First Russian edition of R.U.R.

ČAPEK, Karel. R.U.R. Rossum’s Universal Robots. Коллективная драма в 3-х действиях с прологом. Translated from the Czech by Iosif Kalinnikov. Prague: Пламя [Plamja], 1924. First Russian edition. 8vo (20.5 × 14 cm). 219, [1] pp. Original pictorial wrappers printed in blue and grey, anonymously designed by Josef Čapek. The seminal science fiction drama that introduced the word “robot” to the world stage. First published in Prague in 1920, R.U.R. was performed in 1921 and quickly became an international phenomenon, translated into dozens of languages within only a few years. This 1924 Russian edition, printed for the émigré audience in Prague, marks the play’s first appearance in Russian, in the translation of Iosif Kalinnikov. The striking wrappers, cut in bold constructivist lines, were designed by Josef Čapek, though not credited. A cornerstone of 20th-century literature, modernist theater, and science fiction, R.U.R. anticipates later dystopian works exploring industrialization, artificial life, and dehumanization. It remains the most enduring contribution of the Čapek brothers to global culture, with “robot” (from Czech robota, “forced labor”) now an indispensable part of modern vocabulary. Very good condition. Wrappers slightly toned with minor edge wear, light rubbing to spine; faint creasing to extremities; interior remarkably clean, with no marks or repairs. A solid, unrestored copy of a fragile publication. From the stock of the Russian émigré publishing cooperative “Plamja,” with distribution through Naša Rječ, Prague, and Rodina, Berlin (rear wrapper). Inv. Vit1