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[DESIGNED BY NISSON SHIFRIN] Oktiabriatskaia [i.e. Belong to Little Octobrists]

Vengrov, N., Shifrin, N.

Item #2362

Moscow: Gosudarstvennoe izdatel’stvo, 1930. 16 pp.: ill. 22x19 cm. In original illustrated wrappers. Near fine condition. First edition.

A magnificent early Soviet children’s book praising well-coordinated work in the industry and agriculture all over the country. It’s constructed as a nursery rhyme and is related to a relevant topic of the first five-year plan.

The verses are written by Jewish children’s poet and writer Natan (Moyshe) Vengrov (1894–1962). He was mentioned in a diary where poetess Zinaida Gippius wrote about early post-revolutionary years “A young poet, Nathan V. from Gorky’s circle, who rebelled very much against the Bolsheviks, found himself in Kyiv, at Lunacharsky’s post”. In 1918, Vengrov was invited to Narkompros [People’s Commissariat for Education] where started to work along with A. Gastev, V. Pertsov, K. Mardzhanishvili, I. Ehrenburg and N. Shifrin. Together, they designed and organized revolutionary celebrations in Kyiv, numerous literary evenings and concerts. During the Civil War, he moved to Moscow. Since the mid-1920s, he worked in the State Publishing House and wrote some primers for Siberian schools. In the 1930s, Vengrov was appointed to the editorial board of the Murzilka children’s magazine. During the risky period of the late 1930s, Vengrov turned to Russian literary history specialising on Alexander Blok’s works. Early children’s verses by Natan Vengrov were used by the artists of the avant-garde artel “Segodnia”: ‘Myshata’ [Little Mice], ‘Khvoi’ [Pine Needles], ‘Petukh’ [Rooster]. All of them were released in 1918.

These verses tell about little Octobrists going across the huge country and observing active construction projects, working collective farmers, operating hydroelectric power stations, workers in ore and coal mines, and factories. The book was designed by avant-garde artist Nisson Shifrin (1892-1961), one of the founding members of the Jewish art group Kultur-Liga. In 1912-1915 he studied at the studio of A. Murashko alongside Issachar ber Rybak. In 1918-1919, he studied at the workshop of Alexandra Exter and then in the Ukrainian Academy of Arts in 1920-1921. In the early Soviet period, Shifrin embarked on children’s book design, primarily works by Jewish writers. At the same time, he taught in VKHUTEIN, the Institute of Printing Arts and the Lunacharsky State Institute for Theatre Arts (GITIS). Later he was engaged in theatrical design, frequently collaborating with his spouse, artist Margarita Genke. In 1935-1961, he was the principal stage designer of the Central Theater of the Russian Army. In the 1940-1960s, Shifrin was involved in Soviet cinematography where he was attracted as a cameraman and artist.

Being an excellent example of early Soviet children’s books, this edition echoes the freedom given to artists during the early period of formation. The book features some structures and figures outlined, others colored. The third page shows buildings in a unique combination of two perspectives. A picture of a collective farm field is mostly painted with background spots, except for one fragment: it features small silhouettes of tractors without any background.

Worldcat shows copies located in Princeton, Chicago, Washington Universities, Amherst College.

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