Ukrainka, Lesya

Ternovyi vinets': zbirka poezii [Crown of Thorns: A Poetry Collection]

[Munich]: 1946. Publisher's wrappers. Item #811

Book measures: 15.5 x 21 cm. 42 pages. Text in Ukrainian. A copy with stamps and inscriptions on the front wrapper and title page; still about very good.

The book's anonymous compilers noted that the poems were sourced "from a collection of unpublished or previously printed works in periodicals and unreleased poems by Lesya Ukrainka." This collection features 25 poetic pieces, including titles like "Always a Crown of Thorns," "And You Once Fought," "Dream," "Queen," and "Yakutska Poem," among others. Notably, "Yakutska Poema" was first published under this title in the magazine "Soviet Lviv" in 1945, later appearing under the name "This is what you are asking for those..." in subsequent publications.

The publication process of this book is intriguing, but common for early DP publications. The poems were typed on wax paper, a special waxed material, using a typewriter. The next step involved using a rotator, a small device for duplicating text. Given the nature of this process, the print run was likely limited, with only a few dozen copies produced from a single wax sheet. The printed pages, each half the size of an A-4 sheet, were arranged in the correct pagination order, enclosed in a paper cover with slightly thicker paper, and secured with a single staple.

The cover's author was the renowned Ukrainian humorist, graphic artist, book illustrator, caricaturist, and publisher Edward Kozak (1902–1992). His initials "EK" are positioned at the bottom left of the cover's artwork, which is executed in black and white through the printing method. Additionally, the cover features the number 8, indicating that Lesya Ukrainka's poetry collection "Crown of Thorns" was the eighth installment in the series. This series, titled "Slova na dorohu," combining the names of Ukrainian literary geniuses with the work of a brilliant artist, has become quite rare.

Lesya Ukrainka, originally Larysa Petrivna Kosach (1871 – 1913), stands as one of Ukraine's literary giants, celebrated for her poetry and dramatic works. Her contributions extended beyond literature, as she was an active figure in politics, civil society, and the feminist movement.

Price: $300.00