PY Rare Books

ABOUT py rare books

Our specialities cover everything related to the former Russian Empire and its neighbouring regions, from Eastern Europe to Alaska, through the Caucasus and Central Asia – travel, exploration, history, literature, arts, avant-garde etc., in emigration too. Occasionally other works which take our fancy. We focus on rare editions and quality copies, without the usual significant condition issues often met with Russian books.

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Image for N. GUMILEV. Shater [The Tent]. First complete edition. Revel, 1921. #2

The poetic travels of Akhmatova's husband

GUMILEV, Nikolai

Shater [The Tent]

Varrak for Bibliofil, Revel [Tallin], [1921]. £500

Gumilev's poetry inspired by his African travels, with a finely designed cover - pleasant copy of the fragile first complete, definitive edition.

Image for J.G. GEORGI. Description of St Petersburg. Second edition, in the original German. Riga, 1793. #2

Extensive record of St Petersburg at the end of its first century

GEORGI, Johann Gottlieb

Versuch einer Beschreibung der Russisch Kayserl. Residenzstadt St. Petersburg

Riga, Johann Friederich Hartknoch, 1793. £1,500

Crisp, attractive example of this important and very detailed description of the Russian northern capital and its region. Complete with both maps, on thick paper.

Image for D. SCHLATTER. Bruchstücke aus einigen Reisen nach dem Südlichen Russland. First edition, St. Gallen, 1830. #2

South-east Ukraine in bold colours

SCHLATTER, Daniel

Bruchstücke aus einigen Reisen nach dem Südlichen Russland, in den Jahren 1822 bis 1828

Wegelin & Kätzer for Hubner & Co., St. Gallen, 1830. £850

First edition of this account of the area comprised between Perekop and Mariopol, on the shores of the Sea of Azov; with a particular focus on the nomadic Nogai Tatars, and the local German colonies. Complete, with the fine plates here in bright, bold original watercolours.

Image for [von HELBIG, attrib.]. Russische Günstlinge. First edition. Tübingen, 1809. #2

More than 100 Russian éminences grises

[HELBIG, Georg Adolf Wilhelm von, attrib.]

Russische Günstlinge

J. G. Gotta, Tübingen, 1809. £200

From Peter to Catherine, an interesting history of the right-hand men close to the Tsar. First edition; the text was partly censored in Russia up to the 20th century.

Image for STORCH. Gemaehlde von St. Petersburg. First edition, Riga, 1794. #2

The Russian Venice after 90 years

STORCH Heinrich and Daniel CHODOWIECKI (engr.)

Gemaehlde von St. Petersburg

Langhoff, Berlin, for Hartknoch, Riga, 1794. £750

First edition of this important, wide-ranging and intelligent account of St. Petersburg at the end of Catherine the Great's reign. Ucnommon, especially with all plates. This copy fresh and crisp internally.

Image for POLANCUS & BUDINIC. Ispravnik za erei... [Guide for Priests...]. First edition in Croatian Glagolitic. Rome, 1635. #2

Croatian Glagolitic for an important Jesuit text, by Ignatius of Loyola's secretary

POLANCUS, Joannes [Juan Alfonso de POLANCO] and Sime BUDINIC (transl.)

Ispravnik za erei, ispovidnici, i za pokornih [Guide for Priests, Confessors and the Penitent]

Roma, Propaganda Fide, 1636. £6,750

Fresh example of this Propaganda Fide edition in Croatian Glagolitic of an important Jesuit text for priests. Uncommon.

Image for I. GOLIKOV (artist). Slovo o polku Igoreve... First edition thus. Moscow, 1934. #2

Luxurious production in superb condition

GOLIKOV, Ivan (artist)

Slovo o polku Igoreve, Igoria syna Sviatoslavlia, vnuka Olgova [The Tale of Igor's Campaign, of Igor Son of Svyatoslav, Grandson of Oleg]

Academia, [Moskva], 1934. £1,250

First edition with these striking illustrations, printed with a beautiful technique rendering perfectly the Palekh style of folk art. An impressive, artistic edition in folio format; this copy in excellent condition, with the original wrapper and box.

Image for [CENTRAL ASIA]. Russian Missions into the Interior of Asia. First edition, London, 1823. #2

The start of the Great Game

MURAVEV, Nikolai Nikolaevich and others

Russian Missions into the Interior of Asia

G. Sidney for Sir Richard Phillips, London, 1823. £295

Important booklet showing the British interest in new Russian 'missions' in Central Asia, with the first translation of Russian accounts of the region. A lovely copy.

Image for M. KUZMIN. Nezdeshnie vechera. First edition, limited. St. Petersburg, 1921. #2

Poetic evenings : one of 62 named copies only

KUZMIN, Mikhail

Nezdeshnie vechera. Stikhi 1914-1920 [Extraordinary Evenings. Poems from 1914-1920]

Peterburg, Petropolis, 1921. £1,250

First edition of Kuzmin's eight poetry collection. This copy particularly attractive for its condition - and its provenance: one of only 62 'ad nominem'.

Image for I.I. CHEPIGOVSKII. A Concise Sacred History of...the Old Testament. First edition in the original Ossetian. Vladikavkaz, 1881. #2

With an important inscription by the "Apostle of Ossetia" (Gostieva)

CHEPIGOVSKII, Ivan Ivanovich

Xucav arxivani Ragondini cibir sijdæg istorja [A Concise Sacred History of the Church of God under the Old Testament]

Vladikavkaz, Z.I. Shuvalov, 1881. £3,750

First edition of this very first 'old testament' in Ossetian. A fine example, in wrappers and inscribed by the author to an important local missionary. Very rare, with only one other copy traced (Denmark).