Black Sea | PY Rare Books

Image for Th. JERVIS. Topographical Map of Crimea. First edition, London, 1854. Presentation copy #2

Presentation copy of this wall-map

Voennaia topograficheskaia karta poluostrova Kryma [...] Military Topographical Map of the Krima Peninsula [...]

[Williams & Norgate and Petheram (?)], London, 1854. £3,750

Very detailed, large map of Crimea, with much information and produced in time for the Criman War. First edition, here a rare presentation copy inscribed by Jervis, with further provenance.

Image for PALLAS & GEISSLER. Travels through the Southern Provinces of the Russian Empire. London, 1812. #2

From the Caspian Sea to Crimea, extensively illustrated

PALLAS, Peter Simon

Travels through the Southern Provinces of the Russian Empire [Translated from German by F.W.Blagdon].

Stockdale, London, 1812. £1,750

Fresh example of this classic travel account through Southern Russia, Ukraine and the Crimea - richly illustrated with original hand-colour. In a sturdy modern binding.

Image for ASHIK, A. Vosporskoe tsarstvo [Bosphorus Kingdom], first edition, Odessa, 1848-9. #2

Crimean Greek antiquities in red morocco

ASHIK, Anton Baltazarovich

Vosporskoe tsarstvo s ego paleograficheskimi i nadgrobnymi pamiatnikami, raspisnymi vazami, planami, kartami i vidami [The Bosphorus Kingdom and its Palaeographic Monuments and Tombstones, Painted Vases, Plans, Maps and Views]

T. Neiman, Odessa, 1848-1849. £4,750

The first significant work on the Greek antiquities on the Black Sea shores. A complete copy of this famous archeological book finely produced in Odessa, here in a luxurious binding. With unusual provenance.

Image for LEIMAN. Panorama of Tuapse. Photographic panels, 1911. #2

Extremely rare and very long view of a Black Sea port

[LEIMAN (attributed to)]

Panorama of Tuapse

[Southern Russia, ca. 1911]. £1,950

A small Russian port on the Black Sea with railway works and development: an informative and very rare photographic panorama, impressively long: almost 1.9 metre!

Image for S. COLLINS. Present State of Russia. First edition, London, 1671. #2

Drunk "very unhandsome" Circassian ladies and Russian mushrooms

[COLLINS, Samuel]

The Present State of Russia, in a Letter to a Friend at London, written by an eminent person residing at the great czars court at Mosco [sic] for the space of nine years

John Winter for Dorman Newman, London, 1671. £3,000

Great (if often negative) early account of pre-petrine Russia, with an important portrait of Tsar Alexei and a famous chapter on mushrooms - among many other remarks and anecdotes. Attractive example of the first edition.

Image for C. S. HARDINGE. Sketches in the Camp before Sebastopol. First edition, London, 1855. #2

Uncommon folio views

HARDINGE, Charles Stewart

Sketches in the Camp before Sebastopol

Henry Graves, London, 1855. £2,950

Attractive and quite rare lithograph work showing scarce scenes of the Crimean War. First edition, in its first binding.

Image for G. de CASTELNAU. Essai sur...la Nouvelle Russie. First edition of this book on southern Ukraine. Paris, 1820. #2

First extensive original French work on Ukraine since Beauplan

CASTELNAU, Gabriel de

Essai sur l'histoire ancienne et moderne de la Nouvelle Russie: Statistique des provinces qui la composent: Fondation d'Odessa, ses progrès, son état actuel, détails sur son commerce: Voyage en Crimée, dans l'intérêt de l'agriculture et du commerce

Crapelet for Rey and Gravier, Paris, 1820. £1,150

First edition of this major, relatively early work on southern Ukraine, Odessa and Crimea; complete with engraved views and maps. A pleasant copy in attractive condition.

Image for MITKIN, M. General View of Yalta. Photographic panorama. Yalta, 1890s. #2

Yalta's bay on a 1.5m panorama

MITKIN, Mikhail

Obshchii vid Ialty [General View of Yalta]

[Yalta, 1890s]. £8,500

Fine and scarce photographic view of the famous Crimean coastal town. In an attractive binding of the time.

Image for AKHMATOVA, A. U samogo moria. First edition, 1921. #2

A Black Sea youth

AKHMATOVA, Anna

U samogo moria [At the Edge of the Sea]

Alkonost, Skt. Peterburg, 1921. £750

The first edition of this important autobiographical poem by one of the best Russian poets, and a victim of Soviet censorship.

Image for COLLINS, S. Estat présent de la Russie. Edition originale en français, Paris, 1679. #2

Account of 17th-c. Russia from a 'cabinet de lecture'

[COLLINS, Samuel]

Relation curieuse de l'estat present de la Russie

A Paris, chez Louis Billaine…, 1679. £2,000

Great (if often negative) early account of pre-petrine Russia, here in an unusual, uncut copy of the first French edition, from a private lending library with the label detailing its lending conditions. Includes the famous illustrated chapter on mushrooms - among many other remarks and anecdotes.

Image for C. de PEYSSONEL. Traité sur le commerce de la Mer Noire. First edition, Paris, 1787. #2

Production, trade and customs in Southern Eastern Europe

PEYSSONEL, Charles de

Traité sur le commerce de la Mer Noire

Laporte for Cuchet, Paris, 1787. £1,950

Fascinating account of the trade and business in Southern Russia and the Black Sea in the 18th century - with a wealth of details and personal comments. First edition, not common.

Image for E. POHLIG. Handschriftliche Reisebeschreibung durch Russland. Reichillustriert. 1897-1903. #2

"Die Reise um die Welt ohne Geld"

POHLIG, Emil

Zu Fuss: Kreuz und Quer Durchs das Ganze Russische Reich [On Foot: Crisscrossing the Whole Russian Empire]

[Germany and Russia, ca. 1897-1903]. £1,250

Unusual extensive manuscript travel account of a German going through Russia and recording his many observations - richly illustrated with a variety of added material. Only partly published in contemporary newspapers.

Image for MARBAULT M. de. Essai sur le commerce de Russie. #1

Russian vodka & caviar - a fresh example

[MARBAULT, M. de, also MARBEAU]

Essai sur le commerce de Russie, avec l'histoire de ses découvertes

[Rey?], Amsterdam, 1777. £2,250

Lovely, crisp copy of this classic work on Russian trade, esp. interesting for its description of the North Pacific and Alaska - but also of the Black Sea and Ukraine. With German royal provenance.

Image for BINDING: Odessa portfolio with silver, Ukraine, 1910. #2

Lovely piece of binding art from Odessa

[ODESSA – BINDING]

Presentation portfolio

Odessa, 1910. £1,950

Odessa's Chief Prosecutor receives a fine leather portfolio with silver plaque - with the original documents preserved.

Image for FORBIN, A. Voyage dans le Levant. Paris, 1819. #2

Famous account of the Middle East

FORBIN, Auguste, comte de

Voyage dans le Levant en 1817 et 1818

De l'Imprimerie Royale, Paris, 1819. £295

Forbin's text volumes describing his celebrated travel to the Middle East; in very good condition.

Image for KONDAKOV, Russian jewellery, Imperial copy of the first edition, Skt. Peterburg, 1896. #2

Ancient jewellery in the Grand Duke's library

KONDAKOV, Nikodim Pavlovich

Russkie klady. Issledovaniie drevnostei velikokniazheskogo perioda [Russian Treasures. A Study of Antiquities of the Grand Dukedom Period]. Vol. 1 [all published]

Tip. Glavnogo Upravl. Udelov, Skt Peterburg, 1896. £6,500

Grand Duke Alexey's copy of the first scholarly work on ancient Russian jewelry: an excellent example of the first edition, finely illustrated.

Image for Ch. PEYSSONEL. Verfassung des Handels auf dem Schwarzem Meer [Black Sea trade]. First German edition, Leipzig, 1788. #3

Out of stock

Black Sea trade in much detail, from a prominent collector in Odessa

PEYSSONEL, Charles de, and Ernst CUHN

Die Verfassung des Handels auf dem Schwarzen Meer [Traité sur le commerce de la Mer Noire]

Weygand, Leipzig, 1788.

Very rare first German edition of this major work, with much added material showing a geopolitical angle chosen by the translator, a civil servant for the Prussian 'external affairs'. A beautiful copy, in full morocco with prestigious local provenance.

Image for J.B. SCHERER. Annales de la Petite-Russie, ou histoire des Cosaques de l'Ukraine... First edition, Paris, 1788. #2

Out of stock

With aristocratic provenance

SCHERER, Jean Benoît

Annales de la Petite-Russie, ou histoire des Cosaques de l'Ukraine, ou de la Petite-Russie, depuis leur origine jusqu'à nos jours; suivie d'un abrégé de l'Histoire des Hettmans des Cosaques

Paris, Cuchet, 1788.

First edition of a significant work on Ukraine and its famous Cossacks - but not only, covering also many other aspects of the country's history and geography. A lovely copy, in a nicely decorated binding.

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