Item #1606 Group of Fifty-One White Russian Émigré Anti-Bolshevik and Anti-Semitic Propaganda Postcards and Leaflets, ca. 1920s–1930s
Group of Fifty-One White Russian Émigré Anti-Bolshevik and Anti-Semitic Propaganda Postcards and Leaflets, ca. 1920s–1930s
Group of Fifty-One White Russian Émigré Anti-Bolshevik and Anti-Semitic Propaganda Postcards and Leaflets, ca. 1920s–1930s
Group of Fifty-One White Russian Émigré Anti-Bolshevik and Anti-Semitic Propaganda Postcards and Leaflets, ca. 1920s–1930s
Group of Fifty-One White Russian Émigré Anti-Bolshevik and Anti-Semitic Propaganda Postcards and Leaflets, ca. 1920s–1930s
Group of Fifty-One White Russian Émigré Anti-Bolshevik and Anti-Semitic Propaganda Postcards and Leaflets, ca. 1920s–1930s
Group of Fifty-One White Russian Émigré Anti-Bolshevik and Anti-Semitic Propaganda Postcards and Leaflets, ca. 1920s–1930s
Group of Fifty-One White Russian Émigré Anti-Bolshevik and Anti-Semitic Propaganda Postcards and Leaflets, ca. 1920s–1930s
Group of Fifty-One White Russian Émigré Anti-Bolshevik and Anti-Semitic Propaganda Postcards and Leaflets, ca. 1920s–1930s
Group of Fifty-One White Russian Émigré Anti-Bolshevik and Anti-Semitic Propaganda Postcards and Leaflets, ca. 1920s–1930s
Group of Fifty-One White Russian Émigré Anti-Bolshevik and Anti-Semitic Propaganda Postcards and Leaflets, ca. 1920s–1930s
Group of Fifty-One White Russian Émigré Anti-Bolshevik and Anti-Semitic Propaganda Postcards and Leaflets, ca. 1920s–1930s
Group of Fifty-One White Russian Émigré Anti-Bolshevik and Anti-Semitic Propaganda Postcards and Leaflets, ca. 1920s–1930s
Group of Fifty-One White Russian Émigré Anti-Bolshevik and Anti-Semitic Propaganda Postcards and Leaflets, ca. 1920s–1930s
Group of Fifty-One White Russian Émigré Anti-Bolshevik and Anti-Semitic Propaganda Postcards and Leaflets, ca. 1920s–1930s
Group of Fifty-One White Russian Émigré Anti-Bolshevik and Anti-Semitic Propaganda Postcards and Leaflets, ca. 1920s–1930s

Group of Fifty-One White Russian Émigré Anti-Bolshevik and Anti-Semitic Propaganda Postcards and Leaflets, ca. 1920s–1930s

Item #1606

A rare and substantial collection of fifty-one anti-Bolshevik and anti-Semitic propaganda pieces issued by the Russian émigré community during the interwar period. The archive consists of two distinct formats: illustrated postcards with divided backs for postal use and illustrated propaganda leaflets printed on exceptionally thin, almost translucent paper. Dimensions vary from approximately 9 x 14 cm to 10 x 15 cm, with one smaller example measuring approximately 7 x 9 cm.

The series appears to have originated in Europe among White Russian émigré circles during the 1920s. Evidence for an early date is provided by the memoirs of Rostislav Polchaninov (1919–2022), a prominent Russian Scout leader, émigré writer, NTS activist, and longtime chronicler of Russian diaspora life. Polchaninov recalled seeing postcards from this series as a child in the late 1920s, suggesting that at least part of the set was already in circulation by then. Additional evidence of the series' longevity and distribution is provided by a surviving example known to have been mailed in 1935. Postally used examples are distinctly uncommon, and only a small number appear to have survived.

Although apparently first issued in Europe, the series later entered circulation in the United States. Several examples bear a printed notice on the front identifying a "Branch Office: Pittsburgh, PA," suggesting that distribution was subsequently organized through Russian émigré organizations in America.

The imagery reflects themes common in White Russian anti-Bolshevik propaganda, including anti-Communist, anti-Masonic, and anti-Semitic conspiracy narratives. Repeated visual motifs include the conflation of Bolshevism with Judaism, the portrayal of Soviet rule as foreign domination, and caricatures promoting the so-called "Judeo-Bolshevik" conspiracy theory that circulated widely within anti-Communist political movements of the period.

The exceptionally thin paper used for many of the leaflets deserves special mention. Unlike the postcards, these pieces lack provisions for postal use and appear to have been intended for distribution as propaganda handbills. Their paper stock closely resembles the lightweight paper later employed by émigré and anti-Soviet publishers for clandestine literature intended for covert circulation behind the Iron Curtain. Whether this was the original purpose here remains uncertain, but the unusual production method suggests a concern for economical mass distribution.

Authorship remains unresolved. Several pieces bear a stylized monogram, and a number of earlier auction records, dealer catalogs, and private collections have traditionally attributed at least part of the series to Serge Grigorievich Dvigubsky (1897–1986), artist, military officer, and White Russian émigré. While the attribution is plausible, no publisher's imprint or documentary evidence has yet been identified that conclusively establishes Dvigubsky's authorship. Accordingly, the present collection should be regarded as attributed to, or associated with, Dvigubsky rather than definitively by him.

The publisher likewise remains unidentified. Nevertheless, the consistent artistic style, multilingual captions, recurring symbolism, and sequential numbering indicate production by a coordinated émigré propaganda organization operating within the broader White Russian diaspora during the interwar period.

Condition varies throughout the collection, with typical age toning, occasional creasing, minor edge wear, and scattered handling marks. Overall preservation is very good, especially considering the fragile nature of the thin-paper leaflets.

To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest intact group of postcards and leaflets from this series presently recorded on the market.

*Historical Note: Offered strictly as historical material. The collection contains anti-Semitic and other offensive imagery reflecting the political ideologies and prejudices of its time. It is presented solely for purposes of historical research, education, and preservation.

Price: $12,750.00

Add to Cart Ask a Question Add to Wish List