“Hold high flags of athletic pride of the Soviet Union!” - vintage Russian poster
This blog is about old postcards, book illustration and all kinds of paper whimsy from the Soviet Union. I'm a long time collector, and this blog is 7 years old. I have an etsy shop for cards, books, pins and vintage finds from Russia.
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Vintage poster with the anthem of Soviet Union ()
August 9 is Tove Jansson’s birthday! The first photo here is the first of her books ever published in the Soviet Union (Moomins and the Comet Chase). The second shows all of her books published in the USSR. Most of her works were published in 1991-1992 - after the Soviet era.
You can find a comprehensive list of all Jansson’s book published in Russian .
Elton John in the Soviet Union (May 1979) ()
Bonus:
Slavyanovsk mineral water from a Zheleznovodsk hot spring - vintage advertising poster (USSR 1951)
Title page from the book “The First All-Union Spartakiad” (sports contest)
Artist V. Filippov, book published in Soviet Union in 1928.
Airship propaganda posters, USSR 1931 ()
Holiday cartoons from Soviet Union - my top 5
“The Last Year’s Snow Was Falling” (1983)
This one is a legend. Packed with phrases that every Russian person recognizes in a conversation. I watch it religiously every year on December 31. I pretty much know it by heart, but I still enjoy watching it! Voiced by the amazing Stanislav Sadalsky. Great music too!
(«Уж послала так послала!» «А вот это мой размерчик.» «Ох уж эти сказочки! Ох уж эти сказочники…»)
(Watch with English subtitles )
“Father Frost and Summer” (1969)
It’s sooo cute! And those songs! Love love love it.
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“Winter in Prostokvashino” (1984)
Another classic cartoon - the third installment in the story of the little village called Prostokvashino. Check out the Christmas tree decorated in attic-found vintage. :)
(«Фиг вам называется!»)
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“The Nutcracker” (1973)
I remember watching this as a child and being mesmerized with the music. It was long before I knew who Tchaikovsky was! And the scene when Nutcracker turns into boy gave me goose bumps.
This one needs no translation.
“Father Frost and Grey Wolf” (1978)
I mostly include this one for the song - «Тревога! Тревога! Волк унёс зайчат!» - which is an old joke between me and my sister. We watched this one a lot back in the day. :)
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Making this list has put me into holiday mood! :)
Set of 15 vintage stamps commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Soviet Union (1957)
Holiday decorated shop in Soviet Union
Window shopping. Photo by Robert Diament (1954)