LENIN VLADIMIR: (1870-1924) Russian revolutionary and politician who served as the first and founding head of government of Soviet Russia 1917-24 and of the Soviet Union 1922-24 & TSIURUPA ALEXANDER (1870-1928) Bolshevik leader and Soviet politician who served as People's Commissar for Food of the RSFSR 1918-21. A rare D.S. by both Lenin ('V Ulyanov (Lenin)') and Tsiurupa ('A Tsyurupa') individually, one page, folio, Kremlin, Moscow, 20th June 1919, with the stamped heading of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic Workers and Peasants Defence Council, in Cyrillic. The typed document is addressed to Narkomprod (People's Commissariat for Food Supplies) of Crimea and states, in part, 'Considering the severity of the food situation in Russia, and the enormous shortages of food for children, especially for sick children, I suggest that all canned fruits available in Crimea, as well as cheese, should be earmarked solely for feeding sick children in Northern Russia. Products should be sent to Komprod's address'. Signed at the conclusion by Lenin in his capacity as Chairman of the Defence Council and by Tsiurupa in his capacity as People's Commissar for Food Supplies, alongside an official circular purple ink stamp. Some very light, extremely minimal age wear, VG

The People's Commissariat for Food Supplies (also known by it's abbreviation Narkomprod) was originally founded in 1917 and was the ministry of the Russian SFSR in charge of food supplies and industrial goods.

Lenin and Tsiurupa signed the present document at a significant time during the Russian Civil War (1917-23) throughout which Crimea changed hands numerous times. Whilst it was governed by the Bolsheviks in June 1919, it would not be long before it became the stronghold of the anti-Bolshevik White Army under the command of General Anton Denikin. It is therefore possible that Lenin and Tsiurupa, aware of the situation facing Crimea, were attempting to get as much food as they could out of the area before it was too late.