Lot 3096: KUZMIN, MIKHAIL ALEKSEEVICH. 1872-1936.

SOMOV, KONSTANTIN ANDREEVICH, illustrator. Tri piesy. [Three Plays.] St. Petersburg: "Volnaya Tipografiya," 1907.
16mo. 77 pp. With erotic title-page device designed by K.A. Somov. Plain white wrappers; polka-dot dust jacket with title label. Wrappers soiled with a corner chipped; some internal marginal chipping.
Provenance: Valerii Briusov (ownership stamp to inside back wrapper).

FIRST EDITION AND AN IMPORTANT ASSOCIATION COPY of this early example of gay Russian literature. One of 600 copies. This little booklet by the great Symbolist poet and gay pioneer precedes Kuzmin's "coming-out" novel Krylya (Wings), 1907. Briusov, like Kuzmin, was an important Russian Symbolist poet. Especially rare because the authorities seized the pocket-sized volume for its gay content.