Tsiolkovsky (Konstantin) Izsledovanie mirovykh postrantsv' reaktivnymi priborami (dopolnenie k I i II chasti truda togo-zhe nazvaniya). [Investigation of cosmic space using reactive devices. (Supplement to Parts I and II of the Works of the same Title)], first edition, illustration, original printed wrappers, ink manuscript number to upper cover, slightly sunned at extremities, a fine copy overall, 8vo, Kaluga, by the author, 1914.

⁂ Tsiolkovsky's first separately printed scientific work on space rockets, preceding the first publication on rockets by Robert Goddard by five years. The significance of Tsiolkovsky's work in rocketry and space travel was greatest in Russia where it inspired early development independent of American and European research. The present work is a supplement to two earlier works of the same title which had appeared in two different journals in 1903 and 1911-1912 (no offprints known); these are listed on the back cover of this publication, together with Tsiolkovsky's other works, dated from 1891 onwards. Tsiolkovsky was employed as a school teacher and could afford to print only a few copies of his works, which therefore had very limited circulation. RBH lists only 4 copies at auction in the last 40 years, and while the first four lots in the Russian Space History sale at Sotheby's (New York, December 11, 1993) included a total of 38 papers by Tsiolkovsky, the property of his family, this paper was not among them.