This month’s post in the Book Blog Archives is none other than Anna Karenina, written by Leo Tolstoy. It was published in the Russian Messenger periodically between 1873-1877. However, the ‘relic’ featured here is a 2 Vol. Russian Print of Anna Karenina from 1914. One of the most distinguishing characteristics are the white metal plates with relief illustrations on the covers.
The volumes were published in Moscow by Ivan Sytin. It is possible to see, despite the age of the nearly 100-year-old print from Russia, how the book is in fact a ‘cheap book’. The work itself has been reprinted by publishers all across the modern globe over the years, and has even been adapted into a film by Focus Features, an American film studio which has completed a large amount film and other film adaptions of books, such as Pride and Prejudice.
An interesting aspect of the volumes is the different covers and titles of the book. The metal plates are of different size due to the orientation of the image, however, the typeface and design of the title AHHA KAPEHNHA are also different. Both the typeface on the second volume is narrow and set in relief on the thin leather hard cover and painted gold. The use of curves on the ‘K’ is ‘Russian-esque’ and the high set character bars makes for an interesting and pleasing title. The first volume features a border also colored gold around the title using a bold variation of the latter font. The stems of each character are more stressed and set closer to the neighboring characters.
The metal plates are rough cut around and is held in place with 4 small nails. The edges are rounded and there is a thin square edges border around each image. Both sides of the cover feature a angled beveled edge. The two volumes are printed on slightly waxy paper and is printed in Cyrillic characters. There are also illustrates throughout both copies of the Anna Karenina. It is possible to see the crude or ‘cheap’ nature of the book when looking at the pages the illustrations are set on; each of a different material, color and texture. The images are also loosely attached with a thin yellowed or clear piece of parchment set over top; a caption is printed just below each image of the parchment.
There is also an interesting folio sequence for both books as well. Another notable feature is the ‘printed in Russia’ stamp below the publisher’s date and name. there is also a brilliantly colored title page featuring an image colors in yellow and blank of a people standing about an elegant Russian house party.
EX LIBRIS EUEGENE PROGOPOVITCH reads the book plate pasted to the top left corner of each covers backside. A melting candle burning atop a desk next to a quill pen resting in ink, stacks of books and an hour glass fill the back ground of the plate. The following book is now apart of the Rare Books & Special Collections at UBC in Vancouver, a long way from its place of origin.
