Bookvica

[BANNED AVANT-GARDE COLLABORATION] Boyevyye dni [i.e. Days of Fighting]

Oleynikov, N.

Item #2421

Moscow;
Leningrad: Ogiz, 1932. 28 pp.: 3 full-page black-and-white ills.
17,6x12,5 cm. In original publisher’s illustrated wrappers. Tears of
the spine, neat restoration of the tear on the inner side of the front
wrapper and the title page with a tape, previous owner’s occasional
ink markings.

Fifth edition. Extremely rare as most of lifetime editions by
Oleynikov. Text in Russian.
Black and white illustrations throughout by Vasily Kobelev
(1895-1946), a Soviet graphic artist and book illustrator. He studied
at the Leningrad Academy of Arts from 1923 to 1927 under V.
Konashevich and V. Savinsky. From 1934, Kobelev exhibited widely,
including internationally, and contributed to leading Soviet
children’s journals such as Chizh, Yozh, Yuny Proletariy, and Koster.
He worked extensively with Detizdat, specializing in children’s book
illustration.
An extremely rare and well-preserved copy of this banned
Soviet children’s book, written by the notable Soviet avant-garde
author and victim of Soviet repressions, Nikolai Oleynikov (1898-
1937).
Oleynikov was a key figure in Soviet children’s literature
and a member of OBERIU (1927–1930), the last Soviet avant-garde
group founded by Daniil Kharms and Alexander Vvedensky. Known
for its absurdist performances, OBERIU was soon labeled “literary
hooliganism” by the conservative Soviet press. Oleynikov and other
OBERIU members were arrested during the Great Purge and falsely
accused of counterrevolutionary activities. He was sentenced
to death and executed on November 24, 1937. After Oleynikov’s
execution, his works were actively sought out and destroyed, yet
this particular copy somehow survived the widespread purge.
The book centers on the 1917 Revolution, focusing on
the Bolsheviks’ preparations for the storming of the Winter
Palace. Despite its ideological function, the text underwent heavy
censorship, with each edition revised to remove content considered
inconsistent with the political climate of the time.

The edition features a vibrant front wrapper depicting
the Bolshevik storming of the Winter Palace, designed by Nikolay
Lapshin (1887–1942), a leading Russian and Soviet artist. A member of
avant-garde groups like “Union of Youth” and “4 Arts,” Lapshin was
known for his bold graphic style and innovative book illustrations, particularly in children’s literature. He illustrated over 50 books,
including the acclaimed 1934 edition of The Travels of Marco Polo.
Lapshin died during the Siege of Leningrad in 1942.

No copies found
in Worldcat.

Status: On Hold