Beschreibung:

Title: 3 illustrated Russian émigré childrens books, published in Japanese-occupied Harbin, before and during World War II. All with Russian text: Author: Place: Harbin, Chinese Manchuria Publisher: Zaitsev Date: 1937-43 Description: Ivanushka I Alenushka (Zaitsev, no place, but listed in WorldCat as Harbin; undated but with ink gift inscription on title page date 1937). 5 x 7.5”, original color pictorial wrappers. 6 full-page black-and-white illustrations. Mihailo Potok [Bogatiri i Vitaz, Russkoy Zemli] (Zaitsev, Harbin, 1943) 7.5 x 10”, 12pp. Original color pictorial wrappers, with 2 full-page color plates, uncredited, but in the Bilibin style of Russian folk-tale art. Classic “Knight tale” of Russian folklore. Typography by L.M.Abramovich. Muzhik I Medved (Zaitsev, no place or date; this edition apparently not listed in WorldCat) 5 x 7.5”, 11pp. Front cover with color illustrations and 4 full-page black-and-white drawings in the text. All apparently published in Harbin, center of Russian (and Jewish) émigré life in Asia during the 1920s and ‘30s, by the M.V.Zaitsev publishing house, which flourished in the thriving refugee community until after the 1932 Japanese occupation of the city. Based on a handful of entries in WorldCat, 1943 seems to have been Zaitsev’s last year of operation during World War II. Its children's book imprints are very rare. Lot Amendments Condition: Very good. Item number: 276164