Buterbrod. [Open Sandwich: Verses].

First edition. The only edition with these illustrations.


The verses were designed by two book artists: Felix-Lev Zbarsky (1931-2016) and Mark Klyachko (1924-2000).
Zbarsky studied at the Moscow Polygraphic Institute and became famous when he designed Yury Olesha's Selected works and Yves Montand's Memoirs in 1956.
Sergei Dovlatov wrote that the Khrushchev Thaw for him began with the drawings of Zbarsky.

The artist also worked at the animation studio as a production designer. In 1972 the artist emigrated to Israel and later to the USA.
Klyachko studied at the Surikov Art Institute in Moscow. He is best known for the illustrations to the Russian edition of Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea (1974).


The book design was criticized for the avant-garde style. So it was one of the reasons for reorganization of the publishing house.


The book is from the children's collection of Inna Shmeleva (1929-2020), an artist, who studied under Ely Bielutin, the founder of The New Reality artistic academy. In 1962 Shmeleva participated in the 30th anniversary of the Moscow Union of Artist at the Central Exhibition Hall (Manège) which was severely criticized by Nikita Khrushchev. This event marked the end of the period called as the Khrushchev Thaw.


OCLC locates one copy of this edition only: in the Stanford University Library.