Aldanov, Mark Aleksandrovich (1886 - 1957) [Landau, Mark Aleksandrovich]	Punshevaia vodka i mogila voina. Paris, 'Dom knigi' i 'Sovremennyia zapiski', [1940] 296, [1p.]	€450,00

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8 vo, publisher´s boards. Spine chipped at the bottom. Skilfully repaired, non - acid material used.GOOD TO VERY GOOD. Very rare in better state, advertizing page preserved. Mark Aleksandrovich Landau (Aldanov) graduated as a lawyer and mathematician.He also studied physics in Kiev. Aldanov was one of the two Russian writers in interwar Europe who supported himself with professional writing. Thanks to the royalties received for foreign editions, he lived a comfortable life for decades. His books were printed in many European countries, the USA and South America. His historical novels were translated into 20 languages. All his books in Russian were printed by major Berlin and Paris publishers. Copies of his books were sold all over the world, with many copies going to the Baltic states and America.He was also one of the few Russian writers who made wise financial investments in right time.He had a bettrer life was after WW II in the South of France after his return from the USA.Related to Paris book dealer Jacque Polonsky. The book was printed at L. Beresniak printing shop. L. Beresniak was a Russian - Jewish printer who stayed in France after Russian revolution. He had good reputation in Russian émigré community in pre WW II France. Beresniak always employed a number of better Russian proof-readers which allowed him to compete with other Russian printers and produce better quality publications. Beresniak and his printing press survived occupation and his son continued to run business through into 1980s. The entire run of Aldanov´s book was commissioned (not published by 'Dom knigi'/Maison du Livre Étranger.) The actual publisher of the book was a smaller publishing department at ' Sovremennye zapiski' literary journal. The owner of the book shop, Michail (Moses) Kaplan, also survived occupation and continued to stay in book trade till 1980s. Starting from mid 1950s Kaplan established better contacts with 'Mezhdunarodnaia Kniga' and had favorable discount rate with state controlled distribution network for decades. He was joined in his business by his sons, Boris and George, who changed their family name for a pretentious invented name of 'Delorme'. At the later date Kaplan claimed his entire stock, including all Aldanov´s books, was confiscated from him by the Nazis and destroyed. It is not exactly true or, at least a part of the true story. According to some witness accounts very few books were destroyed and a part of the run of Aldanov´s book was lost, in all the probability, in war years or shortly after but due to a flood at 'Dom knigi´s' storage room. Insurance was claimed and received (?) by the owner. Already in the late 1940s 'Punshevaia vodka' became a greater rarity.The demand for all Aldanov´s books was always high among former Russian DP readers in the USA and South America. Some of Aldanov´s books were reissued in America but not 'Punshevaia vodka'. The last known copy in very good condition was sold at Copenhagen Antiquarian Fair in 2004 for €275. See: Gleb Struve´s article in 'Books Abroad', 1954, No.28; MERSL, vol.1, KLE, Wolfgang Kasack (all editions)