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[RODCHENKO] Mess-Mend, ili Ianki v Petrograde [i.e. Mess-Mend, or Yankees in Petrograd] Vol. 1-10

Shaginyan, M.

Item #2713

Moscow: Gosudarstvennoe izdatel’stvo, 1924. 19x13 cm. In original illustrated wrappers. Paper sticker on the cover of vol.4., contemporary owner’s inscription on the cover of vols. 5,6,7,8,9 & 10. Tears to the edges of wrappers. Vol. 1. lacks original staple, p.8-9 are soiled, spine restored. Overall in very good condition for a set, that often appears on the market disbound. Complete set. Very rare.

Constructivist wrappers and title pages were designed by Alexander Rodchenko. Each cover features constructivist letterpress design and a photomontage illustration.

In 1923, Nikolai Bukharin published an article in the Pravda newspaper, in which he called on Soviet writers to create a “Red Pinkerton” i.e. adventure literature promoting revolutionary ideas. In response to this call, several novels were written, including ‘Mess-Mend’ (1924) by Marietta Shaginyan, ‘Trest D.E.’ (Trust D. E. The History of the Destruction of Europe, 1923) by Ilya Ehrenburg, ‘Iprit’ (Mustard Gas, 1925) by Vsevolod Ivanov and Viktor Shklovsky.
This particular series became the peak of Soviet pulp fiction. It was written by Soviet Armenian poet and writer Marietta Shaginian (1880-1982) under the pseudonym Jim Dollar. In the 1920s, Shaginian traveled across the country, observing socialist construction projects and describing them in her texts. This particular work differs from documentary texts by fantasy fragments, but it is also imbued with socialist ideology. It sets In the North America of the 1920s. Workers found an organization ‘Mess-Mend’ to construct socialism. They study secret properties of materials and things, and thus they seek to gain unlimited conspiratorial power over the capitalist world. Then they stand against a union of fascists. In 1926, the silent spy film ‘Miss Mend’ was directed at the Mezhrabpom studio. It was originally released in three parts and was loosely based on the Shaginian’s work.

According to Worldcat, John Hopkins University holds all volumes, Harvard University holds vol. 4-8, 10, Houston Museum of Fine Arts holds vol. 3-9.

Price: $9,500.00

Status: On Hold