Lenin, Vladimir Il’ich (1870–1924).

[AVANT-GARDE – CONSTRUCTIVISM] Rechi Lenina v godovshchiny Oktiabria [Lenin’s speeches for the anniversaries of October]. 12-ia godovschina oktiabria [12th anniversary of October; series title].

Moscow-Leningrad: Gosudarstvennoe izdatel´stvo, 1929. Small octavo (16.5 × 10.3 cm). Original photo-illustrated pictorial wrappers; 90, [5] pp. Spine extremities lightly chipped; small chip to lower corner of front wrapper; light margin markings in pencil to some pages; else still about very good. Item #54074

An anniversary publication of speeches given by Lenin on the first five anniversaries of the October (Bolshevik) Revolution, ranging from the first anniversary in 1918 to the last anniversary speech he was able to deliver in 1922. Lenin suffered a stroke in March 1923, losing his ability to speak, and was unable to give the October speech that year. The publication is an example of the sanctification of Lenin’s image, a process initiated by Stalin directly after Lenin’s death as part of his bid to consolidate his own power. Lenin died in January 1924 and was taken against the wishes of his wife and revolutionary Nadezhda Krupskaia, to be embalmed and later placed in a mausoleum. Publisher advertising with other anniversary publications to last few pages. Unattributed Constructivist-inspired wrappers printed in red and black, incorporating one of the famous photographs of Lenin speaking in May 1920 on a wooden tribune, by Grigorii Gol'dshtein.

Despite the large print run, of half a million copies, as of December 2023 KVK, OCLC show only three copies outside of Russia, with none found in North America.

Price: €600.00

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