Masanov, Ivan

Born May 18 (30), 1874, in the village of Novoe, Vladimir Province; died Feb. 25, 1945, in Moscow. Soviet bibliographer.

Masanov was educated in a village school. He began work as a bricklayer but became a scholar and bibliographer by tirelessly pursuing his program of self-education. In his bibliographical activity, he focused his attention on regional studies (Bibliography of Vladimir Province, 1905), the history of Russian periodicals (Russian Satirical and Humorous Journals, vols. 1-3, 1910-13,), and the history of Russian literature (Bibliography of Works by A. P. Chekhov, 1906; Chekhoviana, 1929). Masanov devoted his entire life to his chief work, the Dictionary of Pseudonyms of Russian Writers, Scholars, and Public Figures (vols. 1-4, 1956-60), which lists more than 80,000 pseudonyms. His son, Iu. I. Masanov, provided the dictionary with a supplement and prepared it for publication.