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[KHEMNITSER, Ivan Ivanovich (1745-1784)]. Basni i skazki. [Fables and Stories]. St Petersburg: [Imperial Press], [1779].
Rare first edition of this collection of fables by Khemnitser, ‘the first Russian fabulist to sound an original note’ (Mirskii). The most eminent of Sumarokov’s followers and Krylov’s predecessors, Khemnitser was inspired by the sentimentalist and neo-classical ideas in the circle of N.A. Lvov. The 33 fables in this collection, published anonymously, include adaptations of stories by the German Christian Gellert, as well as plots and characters inspired by the tradition of Aesop and La Fontaine. Two were written by Lvov himself. RBH records no other copies having been offered at auction. SK XVIII 7956, Sopikov 2124. Not in Smirnov-Sokol’skii, Moia biblioteka, Kilgour or Fekula. V. Terras, Handbook of Russian Literature, pp. 221-22, D.P. Mirskii, A History of Russian Literature, p. 49.
Octavo (165 x 105mm). With the dedication (title a bit soiled, some thumbing or mainly marginal waterstaining, one leaf strengthened at gutter, last two leaves with fable 33 and index supplied). Contemporary half calf, marbled boards, spine tooled and lettered in blind, edges spreckled red (rubbed, minor repair to corners and at head and foot). Provenance: indistinct autographs (front pastedown) – early inscription ‘Khemnitsera’ and indistinct autograph (title).
Rare first edition of this collection of fables by Khemnitser, ‘the first Russian fabulist to sound an original note’ (Mirskii). The most eminent of Sumarokov’s followers and Krylov’s predecessors, Khemnitser was inspired by the sentimentalist and neo-classical ideas in the circle of N.A. Lvov. The 33 fables in this collection, published anonymously, include adaptations of stories by the German Christian Gellert, as well as plots and characters inspired by the tradition of Aesop and La Fontaine. Two were written by Lvov himself. RBH records no other copies having been offered at auction. SK XVIII 7956, Sopikov 2124. Not in Smirnov-Sokol’skii, Moia biblioteka, Kilgour or Fekula. V. Terras, Handbook of Russian Literature, pp. 221-22, D.P. Mirskii, A History of Russian Literature, p. 49.
Octavo (165 x 105mm). With the dedication (title a bit soiled, some thumbing or mainly marginal waterstaining, one leaf strengthened at gutter, last two leaves with fable 33 and index supplied). Contemporary half calf, marbled boards, spine tooled and lettered in blind, edges spreckled red (rubbed, minor repair to corners and at head and foot). Provenance: indistinct autographs (front pastedown) – early inscription ‘Khemnitsera’ and indistinct autograph (title).
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