Carolyn Kunin writes:

 

Dear Alexey,

That is very interesting isn't it? The 'Sirin' pseudonym as you know has puzzled
me for some time. Was either the owner or editor friendly with the Nabokov
family? We know that they, the Nabokov parental units, had some connections with
the avant garde in Russian art - perhaps in publishing and literature as well?
Pochemu net?

Carolyn

p.s. I have checked - there does not appear to be a copy of this first edition
of Petersburg available at this time. As to the Loos Lolita - it is the 3rd
impression of the American first edition. Unfortunately no quote of the
inscription is forthcoming but for 5,250 GBP it's yours. The biggy is the
multi-volumeE.O. dedicated to Vera for a whopping 120 GBP and the baby of the
three is Despair, first UK edition for a mere 15000. So that makes Anita the
baby I guess. Well, for your 120,000 you do get something - two butterflies and
VN's personal emendations some but not all of which made their way into the
second edition. In four volumes with a slipcase. ok?

p.p.s. Just received for my library: two volumes of The Strand Magazine, famous
for Sherlock Holmes, of course. Nabokovianly included are also tales by H.G.
Wells and an early biography of Lewis Carroll. Whose real name is pronounced
Dodson, for those who don't know it. In London I saw a play about the Mrs
Hargreaves, formerly Alice Liddell of Wonderland fame and they mispronounced the
name, agitating me no end, until bored, I fell asleep.

Note to any and all planning a trip to Pasadena, the library should be fit for
visiting sometime in the Fall. I'll keep you posted.