Auctions have brought attention to rare audio cassettes that capture the voices and writing of the Russian‑American poet Joseph Brodsky, with bids reaching near the million‑ruble mark. The update comes from a recent briefing from DEA News and reflects information provided by the Literary Fund, the auction house overseeing the event. The upcoming sale is set for August 19 and centers on a curated archive of audio recordings that preserve not only published works but also biographical material, including performances by Brodsky and members of his inner circle.
In total, fourteen audio cassettes will be offered, each containing distinctive performances and personal readings that illuminate the poet’s life and literary career. The starting price for the entire archive, which preserves intimate material tied to Brodsky’s public persona and scholarly interest, is positioned at 950 thousand rubles. The collection promises more than poetry; it documents a moment in literary history through sound, voice, and memory.
The archive’s oldest recording dates back to March 6, 1978, featuring readings of poems such as New Stanzas for Augusta, Love, Still Life, Seven Years Later, Dido and Aeneas, Two Hours in a Tank, and Candles. These performances offer a rare glimpse into the rhythm, tone, and delivery that accompanied the written words, revealing how Brodsky’s public readings connected with audiences near and far. The material stands as a sonic archive that complements the poet’s published work, providing context for his evolving style and the cultural currents of the era.
In December 2022, scholarly interest in Brodsky continued to grow as a Saint Petersburg museum dedicated to the poet prepared for the closure of a related lot, underscoring ongoing research into his life and collaborations. The circle surrounding Brodsky included collaborators and confidants with whom he shared ideas, readings, and performances, offering a window into the social networks that shaped late Soviet and post‑Soviet literary culture. These associations help illuminate how the poet navigated political and artistic landscapes while maintaining a distinctive voice that resonated across generations.
Historically, the market for Brodsky memorabilia has reflected a broader appreciation for archival material tied to poets and their circles. Earlier auctions have seen signatures from prominent figures of the era achieve notable results, signaling a sustained demand for artifacts that fuse literary content with biographical significance. The current sale continues that tradition, inviting collectors and scholars to engage with the soundscapes of Brodsky’s world and the conversations that surrounded his reading life. The value here lies not only in the text of the poems but in the lived contexts—the voices, the cadence, and the exchanges that gave these works a living presence beyond the page.
Observers note that the Literary Fund’s archive functions as a repository of linguistic heritage and cultural memory. It offers a pathway to understand how late Soviet and post‑Soviet literary circles developed, interacted, and persisted through changing times. The sale is part of a wider trend that recognizes spoken word artifacts as primary sources for literary history, performance studies, and the study of cultural memory. The auction house has indicated that further material connected to Brodsky and his circle may surface in future auctions, attracting institutions, libraries, and private collectors who seek to deepen their understanding of the poet’s impact and the era he helped shape.