First edition, an African safari adventure for younger readers, by the exiled ataman of the Don Cossacks.

Krasnov (1869-1946) was born into a Cossack family, and brought up to a military career, graduating from the military college in Pavlovsk in 1888. By 1910 he was commander of the First Siberian Cossack regiment, rising to major-general in the First Don division by 1914; during the October Revolution, Kerensky appointed him commander of the army, but after his defeat by the Bolsheviks, he fled to the Don region, where he was elected ataman of the Don Cossacks. He led a brief uprising against the Soviets but was again defeated en route to Moscow, and in 1919 retired to Germany and thence France, where he settled at St Denis, just north of Paris, and devoted himself to a literary career (he had been publishing short stories and travelogues in a small way since the 1890s). He scored his first hit with From Double Eagle to Red Flag (1921), a fictionalised epic history of the Russian Civil War from the view of a single White Russian officer, which was translated into many languages. His oeuvre of over 20 books included autobiographical works, historical fiction for a younger audience, novels of the émigré experience, and even neo-Romanov fantasy.

In 1938 Krasnov moved back to Berlin; he was invited out of his literary retirement in 1942 to help organise Cossack regiments in the German army. At the end of the war, despite his voluntary surrender to the British, he was handed over to the Soviets and executed.


KRASNOV, Petr Nikolaevich. S Ermakom na Sibir! Povest’ [With Ermak to Siberia! A story]. Paris, V. Siial’skii, [1929].

8vo, pp. 187, [3], with illustrations by S. F. Efremov; a very good copy in the original white illustrated boards designed by Efremov, printed in black, yellow, blue and gold, slightly soiled. £1000

First edition, an illustrated children’s story about the sixteenth-century Cossack leader Ermak Timofeevich, whose exploration of Siberia in the 1580s marked the beginning of Russia’s expansion into the interior.



KRASNOV, Petr Nikolaevich. “Largo”. Roman [‘Largo’. A Novel.]. [with:] Vypash’. Roman [Fallow field. A Novel]. [and with:] Podvig. Roman [The Exploit. A Novel]. Paris, V. Siial’skii, 1930, E. Siial’skaia, 1931-2.

Three works in 4 vols., 8vo, pp. 571, [5]; 510, [2]; 255, [1]; [2], 257-549, [3]; fine copies, unopened, in the original mottled printed paper wrappers. £1500

First edition, a trilogy of novels set among the Russian émigré community in Paris. ‘Largo’ was the most successful, translated into English (in 1932), German, Italian and Czech.



KRASNOV, Petr Nikolaevich. Nenavist’. Roman [Hatred. A Novel]. Paris, E. Siial’skaia, [1934].

8vo, pp. 398, [2] a fine copy, unopened, in the original paper wrappers, printed in red and black. £600

First edition, one of 1000 copies on normal paper from an edition of 1007. It was also translated into German and Italian.



KRASNOV, Petr Nikolaevich. Domoi! (na l’gote). Roman [Homewards! (On leave). A novel]. Paris, V. Siial’skii, [1936].

8vo, pp. 268, [4, advertisements]; a fine copy, unopened, in the original paper wrappers, printed in red and black. £600

First edition, one of a 1000 copies on normal paper from an edition of 1002; a novel of soldiers on leave.



KRASNOV, Petr Nikolaevich. Lozh’. Roman [The Lie. A Novel]. Paris, V. Siial’skii, [1939].

8vo, pp. 408, [4], with a terminal blank; a fine copy, unopened, in the original green printed paper wrappers. £600

First edition, written in Berlin in 1938-9.

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