BALMONT KONSTANTIN (1867-1942), AUTOGRAPH Notebook of handwritten poems - translations from Polish, Lithuanian, Serbian, Croatian and Bulgarian. 1928. 60 pages, 56 of which are text; 13.8 x 8.7 cm. Corrections, comments by the author and insertions in the text. In a contemporary full leather binding. The endpapers are covered with decorated paper. The bookplate of Sergei Lifar is stamped on the flyleaves, first and last pages. Includes translations by: Ian Rakita (Zhizhka v Vifleeme) ['Jan Rakita (Žižka in Bethlehem)'], Vesna i vino' ['Spring and Wine'] by K. Wierzyński, Bozhii rab' ['Servant of God'], Molitva' ['Prayer'] by J. Lechoń (from Polish); Chto ia tseniu. Liubov' i smert'' ['What I value. Love and death'], Smert' materi Iugovichei' ['The Death of the Mother of the Jugovićes'] (from Serbian); Bulgarian folk songs; Begstvo L'va Tolstogo' ['Leo Tolstoy's Flight'] by Bozhko Lavrich (from Croatian); Markov sokol' ['Marko's Falcon'] (from Serbian) ; Kreshchenie Khristovo' ['The Baptism of Christ'] (from Serbian) ; Gody za godami' ['Years after years'] by Liudas Gira (from Lithuanian), and others. The entries are dated 1928 and signed with the letter 'K'. Many give the place and time. Balmont translated extensively from Polish, especially the works of Adam Mickiewicz, Stanisław Wyspiański, Zygmunt Krasiński, Bolesław Lesmian, Jan Kasprowicz and Jan Lechoń, and wrote extensively on Poland and Polish poetry. In the 1920s, the poet translated Czech, Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian and Slovak poems. Balmont also considered Lithuania to be part of the Slavic world: his first translations of Lithuanian folk songs date back to 1908. Among the poets he translated were Petras Babickas, Mykolas Vaičius and Liudas Gira; Balmont was a close friend of the latter. Balmont's book 'Northern Lights. Poèmes sur la Lituanie et la Russie' was published in Paris in 1931. Many of his translations were published in the 1930s. Of exceptional historical and cultural value. Provenance: archives of S.M. Lifar (1905-1986). At the buyer's request, we would be happy to provide a general condition report on the lot described above. However, as we are not professional conservators or restorers, we strongly advise prospective buyers to carry out their own inspection or consult a specialist of their choice for a full assessment of the condition of the lot. Descriptions of items provided in the catalogue or by correspondence are for guidance only and should not be relied upon as a definitive assessment. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD 'AS IS' IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE PUBLISHED IN THE CATALOGUE.