KRYLOV IVAN (1769–1844) Basni I.A. Krylova ['Fables of I.A. Krylov']. St Petersburg: Izd. A.F. Devriena, [1911] The finest pre-revolutionary, lavishly illustrated gift edition

VIII, 216 pp.: ill., 1 frontispiece (illustration), 47 plates; 31 × 23.5 cm. With 105 illustrations in the text and 48 colour plates after original drawings by A.K. Zhaba. Text printed in Tip. A. Benke; colour plates printed by T-vo R. Golike i A. Vil'borg. Publisher’s illustrated cloth binding, covers and spine stamped in gilt and colour, moiré-patterned endpapers. Very good condition. Minor wear and soiling to the binding, rust marks from staples, some leaves and plates detached, slight dampstaining, foxing. Presentation inscription dated 1944 on the free endpaper. Alfons Konstantinovich Zhaba (1878–1942) was a Russian and Soviet artist, watercolourist, painter, illustrator and poster designer, associated with the Leningrad school of art. The finest pre-revolutionary, lavishly illustrated gift edition of I.A. Krylov’s fables.