimir Lebedev (1891-1967) is considered a founder of post-revolutionary juvenile literature. He designed periodicals, produced ROSTA posters but dedicated himself to children’s book illustrations. Lebedev debuted with the publishing house ‘Raduga’ and gathered a circle of avant-garde artists to design children’s books in the 1920s. In 1924-1933, Lebedev was the artistic director of the Children’s department in the State publishing house. He generated a new style and visual language of books for new socialist generations. His art remained the first and only medium for ‘Bagazh’ for ten years, although Lebedev created new designs for new editions. For the collection ‘Sovetskie rebiata’ Lebedev didn’t draw characters or things but collected ready-made pictures – photographs and advertising clippings from old magazines – and combined them with some deliberate negligence.

The first separate edition efficiently represents 1920s children’s book design in general and Raduga books in particular. All luggage pieces are drawn separately to make it easier for the child to count them. The 1931 edition features a mixture of realistic images arranged with constructivist principle. In the late 1930s, Marshak’s works, including ‘Bagazh’ attracted attention of Soviet authorities raising an issue of unsuitable literature. Works by Lebedev were severely criticized as well. This caused a pause in publishing the poem until the 1950s. When Lebedev designed ‘Bagazh’ in 1955, he visited a railway station and made detailed and realistic drawings of cages and station workers.

Copies are located in LoC, Wisconsin, Princeton, Yale, Harvard Universities, Amherst College.

Price: $2,900.00