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Pre-Soviet Russian Collection

Most of the Pre-Soviet Russian Collection at the Law Library was acquired in the 1920's and 30's from two main sources: Israel Pearlstein, a New York dealer specializing in French and Russian rare books, and the Mezhdunarodnaia Kniga, the official Soviet agency for foreign book distribution. Some periodical sets were acquired through barter from the People's Commissariat for Justice.

The Russian collections at Harvard owe their origin to Archibald Cary Coolidge (1866-1928), professor of history and the first Director of the University Library. As a history professor, Coolidge introduced the study of Russian and Slavic history at Harvard and helped to build the university libraries' holdings in these fields at his own personal expense. As University Librarian, Coolidge actively promoted the acquisition of Russian books in all subjects throughout many libraries at Harvard.

In the late 1980's the Law Library was awarded an NEH book preservation grant to microfilm its nineteenth and twentieth century pre-Soviet Russian collection, well over 5,500 separate titles. These titles are fully cataloged in HOLLIS. Researchers are required to consult the film copy of these materials, which is located in the Law Library's microfilm room.

The Library's eighteenth and seventeenth century Russian books, however, were--with a few exceptions-- not microfilmed. These books are not cataloged in HOLLIS, but are accessible to researchers. The bulk of this 18th century material comprises bound volumes of Ukases, Imperial proclamations and decrees.

Links to examples from the Pre-Soviet Russian Collection:

One of the most important codes of Russian law, the Sobornoe ulozhenie --so called because it was drafted and approved with the active participation of a sobor or council convoked by Tsar Aleksei Mikhailovich-- is regarded by many as the point of transition in Russian history from feudalism to absolutism. As the first Russian code to be printed immediately after its confirmation, it initiated the increasingly common practice in Russia of printing laws for broader dissemination.

At about the same time that the Sobornoe ulozhenie was being printed (1649), it was decided to issue an accurate version of the principle code of Russian Orthodox canon law, known as the Kormchaia. Printing began on November 7, 1649 and was completed by June 1, 1650. Because of doubts over the accuracy of the edition, all but a few copies were withheld from distribution and were eventually destroyed. The Law Library is fortunate to possess one of the few surviving copies of this edition.