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.
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