Carrousel
Encyclopedia
Carrousel is a booklet published in 1987 containing three short texts written by Vladimir Nabokov
in 1923 for "Karussel", a Russian cabaret
.
"Cantaboff" of course refers to "Cantab." and the author's recent graduation from Trinity College, Cambridge
; "Sirine" was Nabokov's occasional French spelling for "Sirin", his early Russian pseudonym.
Brian Boyd
regards the poem as "banal", the prose as "masterly".
in 1923 as the prospectus for "Karussel", a Russian theatre travelling to Berlin.
Stella de Does-Kohnhorst discovered a copy of this rare prospectus, gave it to the Nabokov family, and asked for and obtained their permission to publish the contributions by Nabokov.
There have been two editions, both designed by Bram de Does
and published in 1987 by Spectatorpers in Aartswoud
(the Netherlands). Both claim to be "limited" (to 100 copies of the first, and 150 of the second), but copies of both with "HC
" in place of the number are known, suggesting larger numbers. The publisher's note to the first edition explains the reason for the two editions: a detailed "Introductory Note" by Dmitri Nabokov
, the author's son, had arrived too late for inclusion in the first. Thus the first edition lacks this note; the second, which is in a larger format, includes it. The first edition — of which Michael Juliar stated (without explanation) in 1991 that "Thirty or so copies survive" — is a paperback that was not offered for sale; the second was made available in hardbound and paperback versions.
Vladimir Nabokov
Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov was a multilingual Russian novelist and short story writer. Nabokov wrote his first nine novels in Russian, then rose to international prominence as a master English prose stylist...
in 1923 for "Karussel", a Russian cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
.
Content
The three texts are:- "Laughter and Dreams" (by Vladimir V. Nabokoff), a short and impressionistic essay on the arts, toys, and the cabaret.
- "Painted Wood" (by V. Cantaboff), an essay in the same vein on wooden toys and the cabaret.
- "The Russian Song" (by Vladimir Sirine), a short and nostalgic poem.
"Cantaboff" of course refers to "Cantab." and the author's recent graduation from Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
; "Sirine" was Nabokov's occasional French spelling for "Sirin", his early Russian pseudonym.
Brian Boyd
Brian Boyd
Brian Boyd is known primarily as an expert on the life and works of author Vladimir Nabokov and on literature and evolution...
regards the poem as "banal", the prose as "masterly".
Publication
The only known previous appearance of these three texts had been within the second issue of a trilingual (German, French, English) brochure, Karussel — Carousal — Carrousel, published in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in 1923 as the prospectus for "Karussel", a Russian theatre travelling to Berlin.
Stella de Does-Kohnhorst discovered a copy of this rare prospectus, gave it to the Nabokov family, and asked for and obtained their permission to publish the contributions by Nabokov.
There have been two editions, both designed by Bram de Does
Bram de Does
Bram de Does is a graphic and type designer. De Does studied at the Amsterdamse Grafische School in the 1950s. De Does came into contact with the printing trade at an early age, as his father had a printing office in the east of Amsterdam. From 1958 to 1988 he worked, with several intervals, at...
and published in 1987 by Spectatorpers in Aartswoud
Aartswoud
Aartswoud is an unincorporated village in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Opmeer, and lies about northeast of Heerhugowaard....
(the Netherlands). Both claim to be "limited" (to 100 copies of the first, and 150 of the second), but copies of both with "HC
Edition
In printmaking, an edition is a number of prints struck from one plate, usually at the same time. This is the meaning covered by this article...
" in place of the number are known, suggesting larger numbers. The publisher's note to the first edition explains the reason for the two editions: a detailed "Introductory Note" by Dmitri Nabokov
Dmitri Nabokov
Dmitri Vladimirovich Nabokov is an American opera singer and translator. He is the only child of writer Vladimir Nabokov and his wife Vera Nabokov, and is currently executor of his father's literary estate.-Background:...
, the author's son, had arrived too late for inclusion in the first. Thus the first edition lacks this note; the second, which is in a larger format, includes it. The first edition — of which Michael Juliar stated (without explanation) in 1991 that "Thirty or so copies survive" — is a paperback that was not offered for sale; the second was made available in hardbound and paperback versions.