the scarce first printing

The first publication in any format of Master And Maragirita, one of the most important Russian novels of the twentieth century.

Having started in 1928, Bulgakov burned the manuscript in 1930, only to re-write and revise it over the next few years until 1938. In common with most of Bulgakov's prose it was not published until long after his death in 1940 from an inherited kidney disorder. During his life, Bulgakov was best known for the plays he contributed to Konstantin Stanislavsky's and Nemirovich-Danchenko's Moscow Art Theatre. He published a number of novels and stories through the early and mid 1920s, but by 1927 his career began to suffer from criticism that he was too anti-Soviet. By 1929 his career was ruined: government censorship prevented publication of any of his work and staging of any of his plays, and Stalin personally forbade him to emigrate.

This first printing of his best known work is a censored version of the text, eliminating much of the anti-Soviet satire, yet it still caused an immediate sensation on publication. The full text was published in Paris in 1967.

First editions, two issues in 2 vols, large 8vo (25.6 x 17 cm); illustrations in colour; original printed wrappers, repairs to spine, some minor staining to upper covers, small, repaired tear to top of upper cover, in a modern blue morocco box with silver gilt design to spine and cover, box slightly scratched, a very good copy.