Severin, Nik. [The Son of Olon: An Altai Tale]. Syn Olonga: Altaiskaia povest'.

Illustrations by V. Roskin.

Moskva-Leningrad, Gosudarstennoe izdatel’stvo, 1930.
8vo, 135, [1] pp., ill.

In original pictorial wrappers.
In good condition, lightly rubbed, some sunning to spine, tears to spine, owner stamp ‘Biblioteka V.S. Barysheva’ to title. 

First edition. The only edition with these illustrations. One of 10 000 copies printed.

This novel centers on the Altai people, exploring their daily life and traditions, including shamanic rituals and beliefs, traditional hunting methods, and more. It also depicts the interactions between the Altai and Russians—highlighting the efforts of Russian Orthodox missionaries to baptize the local population, the upheavals brought on by the 1917 Revolution, and the devastation caused by raids of the White Army, particularly those led by Alexander Kaigorodov, a real historical figure known for his leadership in anti-Bolshevik partisan activities in the Altai region. The story culminates with the establishment of Soviet rule in the region and the creation of the Oirot Autonomous Oblast, which existed from 1922 to 1948.
Over the course of the narrative, the characters met the Kerzhaks, Old Believers from the Nizhny Novgorod region in central European Russia who fled to Siberia following religious persecution in the early 18th century. They also played the role of partisans in Kolchak’s army. Interestingly, according to the 2002 census, only 18 people in Russia identified themselves as Kerzhaks.
Notably, the text features vocabulary specific to the Altai people, accompanied by Russian translations, as well as traditional songs and proverbs characteristic of their culture.
Unfortunately, little information about the author of this book, Nikolai Severin (Popov), has survived. However, it is known that until the early 1960s, stories and essays about Altai and Siberia—as well as adapted Kazakh, Altai, and Kalmyk fairy tales—were published under his name.
The book features striking illustrations with folkloric motifs by Vladimir Roskin (1896–1984), a painter, poster artist, illustrator, and master of architectural and artistic design. Roskin studied at several institutions and with notable artists: he attended the Stroganov School and the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, and also trained under Fyodor Rerberg and in Ilya Mashkov’s studio. He was closely associated with Vladimir Mayakovsky and collaborated with him on the ‘ROSTA Windows’ propaganda series. In 1928, Roskin took part in the design and decoration of the International Pressa Exhibition in Cologne as a member of El Lissitzky’s team. Throughout his career, he worked as an artist and designer at several major international exhibitions. In 1937, he was awarded the Grand Prix at the World Exhibition in Paris. Sadly, many of his works were lost during World War II.

OCLC locates one copy of this edition only: in the Bavarian State Library.