Beschreibung:

AKHMATOVA, Anna (1888-1966). Belaia staia. Stikhotvoreniia . [White Flock. Poems]. St Petersburg: Giperborei, 1917. Presentation copy of the first edition , with a warm inscription ‘To my beloved girl, my beloved Natasha P.’ dated 3rd January 1918. Akhmatova's third collection of poetry was published in September 1917, soon after the Revolution and right before the fall of Kerensky's provisional government. Joseph Brodsky remarked that these poems are tinged with a 'note of controlled terror'; 'with this collection, Russian poetry hit "the real, non-calendar twentieth century" but didn't disintegrate on impact' (quoted in Martin). RBH and ABPC record only two other inscribed copies having been offered at auction. Kilgour 4; Lesman 132; Rozanov 2057; Martin, 'Collecting Anna Akhmatova', in Caxtonian, vol. XV, no.4, April 2007, pp.5-6. Octavo (170 x 128mm). (Lightly and evenly yellowed.) Original paper wrappers printed in black (spine repaired, light spotting); in a red gilt half morocco box. Provenance : Anna Akhmatova (presentation inscription to:) – ‘Natasha R’ (possibly Akhmatova’s friend Natalia Viktorovna Rykova, 1897–1928).