File:Chaliapin as Mephisto by M.Sherling.jpg

This work was published on territory of the Russian Empire (Russian Republic) except for territories of the Grand Duchy of Finland and Congress Poland before 7 November 1917 and wasn't re-published for 30 days following initial publications on the territory of Soviet Russia or any other countries.

The Russian Federation (early Soviet Russia, RSFSR) is the historical heir but not legal successor of the Russian Empire, and the Russian Empire was not party to the Berne Convention (it was not country of Union for the protection of the rights of authors in their literary and artistic works), so according to article 5 of the Convention this work has no country of origin except:

• in the case of cinematographic work the maker of which has his headquarters or his habitual residence in a country of the Union, the country of origin shall be that country,
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