The Phenomenon of V.Z. Yaksanov: the Book Publishing Experience of a Private Entrepreneur of Saratov Province (1918—1927)

In the history of book publishing in the Saratov region, the name of Vasily Zakharovich Yaksanov (1887—1935) holds a special place. He was one of the first to combine the functions of author, publisher and printer, playing the role of a link between pre-revolutionary and Soviet book publishing. The printing house he opened in 1910 was nationalized in 1919. In 1922 V.Z. Yaksanov founded a private book publishing house, which produced books until 1925, and in the first Soviet decade was the owner of the bookstores “Druker” and “Virgin Soil”, which also acted as publishing organisations. The range of products of his publishing house included books of scientific, popular science, educational, artistic, information and reference nature. V.Z.Yaksanov paid special attention to supporting the scientific activities of teachers of the Imperial Nikolaev University (since 1923 — the N.G. Chernyshevsky Saratov State University), as well as children’s literature. Being a prominent figure of the Old Believer Church, at the same time he printed materials devoted to the history of the Old Orthodox Pomor Church. Due to the fact that not many studies have been written about V.Z. Yaksanov’s contribution to regional book publishing, it seems important to analyze the factography of V.Z. Yaksanov’s book publishing activities in the first Soviet decade, to clarify the information about the books and brochures that his printing house and publishing house were involved in publishing. If we summarize V.Z. Yaksanov’s competences as a printer, publisher and owner of a bookshop (which is a publishing organisation), we can talk about 38 identified titles of books and pamphlets published with his direct participation and at his enterprise in the period from 1918 to 1927. In 1918 6 titles were identified, in 1922 — 3, in 1923 — 17, in 1924 — 7, in 1925 — 4, in 1927 — 1).

1. Yaksanov V.Z. (ed.) Shield of Faith: An Illustrated Old Believer Pomor Periodical for Church, Family and School. 1914, April, no. 4, pp. 426 (in Russ.).

2. Kleimenova S.V. Vasily Yaksanov Is a Saratov Publisher of the 1920s, Ehpokha “Velikogo pereloma” v istorii kul’tury: sb. nauch. st. [The Era of the “Great Turning Point” in the History of Culture: collected articles]. Saratov, 2015, pp. 438—444 (in Russ.).

3. Poznyakova E.V. Book Publishing in Saratov Province (Late 18th — Early 20th Century, Cand. hist. sci. diss.: 05.25.03. Samara, 2018, 389 p. (in Russ.).

4. Poznyakova E.V. Social and Political Press in the Repertoire of the Saratov Book Publishing of 1917, Bibliotekovedenie [Russian Journal of Library Science], 2017, vol. 66, no. 5, pp. 525—530. DOI: 10.25281/0869-608X-2017-66-5-525-530 (in Russ.).

5. Borisov D.M. (ed.) The Whole of Saratov: Almanac-Guidebook for 1925. Saratov, 1925, XXV, 531, 24 p. (in Russ.).

6. Yaksanov V.Z. Verses: Collected Spiritual Poems for the Old Believer School and Family. Saratov, 1916, part 1, 79 p. (in Russ.).

7. Khudoshin T.A., Yaksanov V.Z. Textbook on the Law of God for Children of Old Believer Christians. Saratov, 1913, part 1, 152 p. (in Russ.).

8. The State Archive of the Saratov Region, coll. R-48, aids 46, fol. 90 (in Russ.).

9. Nosova-Gumilevskaya V. (ed.) Lev Gumilevsky. Fate and Life: Memoirs. Continuation, Volga (Saratov), 1988, no. 8, pp. 85—95 (in Russ.).

10. LITO. Publishing Artel, Sarrabis: zhurnal literatury, kritiki, muzyki i teatra [Sarrabis: a journal of literature, criticism, music and theatre], 1921, no. 2, p. 13 (in Russ.).

11. Decree of the Council of People’s Commissars no. 647 “On Payment for Non-Periodical Press”. November 28, 1921, Sobranie uzakonenii i rasporyazhenii rabochego i krest’yanskogo pravitel’stva za 1921 g. [Collected Laws and Orders of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Government for 1921]. Moscow, 1944, p. 1055 (in Russ.).

12. Decree of the Council of People’s Commissars no. 685 “On Private Publishing Houses”. December 12, 1921, Sobranie uzakonenii i rasporyazhenii rabochego i krest’yanskogo pravitel’stva za 1921 g. [Collected Laws and Orders of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Government for 1921]. Moscow, 1944, pp. 1105—1106 (in Russ.).

13. Zaikovsky B.V. Features of the Saratov Region. Moscow, Saratov, V.Z. Yaksanov Publ., Sarpoligrafprom Publ., 1923 (tipo-lithography no. 9), 14 p. (in Russ.).

14. V.Z. Yaksanov’ Correspondence on the Affairs of the Publishing House and the Bookstore “Virgin Soil” for 1921—1930, The State Archive of the Saratov Region, coll. 1279, aids 2, fol 30, 325 p.