One of the iconic Ukrainian literary almanacs of the early twentieth century, this volume is a striking example of nationalist-inflected modernism in Ukrainian literature and book design.

Crown of Thorns contains poetry, shorter prose, and plays by prominent Ukrainian authors of the period, such as Lesia Ukrainka, Vasyl Stefanyk, Spyrydon Cherkasenko, Khrystia Alchevska. The volume opens with Ukrainka's 'Zavzhdy ternovyi vinets' [Always a wreath of thorns], considered one of the finest Ukrainian poetic texts, which stands emblematically for the poet's struggle for Ukrainian political and cultural self-determination, a goal shared by the volume's editors. Ukrainka had been arrested in 1907 by Tsarist authorities and remained under surveillance in subsequent years, again making the inclusion of her poem a conscious political act on behalf of the publishers. A whole range of artists participated in the design of the book and contributed drawings, among them Ivan Buriachok, Yukhym Mykhayliv, Opanas Slast'abion, Hnidash, Pohribniak, and others. This copy is in the original decoratively embossed publisher's binding in by Kushner in Kyiv.

First edition, 8vo (24.5 x 17.5 cm); 191pp., illustrated title, vignettes, head and tail-pieces, decorative borders and one photographic print, staining to a few leaves; original gilt cloth decorative binding with crown of thorns to upper cover, lower cover blindstamped, minor soiling to covers, a very good copy.