Lot Description

[PUSHKIN, Alexander Sergeevich (1799-1837)]. Severnye Tsvety na 1831 god. [Northern Flowers for the Year 1831.] St. Petersburg: Dept. of Public Education, 1830. 16° (122 x 100mm). Additional engraved title, and two leaves of musical notation, EXTRA ILLUSTRATED with two lithographed plate (perhaps without one plate once bound before p.101). (Spotting throughout.) Contemporary Russian binding with red morocco spine, white silk sides with richly gilt frame and allegorical scenes onlaid in red morocco gilt, white silk endpapers with gilt turn-ins (heavy wear to sides and extremities, hinges split and joints starting). Provenance: 'N.M.' (printed leaf bound-in dated 1831 recording the gift to an unidentified recipient).

FIRST EDITION IN A HIGHLY ORNATE AND UNUSUAL CONTEMPORARY RUSSIAN BINDING. One of the most famous 19th-century Russian almanacs, first edited by Pushkin's great friend Delvig. Poems by Pushkin in this volume include: Poemu (Sonet), Otvet anonimu, Monastyr na Kazbek, Otryvok, and Obal; a third part, also present here but not listed by Smirnov-Sokol'skii, includes Pushkin's Sobranie Nasekomykh, and a number of pieces by Glinka. Kilgour 1049; Smirnov-Sokol'skii 67.