Bookvica

[THE ORIGINS OF SOVIET FILM]

Item #945

Collection gathering various pieces of a print chronology of Russian and Soviet cinema in the 1900s-1940s. Starting from one pre-revolutionary book (1909), this collection tied the very beginning of cinematography when it considered just an evolution of a static photograph and the middle of the 20th century when Eisenstein shot his last work (1944) and the Soviet engineers had constructed an innovative 625-line model of the first mass Soviet television (1946-1947).
It includes 51 items. There are 34 books: monographs, critical works, screenplays, librettos, the only catalogue of Kinoizdat (Kinopechat’) publishing house and typewritten engineers’ notes. Apart from them, 14 issues of four periodicals, 2 advertising posters and 1 designer’s project have been collected.
They carry valid information on contemporary silent and sound films, including works by directors Eisenstein, Pudovkin, Vertov and others. Among authors are directors, screenwriters, film historians, camera operator, engineers and artists. Most editions lean to constructivist design: some of them feature works by well-known contributors, including constructivist artist Vialov, pioneer of Soviet animation Vano, and some covers were created by unknown artists. Overall the books are dedicated to the subjects like acting, shooting films (at studio and outside), writing a screenplay, organizing production of any film from the very beginning. Apart from them, we have found handbooks about film lighting and sound effects, about remarkable female actors, about experience exchange with the American movie industry and Soviet participation in the international film festival.
Together these books, periodicals and ephemera serve as an evidence of experiments in the Soviet motion picture and overwhelming charm of avant-garde approach to this business.
The detailed descriptions and photos are available upon request.


BOOKS ON CINEMATOGRAPHY
1. Gotval’d, V. Kinematograf («zhivaia fotografiia»): Ego proishozhdenie, ustroistvo, sovremennoe i budushchee obshhestvennoe i nauchnoe znachenie [i.e. Cinematography (“Living Photography”) : Its Origins, Structure, Current and Future Social and Scientific Significance]. Moscow: Tipografiia T-va I. D. Sytina, 1909. 120 pp.: ill. 21x14 cm. In original illustrated wrappers. Spine restored, previous owner’s stamp on t.p., few stains on covers, otherwise very good and clean.
First and only edition. Worldcat shows copies located in MoMA and University of Southern California.
2. Lebedev, N. Po germanskoi kinematografii [i.e. On German Cinematography]. Moscow: Kino-Moskva, 1924. 62, [1] pp., 4 ills. 15x11,5 cm. In original constructivist wrappers. Tears of spine, small signature on t.p., otherwise very good.
One of 4000 copies. Only copy is located in University of Southern California.
3. Turkin, V. Kino-iskusstvo, kino-akter, kino-shkola [i.e. Cinema Art, Cinema Actor and Cinema School]. Moscow: Kinoizdatel’stvoRSFSR., 1925. 64 pp. 14,5x11,5 cm. In original constructivist wrappers by Peter Galadzhev. Small fragments of spine lost, stamp of Cinema Office of State Institute of Art History on t.p.
First and only edition. One of 10 000 copies. Worldcat locates copies in North Carolina and Stanford Universities.
4. Sokolov, I. Kinostsenarii: Teoriia i tekhnika [i.e. Movie Screenplay : Theory and Technique]. Moscow: Kinopechat’, 1926. 91, [4] pp. 17x13,5 cm. In original wrappers by Sergei Chekhonin. Fragments of spine and covers lost, faded, ink signature on t.p., otherwise very good.
First and only edition. One of 7000 copies. No copies were found in Worldcat.
5. Blium, G. S kinoapparatom v vozdukhe [i.e. With a Movie Camera in the Air]. Moscow: Kinopechat’, 1926. 32 pp. 17x13 cm. In original constructivist wrappers with letterpress design. Tears and losses of the spine, some foxing, otherwise very good.
First and only edition. Worldcat doesn’t track this edition.
6. Oganesov, K. Amerikanskie kino-rezhissery [i.e. American Film Directors]. Moscow: Kinopechat’, 1926. 32 pp.: ill. 17,5x13 cm. In original constructivist wrappers. Tiny tears of the spine, paper label of private library on t.p.
First and only edition. One of 11 000 copies. Cover design by Konstantin Vialov. Only 2 paper copies locate in MoMA and Yale University, according to Worldcat.
7. Borisov, S. Svet i optika v kino [i.e. Light and Optics in Cinematography]. Moscow: Kinopechat’, 1927. 96 pp.: ill. 18x14 cm. In original constructivist wrappers. Uncut. Fragments of spine and covers lost, otherwise very good and clean internally.
First and only edition. One of 4000 copies. Only copy located in MoMA, according to the Worldcat.
8. [Catalogue] Nauchnye fil’my : Opisanie fonda nauchnykh fil’mov [i.e. Scientific Films: A Description of the Stock of Scientific Films]. Moscow: Kinopechat’, 1927. 96 pp. 17,5x13,5 cm. In original constructivist wrappers. Mostly uncut. Fragments of spine lost, stains on first four leaves, otherwise very good.
First and only edition. One of 3500 copies. Only 2 paper copies locate in Princeton University and NYPL, according to Worldcat.
9. Murashko, L. [Leo Mur] Fabrika serykh tenei: (Den’ kino-fabriki) [i.e. Factory of Gray Shadows : One Day of Cinema Studio]. Moscow: Kinopechat’, 1927. 154, [6] pp. In original photomontage wrappers. Tears and losses of spine, some soiling, bookshops’ marks on back covers, otherwise very good and clean internally.
First and only edition. One of 4500 copies. Striking cover design depicts composition including director and operator. Worldcat shows copies located in Wayne University and Getty Institute.
10. Shklovskii, V. Ikh nastoiashchee [i.e. Their Present]. Moscow: Kinopechat, 1927. 112 pp.: ill. 17,5x13,5 cm. In original wrappers with photomontage design. Fine. Ink signature on front cover and t.p.
One of 4000 copies. Worldcat doesn’t track any original copies.
11. Katalog izdanii / Kino-izdatel’stvo RSFSR [i.e. Catalogue of Publications / Movie Publishing House of RSFSR]. Moscow: Kinopechat’, 1927. 32 pp.: ill. 15x11,5 cm. In original printed wrappers. Small tears of the spine, repaired back cover, otherwise very good.
First and only edition with this publisher’s name. Probably, one of 1000 copies (this fragment of back cover was repaired). Worldcat doesn’t track this edition.
12. Goldovskii, E. Osveshchenie kino-atel’e [i.e. Film Studio Lighting]. Moscow: Kinopechat’, 1927. 192 pp. 20x14,5 cm. In original constructivist cardboards. Slightly chipped and bumped, otherwise mint.
One of 5000 copies. Worldcat locates copies in Southern California and Yale Universities.
13. Arnol’di, E. Komicheskoe v kino [i.e. Comical One in Cinema]. Moscow: Kinopechat’, 1928. 30, [2] pp. 17,5x13,5 cm. In original illustrated wrappers. Mint.
One of 5000 copies. Worldcat shows the only copy located in University of Southern California.
14. Lunacharskii, A. Kino na zapade i u nas [i.e. Cinema in the West and at Home]. Moscow: Teakinopechat’, 1928. 80 pp.: ill. 20,5x14 cm. In original constructivist wrappers. Tears and small losses of edges of oversized wrappers.
One of 4000 copies. Worldcat shows copies in LoC, NYPL, LACMA, Stanford University and Harvard College.
15. Korolevich, V. Zhenshchina v kino [i.e. Woman in a Film]. [Leningrad]: Teakinopechat’, 1928. 96 pp., 16 ills. 20,5x14 cm. In original constructivist wrappers. Oversized covers bumped, with some tiny tears and creases, otherwise very good and clean.
First and only edition. One of 6000 copies. Worldcat shows paper copies in LoC, Columbia, North Carolina, Southern California and Stanford Universities.
16. Murashko, L. [Leo Mur] Stolitsa Kinolandii [i.e. The Capital of Filmland]. Moscow: Teakinopechat’, 1928. 176 pp. 20x14 cm. In original illustrated oversized wrappers. Tears of oversized wrappers and spine, some soiling, otherwise very good.
One of 4000 copies. Worldcat doesn’t track this edition.
17. Shershenevich, V. Smeshno o kino [i.e. A Laughing Look at the Movies]. Moscow: Teakinopechat’, 1928. 32 pp. 17x11,5 cm. In original constructivist wrappers. Some foxing, otherwise very good.
First and only edition. One of 8000 copies. Only copy located in Getty Institute, according to the Worldcat.
18. Kolomarov, B. Zlodei v kino [i.e. Villain in a Movie]. Moscow: Teakinopechat’, 1929. 28, [4] pp.: ill. 17x11 cm. In original illustrated wrappers by Alexei Ushin. Fine.
Worldcat shows copies located in Getty Institute and Princeton University.
19. Politiko-prosvetitel’naia i dokumental’naia fil’ma [i.e. Politically Enlightening and Documentary Film]. Moscow: Teakinopechat’, 1929. 54, [2] pp. 18x27,5 cm. In original printed wrappers with elementary geometric design. Stains occasionally, tears and losses of the spine, otherwise very good.
One of 8000 copies. Montage of film stills was produced by artist M. Nirod. Only copy is located in MoMA.
20. Mel’nik, N. Naukove kino (Etiudy) [i.e. Scientific Film (Essays)]. Kiev: Ukrteakinovidav, 1930. 136 pp.: ill. 21x15 cm. In original printed wrappers. Fragments of spine and corner of front cover lost, pale water stains, pencil commentaries on margins, otherwise very good.
One of 3000 copies. In Ukrainian. Illustrated with VUFKU film stills. Worldcat doesn’t track this edition.
21. Muzyka i fil’ma = Musik und Film : Posobie po kino muzyke [i.e. Music and Film : Handbook of Movie Music] / H. Erdmann, G. Becce, L. Brav. Moscow: Teakinopechat’, 1930. 176 pp. 17x13 cm. In original constructivist wrappers. Fragments of spine lost, some stains and pencil marks, otherwise very good.
One of 5000 copies. Worldcat doesn’t track this edition.
22. Piotrovskii, A. Khudozhestvennye techeniia v sovetskom kino [i.e. Artistic Movements in Soviet Cinema]. Leningrad: Teakinopechat’, 1930. 48 pp. 17x12,5 cm. In original printed wrappers. Very good, pale waterstains on lower margin of the first leaves.
One of 3000 copies. Only copy in Chicago University, according to Worldcat.
23. Shumiackii, B. Sovetskii fil’m na mezhdunarodnoi kinovystavke [i.e. A Soviet Film at an International Exhibition of Cinematography]. Moscow: Kinofotoizdat, 1934. 112 pp.: ill. 17,5х12,5 cm. In original cardboards and illustrated dust jacket. Restored dust jacket, some stains, signature on t.p.
First and only edition. One of 5000 copies. Worldcat shows copies in Library of Congress and Harvard College.
24. Vstrechnyi : Kak sozdavalsia fil’m [i.e. Counterplan : How the Film Was Made]. Moscow: Kinofotoizdat, 1935. [4], 148, [4] pp.: ill., 4 ills. 20x14,5 cm. In original cloth with blind embossed letterpress design. No dust jacket. Some stains on the covers, otherwise very good and clean.
One of 2500 copies. Worldcat shows copies located in Illinois, California, Denver, Southern California, Yale Universities, Harvard College and MoMA.
25. Mul’tiplikatsionnyi fil’m [i.e. Animated Film] / N. Khodataev, I. Vano, A. Ptushko, S. Boguslavskii. Moscow: Kinofotoizdat, 1936. 288 pp.: ill., 1 ill. 25х17,5 cm. In original full cloth with blind embossed lettering on silver band on the spine. Faded, pale water stains throughout the copy.
One of 2000 copies. Design was produced by a pioneer of the Soviet animation school Ivan Vano (pseudonim of Ivan Ivanov; 1900-1987). Introduction by G. Roshal’. Worldcat locates copies in Southern California, Denver Universities, Getty Institute, MoMA and NYPL.
26. Agokas, N. Tsvetnoe kino [i.e. Color Film]. Moscow: Kinofotoizdat, 1936. [4], 159 pp.: ill. 23x15,5 cm. In original black cloth with mounted RGB color model and blind embossed lettering. No front flyleaf, few marginalia, otherwise very good.
One of 1500 copies. Worldcat doesn’t track any copy.
27. Iunakovskii, V. Postroenie kinostsenariia [i..e Formation of Film Screenplay]. Moscow : Goskinoizdat, 1940. 116 pp. 20x14 cm. In original cloth with colored lettering on the front cover. Very good.
One of 4000 copies. Only copy is located in University of Southern California.
28. Ivan Groznyi [i.e. Ivan the Terrible] / screenplay by S. Eisenstein, lyrics by V. Lugovsky. Moscow: Goskinoizdat, 1944. 190, [1] pp., 8 ills. 19,5x14 cm. In original full cloth with colored lettering and blind embossed design.
One of 5000 copies. Worldcat shows paper copies located in Princeton, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Western, Notre Dame, Arizona, Southern California, Columbia, Yale, California, Washington and Stanford Universities, Harvard College and NYPL.
29. Genishta, E. Opisanie televizora Moskvich-1 [i.e. Description of Moskvich-1 television]. [late 1940s]. 92 typewritten pages, 41 mounted and inserted drawings. 29,5x21 cm. In contemporary binding with mounted leaf with lettering on the front cover. In a very good condition.

Five Soviet libretto of Russian, Georgian, Hungarian and American films.
30. 3 epokhi. Illan Dili [i.e. Three Ages. Illan Dili]. Moscow: Kinopechat, [1926?]. 5 pp.: ill. 13,5x9 cm. In original photomontage wrappers. Very good. Some stains, blurred stamp on inner side of front cover.
31. Chelovek iz restorana [i.e. The Man from the Restaurant]. Moscow: Kinopechat’, [1927]. 8 pp.: ill. 13,5x9 cm. In original illustrated wrappers. Very good. Some soiling, pencil signature on front cover in Georgian. One of 10 000 copies.
32. Peter. Leningrad: Roskinoizdat, [1930s]. 12 pp.: ill. 12,5x9,5 cm. In original illustrated wrappers. Very good. Stains occasionally, tiny tears of spine, slightly rubbed. Design by A. Vasil’ev.
33. Podniataia tselina [i.e. Virgin Soil Upturned]. Leningrad: Lengorkino, [1939]. 12 pp.: ill. 10,5x7,5 cm. In original illustrated wrappers. Very good.
34. Rodina [i.e. Homeland]. Leningrad: Lengorkino, [1939]. 12 pp.: ill. 10x7 cm. In original illustrated wrappers. Very good.
Worldcat doesn’t track these editions.

PERIODICALS ON SOVIET CINEMA
35. Kino-gazeta [i.e. Movie Newspaper] #17, 18 1918. Moscow, 1918. 33,5x25,5 cm. In original illustrated wrappers. Only p. 1-6 of #17 were preserved. In #18 fragment of p. 1-2 lost. Both issues: tears, pale private stamps on the front page, some soiling.
Extremely rare survival of time. No copies were found in Worldcat.
36. Kino-front [i.e. Cinema Front] #2, 3, 6, 7/8, 11/12, 13/14 for 1927. Overall 6 issues. Moscow: Association for Revolutionary Cinema, 1927. 26,5x18 cm. In original illustrated wrappers in constructivist style. Very good. Tears of spine (#6, 7/8, 13/14) and edges (#7/8), water stains (#6, 11/12), soiling occasionally.
Print run varies 3000-5000 copies. Design issue #6 was produced by constructivist artist Konstantin Vialov. Cover features a project of a film studio by VKHUTEMAS student Pomazanov. Design of issue #11/12 was produced by artist M. Shneider. Worldcat shows all these issues in Princeton University, some issues located in University of Southern California.
37. Proletarskoe Kino [i.e. Proletarian Cinema] #5/6, 10/11 for 1931, #2, 6, 13/14 for 1932. Overall 5 issues. Moscow: GIKhL, 1931-1932. 25,5x18 cm. In original constructivist wrappers. In very good condition, tears and small losses of spines. Defect of the outer margin and ink note on the front cover (#13/14).
Cover designs of 1931 issues were produced by Mikhail Miloslavsky (1907-1965), while 1932 issues were designed by Petr Klettenberg (1904-1938). Worldcat shows all issues located in Amherst College, some issues located in MoMA and Stanford University.
38. Sovetskoe kino [i.e. Soviet Cinema] № 11/12 1934. Special issue. Moscow: Zhurnal’no-gazetnoe ob’edinenie, 1934. 176 pp: ill., 10 ills. 25,5x17,5 cm. Tears and losses of the spine.
One of 7000 copies. Cover design with filmstrip was co-produced by artists A. Shakhov and P. Klettenberg, the last one designed Gorky Park in Moscow until was executed in 1938. Worldcat shows only copy in MoMA.

EPHEMERA ON SOVIET CINEMA
39. Vecher starinnoi fil’my. 1903-1928 g.: Programma [i.e. Old Movie Evening. 1903-1928. Program]. Leningrad; Teakinopechat’, 1928. 4 pp.: ill. 24,5x18,5 cm. Some soiling, tears along creases, tail of spine repaired, otherwise very good.
40. Vrazh’ia sila. Programma na 25 maia (tol’ko na odin den’) [i.e. Enemy Power. Program on May 25 (One Day Only)]. Moscow, 1916. 32,5x14,5 cm. Very good. Crease in half, defect of upper edge repaired.
41. Sketch. Logo of Film Studio ‘KinoMoskva’ [‘Mosfil’m’] / I. Dubasov. Moscow, 1924. Sketch: 14,5х14,5 cm. Backed on cardboard: 18,5x18 cm. Signed by artist.

Sold