NABOKOV, V.V. (1899–1977), AUTOGRAPH The Belle and Other Stories. New York; Toronto: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1973. Lithographed ‘Ex libris Max Black’. Dedicated by the author

XII, 268, VII pp.; 2 x 142 cm. Publisher’s binding with paper dust jacket. Lithographed Ex-libris featuring a design on the front flyleaf: ‘Ex libris Max Black’. Dedication by the author on the title page: ‘With kindest regards from Vladimir Nabokov’. The collection comprises short stories written by V. Nabokov in the 1930s and 1940s in Russian. The English translation was carried out by V. Nabokov himself, his son D. Nabokov and S. Karlinsky (who translated the story ‘La Belle’ in collaboration with the author). First edition. Provenance: Black (Max Black; 1909–1988) – an Anglo-American philosopher who exerted a considerable influence on the development of analytical philosophy in the first half of the 20th century. Max Black was Nabokov’s neighbour on Highland Road at the time when the writer had settled in Ithaca (New York State). One morning, Black noticed Nabokov’s beaming smile and asked him what was making him so happy. Nabokov explained that, whilst rereading the French translation of ‘Lolita’, he had found a marvellous correspondence with the word ‘cheerleader’. Nabokov and Black also often played chess.