Bibliophilie - Bibliophily - Bibliophilia

Image for A. NOS. Nachalo dobrovolnago flota. Voluntary Russian fleet. First edition, Moscow, 1890. #2

Extremely rare work on the Russian fleet, in an even rarer binding

Nachalo dobrovolnago flota [The Beginning of the Voluntary Fleet]

Moskva, Rikhter, 1890. £2,750

A diplomatic gift from Nikolay II to the French President Felix Faure, in a great, striking binidng boasting the Russian flag. First edition of this fine illustrated work, very rare as only one other copy traced worldwide.

Image for A. de COURTOIS. Organisation sociale de la Russie. Copy from the author. Paris, 1864. #2

Russian society analysed - and beautifully bound

[COURTOIS Alfred de]

Organisation sociale de la Russie. La Noblesse, la Bourgeoisie, le Peuple

Paris, Dentu, 1864. £2,250

An intelligent analysis of Alexander II's famous reform and emancipation of the serfs. Uncommon, and here in a fantastic example from the author.

Image for J. BADDELEY. Russia, Mongolia, China. First edition. London, 1919. #2

A splendid copy, unusually bound

BADDELEY, John F

Russia, Mongolia, China

London, Macmillan & Co, 1919. £4,750

Impressive example of the first edition, with a signed binding featuring two 1767 Russian coins. One of the greatest 20th-c. books on Eastern Russia, Siberia, and the historical relations with their neighbours. A fascinating and beautiful production.

Image for MAYERBERG - MEYERBERG. Iter in Moschoviam... First edition, ca. 1665. #2

One of the best accounts of Russian after Herberstein

MAYERBERG [also MEYERBERG], Baron Augustin von

Iter in Moschoviam..

, [ca. 1665]. £3,950

Exceptionnally fine example of this important travel account, which includes the first printing out of Russia of Tsar Alexis famous 'Ulozhenie'. A very attractive copy in a lovely if later binding.

Image for PUSHKIN. Eugene Oneguine. First English translation, inscribed. London, 1881. #2

Onegin in English for the first time, "with the translator's compliments"

PUSHKIN, Alexander and Henry SPALDING (transl.)

Eugene Onéguine

London, Macmillan and Co., 1881. £8,000

Desirable copy of this landmark translation, the first into English and here inscribed by the translator.

Image for BYRON & KOZLOV. Nevesta Abidosskaia [The Bride of Abydos]. First edition in Russian verse, Skt. Peterburg, 1826. #2

Byron's Turkish poem in Pushkin's Russia

[BYRON, George Gordon] Dzh.-G. BAIRON and Ivan KOZLOV (transl.)

Nevesta Abidosskaia. Turetskaia povest [The Bride of Abydos. A Turkish Story]

Smirdin, Skt Peterburg, 1826. £4,750

Very attractive copy of this rare work, the first translation in verse of Byron's 'Eastern poem'. Praised by contemporaries and influential, here retaining its original wrappers. Only 3 copies traced in WorldCat.

Image for SRNEC, HORNY, CATO & COMENIUS. Adagia Bohemica, bound with Adagia Catonis. Prague, 1705. #2

Czech proverbs in your pocket

[SRNEC, Jakub] and Franciscus Andreas HORNY [bound with] CATO, Dionysius (?) and John Amos COMENIUS (translator)

Přísloví česká, Aneb Adagia Bohemica [BOUND WITH] Včení Dobrých Mrawu od Mudrce Katona wydané Aneb Moralia Catonis [Czech Proverbs, or Bohemian Adages [bound with] Learning Good Manners of the Wise Cato, published as Moralia Catonis]

Adalberti Georgij Konias, Pragae, 1705. £2,450

Attractive small volume, in fine condition, of these two very rare editions focusing on Czech proverbs, theatre, poetry and language. With fine provenances.

Image for POUCHKINE. Ruslan et Ludmila, première édition en vers, avec envoi, Paris, 1898. #2

Inscribed by the translator, a feminist character

[PUSHKIN] – Alexandre POUCHKINE, Véra STARKOFF (transl.) and Marie EGOROFF (artist)

Rouslane et Ludmile

Lafoyer, Vannes, for Librairie de l'art indépendant, Paris, 1898. £2,450

The first complete poetic French translation of Pushkin's celebrated work. Strikingly illustrated by an original Russian female artist, and this copy inscribed by the translator: a politically-engaged playwright and one of the main figures of the feminist theatre movement in France. Rarely found, and only 500 copies printed.

Image for A. GRIBOEDOV. Gore ot Uma [Woe from Wit]. St. Petersburg, 1854. Rare small-format edition. #2

Wit in your pocket - with wrappers

GRIBOEDOV, Aleksandr

Gore ot uma. Komediia v chetyrekh deistviiakh, v stikhakh [Woe from Wit. A Comedy in Four Acts in Verse]

Tip. Shtaba Voenno-Uchebn. Zaved., Skt Peterburg, 1854. £2,500

Rare small-format edition of this famous masterpiece of Russian theatre, a lovely copy with its original wrappers. No copy traced in WorldCat.

From Sanskrit and Chinese, to Samaritan and Coptic

[TYPOGRAPHY]

Caratteri Orientali Esistenti nella Tipografia della R. Accad. dei Lincei

R. Accademia dei Lincei, Roma, 1889. £1,250

Extremely rare catalogue of oriental types used by the press of one of the most important scientific academy. In great condition - and only one other copy traced (in California).

Image for KRYLOV. Basni [Fables]. Miniature edition, St. Petersburg, 1848. #2

Fables in your pocket

KRYLOV, Ivan Andreevich

Basni [...] v deviati knigakh [Fables in IX Books]

Frantsuzskaia tip. for Iu. Iungmeister, E. Veimar, Skt Peterburg, 1848. £1,950

A 'miniature' edition, uncommon, of the most celebrated Russian fabulist: a lovely copy, in its first binding, fragile but here in appealing condition.

Image for G. SHVETSOV. Three works on Tsar Alexander II and Russia, inscribed to Olga Aleksandrovna. St. Petersburg, 1884-87. #2

Inscribed by the liberated serf to the Tsar's natural daughter

[ROMANOVS – ALEXANDER II] – SHVETSOV, Gordei Mikhaïlovich

Sochineniia russkogo poeta prostoliudina [Title on cover] [Works of the Russian Common-Man Poet]

Dobrodeev, Skt. Peterburg, 1887, 1884 and 1885. £4,750

A fascinating volume concentrating various aspects of Tsar Alexander's II legacy, with poems celebrating his achievements, written by a former, freed serf and inscribed to the tsar's daughter with his mistress. An exceptional copy.

Image for GEISSLER, GRUBER & RICHTER. Russian Folk Amusements. First edition, Leipzig 1801. Complete with hand-coloured plates #2

Partying in late 18th-c. Russia

GEISSLER, [Christian Gottfried Heinrich], J.G. GRUBER and J. RICHTER

Russische Volke-Vergnügungen [Russian Folk Amusements]

Leipzig, Im Industrie Comptoir, [1801]. £5,750

Very rare large-format plates in striking colours, by a master of the genre. Last copy traced on the market: in 1931, incomplete.

Image for B. PASTERNAK. Selected Poems. First edition, Moscow, 1926. In wrappers. #2

First poetry collection of a future Nobel Prize

PASTERNAK, Boris

Izbrannye stikhi [Selected Poems]

Uzel, Moskva, 1926. £950

Superb copy of this early collection of Pasternak's poems. First edition, scarce outside Russia.

Image for F. DOSTOEVSKII. Idiot. Skt. Peterburg, 1884. In wrappers. #2

One of his masterpieces in wrappers

DOSTOEVSKII, Fedor [also DOSTOEVSKY]

Idiot [The Idiot]

Suvorin, Skt. Peterburg, 1884. £1,250

An early edition of Dostoesvky's great novel, in superb condition: a very rare case in any example of Russian literature of the 19th century.

Image for RYNKIEWICZ Family. Ms. documents for its 'szlachta' status. Vilnius, 1819 & 1863. In fine binding with brass seal. #1

Impressive manuscript confirmation of nobility

RYNKIEWICZ, Efim and family

Certification of 'szlachta' (nobility) status for the family

Vilnius, 1819 and 1863. £5,950

Striking official documents in manuscript, related to the Rynkiewicz family and its nobility status, in Polish and Russian with fresh watercolour illustrations. A fine item of heraldry, very well preserved its red-morocco binding and large brass seal: rare so.

Image for GOSPELS in Russian, in miniature format. Moscow, 1907-09. #2

Faith in your pocket

[BIBLE, Russian]

Gospada Nashego Iisusa Khrista Sviatoe Evangelie ot Matfeia/Marka/Luki/Ioanna [Our Lord Jesus Christ's Holy Gospel of Matthew/Mark/Luke/John]

Sinodaln. Tip., Moskva, 1907-1909. £2,500

Appealing set of this first miniature edition of the Gospels in Russian, a typographic feat as the text is perfectly readable. Bound in full morocco and in excellent condition, from Vera Tishchenko's collection - a fine collector's provenance. Scarce outside Russia.

Image for Gd Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich ROMANOV. Musical Sketches, Potpurri. Manuscript, 1888. #2

La Marseillaise, European operas, and romantic Russian songs

[ROMANOV, Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich] – TSVETKOV M. and Vasilii KITAEV (artist)

Muzykalnyia stsenki. Popuri [Musical Sketches. Potpourri]

Skt. Peterburg, [8 November] 1888. £8,750

An interesting compilation of various international and Russian music, all manuscript, with a lovely watercolour title page and all kept in a refined master binding: a very attractive imperial portfolio made for the Grand Duke. Very rare.

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