Novyi LEF.

12 issues, 8vo (230 x 155mm.), [an edition of 2,400-3,500 copies], comprising nos 1, 7 and 11/12 for 1927, and nos 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10 and 11 for 1928, photographic illustrations by Rodchenko and others, original pictorial or photomontage wrappers, many by Rodchenko, some wrappers slightly rubbed or soiled

The Russian Avant-Garde Book 715 (complete set)

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This literary journal, replacing the original LEF, was published in 22 issues in 1927 and 1928, and kept up with the ideology of the LEF group. Mayakovsky was replaced as editor by Tretyakov, with the July 1928 issue, because he did not agree with the group's move towards factual literature (as expressed in the anthology Literatura fakta of 1929). By 1929 Mayakovsky had moved away from LEF and created a new group, the short-lived REF (Revolutionary Front of Art).

"The 1927-28 covers of the magazine New LEF are more orthodox illustrations of Constructivist goals, their effectively organised formal language projecting a synthesis of aesthetic clarity and political/cultural meaning. The layout of the covers is characterised by a rigorous grid, flat bright colors, and distinctly lettered titles. The photographic elements are straightforward details of Soviet life, isolated, silhouetted, and enlarged for maximum visual and psychological impact. These dynamic black-and-white images, often details or fragments and sometimes diagonally tipped, set up a subtle tension in relation to the overall design" (M. Rowell in The Russian Avant-Garde Book, p.56).