Gingko Press, the small publisher that issued Jean Holabird’s VN-inspired illustrations on synesthesia in Alphabet in Color (2006), is planning a new VN-related title. It is a so-called “facsimile” edition of John Shade’s note-card manuscript for Pale Fire, with introductory essays by R.S. Gwynn and Brian Boyd. (See NABOKV-L, 23 April.) “The book is currently in the design stage”, a Gingko representative says. He reports no title or tentative publication date yet.
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Penguin is going to publish The Original of Laura on 3 November in the UK, according to an item today on the website, theBookseller.com (part of The Bookseller, a British business magazine for the book industry).
Penguin Classics editor Alexis Kirschbaum bought the book, together with continuing rights to the Nabokov backlist, in a six-figure deal through Andrew Wylie [the Nabokov estate’s literary agent]…Penguin Classics will also republish Nabokov’s entire backlist, beginning in November with six of his novels[,]…a collection of Nabokov poems never before published in English (November 2010) and a collection of previously unpublished letters by Nabokov to his wife Vera (November 2011).
It is also being reported today on the blog, The Londoner’s Diary (part of the London Evening Standard). In the U.S., Knopf had already announced that it was going to publish ToOL on 3 November.
I think that the mention of “Nabokov’s poems never before published in English” is a mistake and should be “Nabokov’s prose”. Brian Boyd is the editor and co-translator with Olga Voronina of the book of letters, to be titled, To Véra: Nabokov’s Letters to His Wife.
Tags: British, The Original of Laura
Over the years I’ve received queries from people asking about the VN books issued by Ardis, the small Russian-oriented press founded by Carl and Ellendea Proffer in Ann Arbor, MI in 1971. Ardis began issuing VN books in 1974. (In its semi-incarnation today under Overlook Press, it keeps a modest number of them in print. Actually I see only one, The Song of Igor’s Campaign. Wikipedia has a piece on the press. Or you can go to its website.)
Ardis published 20 different VN titles, most in Russian, from 1971 to 1992. In my list here, only the last four publications, in the series “Collected Works”, had dust jackets, as noted:
Alice in Wonderland
Аня в стране чудес. New American edition.
First printing, issue a, 1982. Trade wrappers in Russian (905 copies).
First printing, issue b, 1982. Trade hardcover in Russian (100 copies).
Mary
Машенька. First American edition.
First printing, variant a, 1974. Trade hardcover in Russian (500 copies).
First printing, variant b, 1974. Trade wrappers in Russian (1000 copies).
First printing, variant c, 1974. Trade wrappers in Russian (smaller format).
King, Queen, Knave
Король, дама, валет. New American edition.
First printing, variant a, 1979. Trade hardcover in Russian (100 copies).
First printing, variant b, 1979. Trade wrappers in Russian (1000 copies).
The Defense
Защита Лужина. First American edition.
First printing, variant a, 1979. Trade hardcover in Russian (100 copies).
First printing, variant b, 1979. Trade wrappers in Russian (1200 copies).
The Return of Chorb
Возвращение Чорба. First American edition, (Собрание рассказов и повестй, Том 1).
First printing, variant a, 1976. Trade hardcover in Russian (200 copies).
First printing, variant b, 1976. Trade wrappers in Russian (1000 copies).
Second printing, 1983. Trade wrappers in Russian (1000 copies).
The Eye
Соглядатай. First American edition.
First printing, variant a, 1978. Trade hardcover in Russian (150 copies).
First printing, variant b, 1978. Trade wrappers in Russian (1350 copies).
Glory
Подвиг. First American edition.
First printing, variant a, 1974. Trade hardcover in Russian (500 copies).
First printing, variant b, 1974. Trade wrappers in Russian (2000 copies).
First printing, date unknown. Trade wrappers in Russian (smaller format).
Laughter in the Dark
Камера обскура. First American edition.
First printing, variant a, 1978. Trade hardcover in Russian (200 copies).
First printing, variant b, 1978. Trade wrappers in Russian.
Despair
Отчаяние. First American edition.
First printing, variant a, 1978. Trade hardcover in Russian (200 copies).
First printing, variant b, 1978. Trade wrappers in Russian (1300 copies).
Invitation to a Beheading
Приглашение на казнь. First American edition.
First printing, variant a, 1979. Trade hardcover in Russian (100 copies).
First printing, variant b, 1979. Trade wrappers in Russian (1200 copies).
Second printing, 1984. Trade wrappers in Russian (700 copies).
The Gift
Дар. First American corrected edition.
First printing, variant a, 1975. Trade hardcover in Russian (1000 copies).
First printing, variant b, 1975. Trade wrappers in Russian.
Second printing, 1979. Trade wrappers in Russian.
Third printing, 1983. Trade wrappers in Russian (1000 copies).
Speak, Memory
Другие берега. New translated and revised edition.
First printing, variant a, 1978. Trade hardcover in Russian (150 copies).
First printing, variant b, 1978. Trade wrappers in Russian (1350 copies).
Second printing, 1982. Trade wrappers in Russian (700 copies).
Lolita
Лолита. New American translated edition.
First printing, variant a, 1976. Trade hardcover in Russian (100 copies).
First printing, variant b, 1976. Trade wrappers in Russian (100 copies).
Second printing, date unknown. Trade wrappers in Russian.
Third printing, 1979. Trade wrappers in Russian (2000 copies).
Spring in Fialta
Весна в Фяльте. New American edition, (Собрание рассказов и повестей, 3).
First printing, variant a, 1978. Trade hardcover in Russian.
First printing, variant b, 1978. Trade wrappers in Russian.
Second printing, 1984. Trade wrappers in Russian (1000 copies).
A Hero of Our Time. New American wrappers edition.
First printing, 1988. Trade wrappers in English.
New edition, first printing, 2002. Trade wrappers in English.
The Song of Igor’s Campaign. New American wrappers edition.
First printing, 1988. Trade wrappers in English.
New edition, first printing, 2003. Trade wrappers in English.
Poems (1979)
Стихи. First edition.
First printing, variant a, 1979. Trade hardcover in Russian (200 copies).
First printing, variant b, 1979. Trade wrappers in Russian (1000 copies).
Correspondence with His Sister
Переписка с сестрой. First edition.
First printing, variant a, 1985. Trade wrappers in Russian.
First printing, variant b, 1985. Trade hardcover in Russian.
Collected Works: I (Mary, King, Queen, Knave)
Собрание сочинений: I. First edition.
First printing, 1987. Trade hardcover with dj in Russian.
Collected Works: III (The Eye, 12 stories, The Enchanter)
Собрание сочинений: III. First edition.
First printing, 1992. Trade hardcover with dj in Russian (252 copies).
Collected Works: VI (The Gift)
Собрание сочинений: VI. New American corrected edition.
First printing, issue a, 1989. Trade hardcover with tan dj in Russian.
First printing, issue b, 1989. Trade hardcover with imitation parchment dj in Russian.
Collected Works: X (Lolita)
Собрание сочинений: X. New American translated edition.
First printing, 1987. Trade hardcover with dj in Russian.
Tags: Ardis Publications
I found two VN-connected but non-VN items at the New York Antiquarian Book Fair and heard a birthday story.
Kelmscott Bookshop (Baltimore, MD) had an attractive copy of Russian Wonder Tales translated by Post Wheeler, Secretary of the American Embassy in St. Petersburg for $75. It was published in London by Adam and Charles Black in 1912 with a dozen illustrations taken from the work of the very well-known Ivan Bilibin. (Harvard University Library has an American-issued copy (The Century Co., New York, 1912), rebound without the pictorial boards. Google Book Search has it on line.) I wonder if there is a VN connection here, as slight as it might be. Did the Nabokov family know Wheeler, Bilibin, this book?
Pola Negri, 1925
Peter Harrington (London) had an outstanding copy of one of the two fragile little pamphlets on Hollywood published in the 1920s in Russian by VN’s fellow St. Petersburgian, Alisa Rozenbaum. That is, Ayn Rand. Пола Негри [Pola Negri] carries no author credit, is 16 pages, and measures 15 x 11 cm. This copy is the first of the two printings and in pink wrappers. Price, a not so fragile £6750/$10,125. How far those two such different writers came in their adopted country.
John Rutter of Ars Libri (Boston, MA), a specialist in art books and a dealer who knows his VN stuff, told me a story about his 17-year old daughter. Her birthday was coming up soon and John didn’t know what present to get her. Finally, he broke down and asked her directly what she wanted. She considered the question for a moment. Then she turned to her father: “I know how you feel about your books. So, could you get me my own copy of The Annotated Lolita so that I can mark it up?”
Tags: NY Book Fair
- Despair, John Long, 1937 (Courtesy of Peter Harrington Books)
- Despair, John Long, 1937 (Christie’s 19-Jun-2007)
The juiciest VN piece at the New York Antiquarian Book Fair was from Peter Harrington Books (London), a copy of VN’s translation of Despair published by John Long in 1937 (Juliar A15.2). Not so unusual without a dust jacket. But this copy was quite unusual—it has a dust jacket and was offered at £17,500/$26,250. A fair enough price, actually, considering its rarity.
Here are photos of two different copies with the same dust jackets: the Peter Harrington copy and one that Christie’s sold at auction on June 19, 2007. On the first one, you can see the black cloth peeking out of its dust jacket. That binding has gilt stamping, a blind rule bordering the front cover, and gilt rules at the top and bottom of the spine.On the second, the orange cloth binding is peeking out. It has black stamping with no rules on the front cover or on the spine.
I have no direct evidence yet, but I suspect that the dust jackets may come in two variants with two prices on the spine: 7/6 and 3/6. I do know for certain that John Long’s earlier publication of Camera Obscura (Juliar D14.4) was labeled and sold at each of those two prices.
How many copies of the book are there? VN said in the foreword to his 1966 translation of the novel, “…the book sold badly…a German bomb destroyed the entire stock. The only copy extant is, as far as I know, the one I own…” We know today that multiple copies (countable in the dozens, I estimate) survive. But only a small number still retain their dust jackets. (I will try to get a color photo of the copy held at the Washington University Library in St. Louis.) It’s not many more than the four I’ve examined or seen photos of. They’re quite distinguishable in the same way individual right whales are by their callosities. Each surviving dust jacket has its own tears, rips, chips, and discolorations.
I would appreciate hearing about and seeing photos of other copies of the 1937 Despair in dust jacket. Also of Camera Obscura.
More
I have two more items from the fair, both non-VN, to write about and one story, in “VN at the NY Book Fair (4)”.
Tags: British, Despair, NY Book Fair
Three Russian editions and one American, inscribed by VN, none with butterflies, were offered at inconsistent prices at the New York Antiquarian Book Fair this year.
Invitation to a Beheading
Priglashenie na kazn', 1938, cover
Priglashenie na kazn', 1938, inscription
Bernard Quaritch of London had a Приглашение на казнь [Priglashenie na kazn’/Invitation to a Beheading], Paris, 1938, (Juliar A16.1), inscribed by VN in Russian, “To Anna Maksimovna and Semen Il’ich Shtein with a heartfelt hello from V. Nabokov. XI.38” (as translated by the dealer). The only reference I find to a Shtein in Boyd’s biography is in The Russian Years, p. 192, as a family friend, in reference to the day that VN’s father was killed. The book is in fine condition. It has one oddity: a mylar-like page bound into the book (not tipped in) between the front cover and the inscription on the first page. I may be able to learn more about it later from the dealer. Price, £8,000/$12,000.
Glory
Podvig, 1932, cover
- Podvig, 1932, cover
Podvig, 1932, inscription
Lame Duck of Cambridge, MA, had a Подвиг [Podvig/Glory], Paris, 1932, (Juliar A13.1), inscribed by VN in Russian, “To my dear Jakov Mysevich Tzwibak with the fond memories of the author, XII.32” (as translated by the dealer). The description continues: “Andrei Sedykh (real name Lev Tzwibak), secretary of Ivan Bunin and editor-in-chief of Novoe Russkoe Slovo (The New Russian Daily) newspaper”. As you can see in the photo, the paper has begun acidifying and the tape residue across the spine and onto the cover are very unappealing. I would describe its overall condition as fair. Price, $27,500. I cannot explain why it is more than twice the price of the one from Quaritch. When in the market, always shop around.
The Real Life of Sebastian Knight
The Real Life of Sebastian Knight, 1941, cover
The Real Life of Sebastian Knight, 1941, inscription
Lame Duck also had The Real Life of Sebastian Knight, New York, 1941 (the day before Pearl Harbor), (Juliar A21.1a), inscribed in Russian and English to Mark Aleksandrovich Aldanov. My ability to decrypt Russian script is minimal. I can make out only to whom the inscription is addressed and the English: “I am too old to change conradically | I.42”. The “Publication Date” stamping, normally indicating an advanced or review copy, is not uncommon for this book. The December 12th date may have been what the publisher anticipated but the U.S. copyright office has a December 6th date. The dust jacket is in woeful shape, missing half the spine and decaying from acidification. The binding is the red burlap-like cloth variant. Price, $27,500.
King, Queen, Knave
Korol' dama valet, 1928, cover
Korol' dama valet, 1928, inscription
Though he has been trying to sell it for more than five years, I want to include here an item from Thomas Goldwasser (San Francisco, CA), Король, дама, валет [Korol’, dama, valet/King, Queen, Knave], Berlin, 1928, (Juliar A9.1), inscribed by VN in Russian, “To most respected Savelii Grigorevich Poliak, in kind memory from the author. X.28 Berlin” (translated by the dealer). It is rebound in cloth, with the front wrapper trimmed and glued to the cover and includes library stamps of the Russian Refugees’ Relief Association, London. Price, $8500.
More
I saw one juicy rarity that I need another posting to describe, in “VN at the NY Book Fair (3): The 1937 John Long Despair”.
Tags: inscriptions, NY Book Fair, Russian editions
A Moscow publishing house, Deich, issued a Russian Lolita in 2008 in a large format with a leather spine in a leather box, and with black-and-white illustrations, limited to 99 numbered copies, none hors commerce, ISBN 978-5-98691-042-0. Price: €1700. At the current exchange rate that’s more than $2250.
Tags: Lolita
The publication of The Original of Laura: (Dying Is Fun) is moving ahead. It’s listed on the Random House/Knopf website for release in November. You can pre-order it from amazon.com at $23.10 (discounted from $35.00) for November 3rd delivery (ISBN: 0-307-27189-7/978-0-307-27189-1). If you’re in Britain, amazon.co.uk is asking £22.22 for the same edition.
There is no dust jacket image yet. The Knopf blurb describes the 288-page package:
At last: Vladimir Nabokov’s final and unfinished novel, in print—thirty years after his death, years in which the fate of The Original of Laura was in constant and closely watched question.
When Nabokov died in 1977, he left instructions for his heirs to burn the 138 handwritten index cards that made up the rough draft of The Original of Laura. But Nabokov’s wife, Vera, couldn’t bear to destroy her husband’s last work, and when she died, the fate of the manuscript fell to her son. Dmitri Nabokov, now seventy-four— the Russian novelist’s only surviving heir, and translator of many of his books—has struggled for decades with the decision of whether to honor his father’s wish or preserve for posterity the last piece of writing of one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century. His decision finally to allow publication will be passionately welcomed by both scholars and general readers. And the ingenious format of the book (which includes removable facsimiles of the index cards) will make an even more extraordinary occasion of this publishing event.
In its fragmented narrative—dark yet playful, preoccupied with mortality—we are given one last experience of a writer’s unparalleled creativity, a glimpse of his last days, and a body of work finding its apotheosis.
The book will include a short introduction by Dmitri Nabokov. In addition, Knopf is issuing an “eBook” version (ISBN: 0-307-27325-3/978-0-307-27325-3) at the same price to be released also in November. There’s no mention of the eBook on amazon.com.
I have no information on foreign language rights. I wonder if The New Yorker is going to take on serial rights. The Nabokovian, in a real sense, already has taken the first serial rights (see No. 42/Spring 1999, pp. 34 (#2) & 37 (#5)).
A voice hums in my head: Laura is a wild and florid set of fragments. And then I hear: The book, he answered, is a novel too—at least, after a fashion.
Tags: The Original of Laura
Again with help from Andrey Nickolayenko and this time from Tatiana Ponomareva, director of the Nabokov Museum in St. Petersburg, I’ve received further information about the Ukrainian Lolita. It was translated from the Russian by Peter Taraschuk and published in Kharkov by Folio in 2008 in a run of 1250 copies. It may not be an authorized edition. More is at gazeta.ua.
Tags: Lolita, translations, Ukrainian
With the kind and quick help of Andrey Nickolayenko and Tamriko Kvachadze, I’ve learned a bit more about my Georgian copy of Lolita (see my 18 March posting). It was translated from the Russian by Tamar Lomidze and published by Logos in Tbilisi, Georgia in 2002. It includes the three addenda that should be part of all Russian editions and translations from the Russian: VN’s original English afterword, his Russian postscript, and his Russian list of foreign terminology in the novel.
Tags: Georgian, Lolita, translations
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