Cosmonaut and Grishka, Soviet children’s book, Hindi edition. Author A. Mityayev, published in 1984 ()
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.
Russian traditional nursery rhymes illustrated by Yury Vasnetsov. Book from 1982 ()
Here’s something great for you. A very rare first edition of Eduard Uspensky’s book “Gena the Crocodile and His Friends” illustrated by V. Alfeyevsky (published in 1966). It’s the very first presentation of Cheburashka and he looks very different to how we know him now.
In the book Cheburashka was originally described as an “animal unknown to science”, with a body resembling that of a cub, puppy, rabbit or even “the Australian kangaroo”.
More pictures .
The Wooden Eagle, vintage book illustrated by Leonid Vladimirsky. Published in 1987 ()
Chink by Ernest Thompson Seton. Illustrated by N. Ustinov, 1985 ()
Vitaly Statsinsky, illustrations for a book called “Dad And I Go To School Now” (1964)
Swans - vintage Soviet book by N. Ledentsov, illustrated by A. Vazhova, 1988 ()
“Two Squares” by El Lissitzky - the only known children’s book designed in the suprematist style. Published in Berlin in 1922.
The book is essentially about the birth of the new world and its battle with the old world. The black square represents art concept of Kasimir Malevich, the red square–Lissitzky’s. In the end, the red square prevails.
In September 2018 this 12-page book was sold by Litfund auction house for 2 million roubles (US$3.500).
September 26 is Viktor Chizhikov’s birthday! He was born in 1935. He’s a very well-known Russian children’s book illustrator, and he’s the one who created Mishka, the mascot of 1980′s Olympic Games in Moscow.
He illustrated over 100 books. Here are some of his covers.
Konstantin Ushinsky “The Four Wishes” illustrated by Nikolai Ustinov (vintage book, 1987)
“Little Animals Doing Exercise”, children’s book by Genrikh Sapgir, illustrated by I. Offengenden (1970)
Illustrations from “The Colorful Sea” (1974). Book author Svyatoslav Sakharnov, artists N. Ustinov and V. Trubkovich.
The Princess Frog illustrated by Ivan Bilibin, book published in 1992 ()
“Baby Ruffes”, children’s book of rhymes illustrated by Yury Vasnetsov, 1981 ()
Father Four Seasons (1991). Russian folk tales, puzzles, children’s games and proverbs compiled in 19th century by Vladimir Dahl, a famous scholar of Russian language and folklore. Illustrated by Vladimir Konashevich. ()