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[EARLY SOVIET PRINTING] Pechat’ i poligrafiia za 15 let. Obzor vystavki [i.e. Publishing and Printing for 15 Years. Exhibition Review]

Item #2584

Leningrad: Izdanie Komiteta Vystavki, 1933. 62, [2] pp., 4 ills. 19,5 × 13 cm. In original printed wrapper with title plate mounted. Covers detached from block, tears of spine, ink note on front cover, otherwise very good and clean internally.

The title page features the period 1917–1932, the actual date of publishing is printed on the front wrapper. Sent to typesetting in 1932, the edition was printed in early 1933. An exhibition logo shown on the half-title was created by Dmitry Mitrokhin.
The edition outlined the grandiose exhibition in Leningrad that marked the 15-year evolution of publishing and printing under the Soviet ideology and socialist methods of administration.

The exhibition collected numerous selected books on various topics, original artworks by 40 Soviet book designers, illustrators and engravers, printing presses (including Soviet mechanisms), book parts and a diversity of paper, postage stamps, banknotes.

In general, the publishing zone of the exhibition was outlined by Menshevik revolutionary and important organizer of early Soviet cinematography, Nikolai Glebov-Putilovskii (1883–1948). Some years later, he became a victim of the Stalinist Purge and served 10 years in Gulag camps. The following article gives statistical data on editions published in 1928–1931, including Russian, Belarusian, Ukrainian and Central Asian ones; the author A. Dobrynyn also explains diagrams exhibited and lists Leningrad publishers who participated in the show.
Another section vividly presents the stages that an author’s manuscript passes turning to a printed book. In the “Book Distribution” section, “a book kiosk gathered around: diagrams, posters, slogans, leaflets, bulletins, recommended reading lists, samples of planning and accounting documents, a map of the book distribution network in the Leningrad Region, and photographs illustrating how the Book Center propagated reading in cities and villages: book bazaars, exhibitions, model storefront displays, propaganda carts, book peddlers, etc.”
The zone of printing consisted of four sections: all processes of a printing shop; Soviet presses; Leningrad printing enterprises; paper for printing. The chapter about paper was written by Georgy Gilio (1897–1965). In 1920-26, he worked as a scientific proofreader in the Odessa branch of the State Publishing House. Then he transferred to the Leningrad branch and began working at the Institute of Book Studies at the same time. After the liquidation of the institute, he taught at universities. His works are devoted to typesetting, standardization of paper formats and other technical issues. The art zone was reviewed by graphic artist and bibliophile Erich Gollerbach (1895–1942) who headed the Art Department of the Leningrad State Publishing House. The catalog lists exhibits by 39 participants including E. Belukha, V. Konashevich, D. Mitrokhin, A. Pakhomov, K. Rudakov, S. Yudovin and others. It’s followed by catalogs compiled of postage stamps and banknotes exhibited.
Four inserts feature photographs of exhibition sections: “The Bolshevik Press before October”, “Partizdat Display Stand”, “A ‘Pioner’ Printing Press from the Yagoda Plant”, “Graphics Section Display Cases”.

Worldcat doesn’t track this edition.

Price: $950.00