![BLOK, Aleksandr Aleksandrovich (1880-1921). Stikhi o prekrasnom dame. [Poems about a beautiful Woman]. Moscow: Grif, 1905. [Offered with:] Liricheskiye dramy: Balaganchik. Korol' na ploshchadi. Neznakomka. “Muzyka k Balaganchiku” M. A. Kuzmina [Lyrical dramas: Carnival. King in the square. A stranger. “Music for Carnival” M. A. Kuzmin]. Shipovnik, 1908. [And with:] Iamby. [Iambs.] St Petersburg: Alkonost, 1919.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2019/CKS/2019_CKS_18466_0099_000(blok_aleksandr_aleksandrovich_stikhi_o_prekrasnom_dame_poems_about_a_b121219).jpg?w=1)
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BLOK, Aleksandr Aleksandrovich (1880-1921). Stikhi o prekrasnom dame. [Poems about a beautiful Woman]. Moscow: Grif, 1905. [Offered with:] Liricheskiye dramy: Balaganchik. Korol' na ploshchadi. Neznakomka. “Muzyka k Balaganchiku” M. A. Kuzmina [Lyrical dramas: Carnival. King in the square. A stranger. “Music for Carnival” M. A. Kuzmin]. Shipovnik, 1908. [And with:] Iamby. [Iambs.] St Petersburg: Alkonost, 1919.
Three first editions, including that, in the original wrappers, of the first book by 'the greatest of all Symbolists' (Mirsky). I: These poems brought Blok immediate fame; 'they are quite original and their style is strangely mature for a young man of twenty to twenty two. The principal feature of this poetry is its complete freedom from everything sensual or concrete. It is a nebula of words' (Mirsky). RBH and ABPC record only one other copy in the original wrappers at auction. Kilgour 120; Mirsky, pp. 210-212. II. Blok's innovative dramatic techniques were manifested since this early theatre publication. Enjoying a relationship with the most prominent directors of his time, Blok was instrumental in Meyerhold's formulation of the theatre of the grotesque; his activities at the Moscow Art Theatre on the eve of the October Revolution proved defining in the trajectory of the the house. Lesman 309; Rozanov 2264. III: A full-margined, unsophisticated copy of this 1919 collection of iambic verses with a pictorial cover. Kilgour 128; MoMA 227.
Octavo. I: (203 x 164mm). With the advertisements at the end. Printed on thick paper (uniformly lightly browned, occasional light wear). Original illustrated wrappers by V. Vladimirov, printed in black (light soiling), bound in contemporary cloth (soiled in places). Provenance: faded stamp on title – smudged small stamp to rear pastedown. II: (172 x 120mm). (Uniform light browning). Original boards with decorative coloured paper upper panel by Somov (spine restored, some light soiling). Provenance: unidentified bookplate. III: (185 x116 mm). Vignette after Yuri Annenkov. Original wrappers, upper side with illustration after N. Kupreiannov (small stain on front cover). [Also in this lot:] Solovinyi sad [Garden of Nightingales]. St Petersburg: Alkonost, 1918. 16mo (137 x85 mm). Uncut and unopened in the original printed wrappers (wrappers lightly dusted).
Three first editions, including that, in the original wrappers, of the first book by 'the greatest of all Symbolists' (Mirsky). I: These poems brought Blok immediate fame; 'they are quite original and their style is strangely mature for a young man of twenty to twenty two. The principal feature of this poetry is its complete freedom from everything sensual or concrete. It is a nebula of words' (Mirsky). RBH and ABPC record only one other copy in the original wrappers at auction. Kilgour 120; Mirsky, pp. 210-212. II. Blok's innovative dramatic techniques were manifested since this early theatre publication. Enjoying a relationship with the most prominent directors of his time, Blok was instrumental in Meyerhold's formulation of the theatre of the grotesque; his activities at the Moscow Art Theatre on the eve of the October Revolution proved defining in the trajectory of the the house. Lesman 309; Rozanov 2264. III: A full-margined, unsophisticated copy of this 1919 collection of iambic verses with a pictorial cover. Kilgour 128; MoMA 227.
Octavo. I: (203 x 164mm). With the advertisements at the end. Printed on thick paper (uniformly lightly browned, occasional light wear). Original illustrated wrappers by V. Vladimirov, printed in black (light soiling), bound in contemporary cloth (soiled in places). Provenance: faded stamp on title – smudged small stamp to rear pastedown. II: (172 x 120mm). (Uniform light browning). Original boards with decorative coloured paper upper panel by Somov (spine restored, some light soiling). Provenance: unidentified bookplate. III: (185 x116 mm). Vignette after Yuri Annenkov. Original wrappers, upper side with illustration after N. Kupreiannov (small stain on front cover). [Also in this lot:] Solovinyi sad [Garden of Nightingales]. St Petersburg: Alkonost, 1918. 16mo (137 x85 mm). Uncut and unopened in the original printed wrappers (wrappers lightly dusted).
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