Lakerbay M.A. Essays on the History of Abkhazian Theatrical Art (Ocherki istorii abkhazskogo teatral'nogo iskusstva), 1957. In Russian

[Первое издание] Лакербай Михаил Александрович.
Очерки истории абхазского театрального искусства.
1-е издание.
Сухуми: Абгосиздат, 1957.
130 с.; мягкая обложка. Тираж 5000 экз.
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[First edition] Lakerbay Mikhail Alexandrovich.
Essays on the History of Abkhazian Theatrical Art (Ocherki istorii abkhazskogo teatral'nogo iskusstva).
1st edition.
Sukhumi: Abgosizdat, 1957.
130 pp.; soft cover. Print run 5,000 copies.

This is the first edition (1957) of a pioneering work by Mikhail Alexandrovich Lakerbay (Lakrba, 1901–1965), a prominent Abkhazian writer, playwright, screenwriter, theater critic, and journalist. Recognized as a Honored Artist of Abkhazia, Lakerbay was one of the founders of modern Abkhazian literature and theater studies. His "Essays" represent one of the earliest systematic studies tracing the origins, development, and early history of Abkhazian theatrical art — from traditional folk performances, rituals, and oral traditions to the emergence of professional theater in the Soviet period, including the establishment of the Abkhaz State Drama Theater in Sukhumi. Written in an accessible style, the book draws on historical sources, folklore, and personal observations, making it a foundational text for Abkhaz cultural history. Published in Sukhumi by the state Abkhaz publishing house (Abgosizdat) in a modest print run of 5,000 copies shortly after the post-WWII revival of national cultures in the USSR, this softcover volume is now a rare and important artifact for collectors of Caucasian studies, Abkhazian literature, Soviet minority nationalities theater history, regional ethnography, and mid-20th-century Soviet publications on national arts.