Ginen-geveb, by David Hofstein. Kiev: Melukhe-farlag (on title page: Kultur-lige, Kiev, Kleyne Bibliotek 'Lirik'), 1921. Yiddish. Ginen-geveb, book of poems by David Hofstein. Front cover illustration by Joseph Chaikov. David Hofstein (1889-1952), Jewish-Ukranian poet and author; leading member of the "Kiev Group" during the golden age of Yiddish literature in Soviet Russia, and one of thirteen Jewish intellectuals killed during the "Night of the Murdered Poets", on the order of Stalin. Hofstein wrote in Yiddish and Hebrew, and was thoroughly engaged in promoting Jewish cultural activities in Russia. In the early 1920s he was among the founders of the "Lirik" series of poetry books, which included the present volume. Hofstein was forced to leave the USSR after being persecuted by the Yevsektsiya (the Jewish section of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union) for his cultural activities. He spent several years in Berlin and immigrated to Palestine, where he resided for about a year; in the second half of the 1920s he returned to the USSR and settled in Kiev. Adhering to the "official party line", his writing gained some recognition from the regime. In September 1948 he was arrested by the secret police, charged for Jewish nationalism, espionage and other false accusations. This arrest came as part of a general increase in antisemitism in Stalinist Soviet Russia. On the night of August 12th, 1952, he was executed, during what came to be known as the "Night of the Murdered Poets". Hofstein was posthumously rehabilitated in 1958. 16 pp., 14 cm. Good condition. Creases. Minor damages. Cover slightly worn and stained. Signature on front cover and p. 3.

Legion, poem by Gabriel Talphir. Warsaw: Pratzim, [1925]. Hebrew. The debut book of poet Gabriel Talphir; an impressive futurist long poem depicting a vision of Hebrew legions conquering Palestine. Cover design by Henryk Berlewi (signed in the plate: "H. Berlewi"). Errata sheet tipped in to inside front cover. The Jewish-Polish artist Henryk Berlewi (1894-1967) was one of the leading constructivist artists in Poland in the 1920s. He studied art in Warsaw, Antwerp and Paris. During the years 1919-1921, he worked with the artistic and literary avant-garde group Yung Yidish. Berlewi designed and illustrated books; he is especially known for his illustrations for books by poets Uri Zvi Greenberg and Peretz Markish. Berlewi published a theoretical essay titled "Mechano-Faktura" in which he introduced the theoretical basis for his artistic work, namely, using mechanical means to create texture. The "Mechano-Faktura", which is based on arrangements of lines and simple geometric forms, using the colors black, white and red, rejects the illusion of space in favor of two-dimensionality. In late 1920s, Berlewi moved to Paris, where he mainly focused on portrait painting. After World War II, his works were displayed in several major exhibitions in Paris, as well as in Berlin, Warsaw, Zurich and New York. 80 pp. approx. 27.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, mostly minor. Tears to edges of some leaves. Inked stamps. Several leaves partly detached. Minor creases and stains to cover. Tears to spine (parts of spine missing; cover partly detached). Pencil scribbles to back cover.

Four Russian editions of the poem "The Twleve" (Двенадцать) by poet Alexander Blok (1880-1921). Berlin, Sofia and Simferopol, ca. 1918-1922. Illustrations by Yury Annenkov, Wassili Masjutin and Ivan Milev. The poem "The Twelve", describing a march of twelve revolutionary soldiers in the streets of Petrograd during a storm, was written by Alexander Blok in January 1918, several months after the Bolshevik Revolution. The poem, nowadays considered one of the best-known works of Russian poetry, was subjected to much criticism when first published. It is told that after its writing Blok felt his literary career had come to an end. 1. "The Twelve". Berlin: Алконост (Alkonost), 1918. Third edition (of three editions printed in the year the poem was written). With illustrations by Russian artist Yury Annenkov (1889-1974), which are considered his best-known works. 61, [3] pp + [1] leaf (reproduction of a portrait of Alexander Blok by Konstantin Somov; from another book), 31 cm. Rebound in hard cover, lacking original cover. Fair condition. Stains. Closed and open tears, some large and some reinforced with paper and tape. Damaged binding, loose. 2. "The Twelve". Sofia, Bulgaria: "Russian-Bulgarian Publishing" (Российско-Болгарское книгоиздательство), [1920]. Cover design by artist Ivan Milev (1897-1927), a prominent representative of Bulgarian Modernism. 36 pp, 22 cm. Fair-good condition. Detached cover and leaves (lacking spine). Stains throughout the booklet; numerous stains to cover. Tears to edges of several leaves and edges of cover. Minor creases. 3. "The Twelve". Simferopol, 1921. Without illustrations. 15, [1] pp (including cover), 21 cm. Good-fair condition. Dampstains. Creases and several small tears to edges. 4. "The Twelve". Berlin: Нева (Neva), [1922?]. Front cover illustration and four illustrations inside the book by artist Wassili Masjutin (1884-1955). Masjutin was born in Riga, studied art in Moscow and specialized in printmaking. Since 1921, he lived in Berlin, where he worked as a painter, sculptor, graphic designer and book illustrator. [3] leaves, 22 pp, [2] leaves + [4] plates (illustrations), 24 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Open tears to edges of cover and spine. Enclosed is an additional copy of the poem published by Neva (no. 4), with back cover lacking. Provenance: The collection of Uzi Agassi.

Four volumes of poetry by Alexander Kusikov and other Imaginist poets. Moscow and Kiev, ca. 1920. Russian. Illustrations by Boris Erdman and Georgi Yakulov. One of the books is inscribed by Kusikov. 1. Жемчужный коврик [A Pearl Rug], by Alexander Kusikov, Konstantin Balmont and Antony Sluchanovsky. [Moscow, ca. 1920]. Front cover illustration by Boris Erdman (Борис Эрдман, 1899-1960), a stage designer and graphic artist, member of the Imaginists. On the first (blank) page is a Russian inscription handwritten by Alexander Kusikov (Александр Кусиков, 1896-1977), a prominent voice of the Imaginist movement in Russian poetry. 2. Коевангелиеран [Koevangelieran], by Alexander Kusikov. Moscow, 1920. Illustrations by Boris Erdman on the front cover and throughout the booklet. 3. В никуда [Going Nowhere], by Alexander Kusikov. Moscow: "Имажинисты" (Imaginists), 1920. The logo of the publishing house was designed by Boris Erdman. The illustration on the front cover and the author's portrait (p. 9) were created by Georgi Yakulov (Георгий Якулов, 1884-1928). 4. Коробейники счастья [Peddlers of Happiness], by Alexnader Kusikov and Vadim Shershenevich. Kiev, 1920. Front cover illustration by Boris Erdman. Russian handwritten notes and markings on several pages. Size and condition vary. Provenance: The Uzi Agassi Collection.