Catherine the Great's Russia | PY Rare Books

Showing 1–18 of 46 results

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

A splendid copy, unusually bound

BADDELEY, John F

Russia, Mongolia, China

£4,750

A splendid copy, unusually bound
BADDELEY, John F. Russia, Mongolia, China.
Published/created in: 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 PLESCHEEF - PLESHCHEEV. Survey of the Russian Empire. First edition in English, hand-coloured. London, 1792. #2

Impressive in colour

PLESCHEEF, Sergey (also Sergei MESHKOV-PLESHCHEEV) and James SMIRNOVE (transl.)

Survey of the Russian Empire

£2,750

Impressive in colour
PLESCHEEF, Sergey (also Sergei MESHKOV-PLESHCHEEV) and James SMIRNOVE (transl.). Survey of the Russian Empire.
Published/created in: 1792

£2,750

Fine, unusual copy of this first english edition of the most accurate description of the Russian empire at the end of Catherine the Great's reign. Usually black & white: but this copy with bold, vivid contemporary hand-colour.

Image for CHAPPE d'AUTEROCHE. Voyage en Sibérie. First edition, in contemporary binding. Paris, 1768. #2

Attractive copy of this famous travel account

CHAPPE D’AUTEROCHE, Jean-Baptiste and Stepan Petrovich KRASHENINNIKOV

Voyage en Sibérie, fait par ordre du Roi en 1761; contenant les moeurs, les usages des Russes, et l'etat actuel de cette puissance [and] contenant la description du Kamchatka

£9,750

Attractive copy of this famous travel account
CHAPPE D'AUTEROCHE, Jean-Baptiste and Stepan Petrovich KRASHENINNIKOV. Voyage en Sibérie, fait par ordre du Roi en 1761; contenant les moeurs, les usages des Russes, et l'etat actuel de cette puissance [and] contenant la description du Kamchatka.
Published/created in: 1768

£9,750

A very fresh copy of the first edition of one of the great French travels abroad, and a classic representative of French 18th-century publishing, with many artistic illustrations, engraved maps, and high quality printing. With a wealth of details on Russian, Siberia, the Russian Far East, including Kamchatka and the Northern Pacific.

Image for P. RYCHKOV. Essay on the History of Kazan. First edition, in original Russian, St. Petersburg, 1767. #2

First edition of a groundbreaking work on one of Russia's major regions

Opyt kazanskoi istorii drevnikh i srednikh vremian [Essay on the History of Kazan in Ancient Times and the Middle Ages]

£10,000

First edition of a groundbreaking work on one of Russia's major regions
RYCHKOV, Petr. Opyt kazanskoi istorii drevnikh i srednikh vremian. [Essay on the History of Kazan in Ancient Times and the Middle Ages]
Published/created in: 1767

£10,000

A major work in Catherine the Great's active discovery of her empire: the first printed book on Kazan, its history and the Tatar region. First edition, in contemporary binding. Rare: the last copy at auction in the West was 50 years ago.

Image for I. MARCHENKOV. Plan of Moscow. First printing, 1789. #2

"The first truly modern map of Moscow" - with contemporary hand-colour

MARCHENKOV, Ivan

Plan stolichnago goroda Moskvy [Plan of Moscow the Capital City]

£12,500

"The first truly modern map of Moscow" - with contemporary hand-colour
MARCHENKOV, Ivan. Plan stolichnago goroda Moskvy. [Plan of Moscow the Capital City]
Published/created in: 1789

£12,500

An important and decorative plan of the Russian capital, printed the year of the French Revolution. A fine hand-coloured example. Very rare.

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]

£5,750

Partying in late 18th-c. Russia
GEISSLER, [Christian Gottfried Heinrich], J.G. GRUBER and J. RICHTER. Russische Volke-Vergnügungen. [Russian Folk Amusements]
Published/created in: [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 M. LOMONOSOV. Works in Verse, in the original Russian. St. Petersburg, 1893. #2

In the publisher's binding

LOMONOSOV, Mikhail Vasilevich

Sochineniia v stikhakh [Works in Verse]

£175

In the publisher's binding
LOMONOSOV, Mikhail Vasilevich. Sochineniia v stikhakh. [Works in Verse]
Published/created in: 1893

£175

A lovely small volume with Lomonosov's poetical production. The binding remained fresh, which is unusual.

Image for P. SUMAROKOV. Travel to Crimea, in Swedish. Stockholm, 1805. #2

Southern Ukraine for Swedes

SUMAROKOFF, Paul

Resa genom Krimm och Bessarabien Öfwersättning af Pehr Olof Gravander

£375

Southern Ukraine for Swedes
SUMAROKOFF, Paul. Resa genom Krimm och Bessarabien. Öfwersättning af Pehr Olof Gravander
Published/created in: 1805

£375

Early Russian work on the Crimea, here translated in Swedish. Uncommon.

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

£1,150

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.
Published/created in: 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 Noveishii polnyi pismovnik... St. Petersburg, 1820. #2

How to write letters about everything

Noveishii polnyi pismovnik ili vseobshchyi sekretar [The Newest Complete Letter-Writing Manual, or General Secretary]

£1,750

How to write letters about everything
. Noveishii polnyi pismovnik ili vseobshchyi sekretar. [The Newest Complete Letter-Writing Manual, or General Secretary]
Published/created in: 1820

£1,750

A great resource for any Russian writing letters at the beginning of the 19th century: from love letters in verses to business and administrative correspondance, or official letters to the highest-ranked people, everything is included in this rare work. No copy of this edition traced outside Russia.

Image for WEYDEMEYER. Tableaux...de l'Empire de Russie. First edition, St. Petersburg, 1828. #2

Mapping Russia's history and development for an international audience

WEYDEMEYER, Alexandre de

Tableaux historiques, chronologiques, geographiques et statistiques de l'Empire de Russie, avec une carte généalogique

£3,250

Mapping Russia's history and development for an international audience
WEYDEMEYER, Alexandre de. Tableaux historiques, chronologiques, geographiques et statistiques de l'Empire de Russie, avec une carte généalogique.
Published/created in: 1828

£3,250

First edition of this impressive wide-ranging work, finely printed by Pluchart in St. Petersburg. A scarce publication, with a wealth of information on the Russian empire up to Pushkin's time.

Image for WARNERY, C.E. de. Remarques sur le militaire des Turcs et des Russes. Uncut. Breslau, 1771. #2

As issued

WARNERY, [Charles-Emmanuel] de

Remarques sur le militaire des Turcs et des Russes

£1,250

As issued
WARNERY, [Charles-Emmanuel] de. Remarques sur le militaire des Turcs et des Russes.
Published/created in: 1771

£1,250

Excellent example of this detailed account of the forces in presence during the 1768-74 war between Russia and the Ottoman Empire.

Image for ATKINSON. Picturesque Representation...of the Russians. First edition, folio. London, 1804. #2

In signed full contemporary red morocco

ATKINSON, John Augustus (artist)

A Picturesque Representation of the Manners, Customs, and Amusements of the Russians

£16,500

In signed full contemporary red morocco
ATKINSON, John Augustus (artist). A Picturesque Representation of the Manners, Customs, and Amusements of the Russians.
Published/created in: 1804

£16,500

One of the most beautiful and impressive British works on Russia, with many great plates in fine colouring. Here unusually bound in a luxury full red morocco gilt signed.

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

£1,950

Production, trade and customs in Southern Eastern Europe
PEYSSONEL, Charles de. Traité sur le commerce de la Mer Noire.
Published/created in: 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 GEORGI, J.G. Merkwürdigkeiten verschiedener unbekannten Völker des Russischen Reichs. 1777, First edition. #2

From shamanism to planting seeds in Kamchatka

GEORGI, Johann Gottlieb

Merkwürdigkeiten verschiedener unbekannten Völker des Russischen Reichs

£1,750

From shamanism to planting seeds in Kamchatka
GEORGI, Johann Gottlieb. Merkwürdigkeiten verschiedener unbekannten Völker des Russischen Reichs.
Published/created in: 1777

£1,750

Some of the first systematic ethnographic observations of peoples of Russia, here focusing on Siberian and Far Eastern peoples. An edition rarely found, with plates and a map. Lovely copy in fine condition.

Image for SYTIN, Lubki. Moscow, 1880s. #2

Striking 'lubki' in great condition

SITINE [Ivan SYTIN] (publisher)

Images et dessins populaires russes jusqu'a 1860 [Title on cover]

£4,750

Striking 'lubki' in great condition
SITINE [Ivan SYTIN] (publisher). Images et dessins populaires russes jusqu'a 1860 [Title on cover].
Published/created in: 1887-89

£4,750

Some great imagery in a rare volume of 85 plates - mostly military but only, with many themes strikingly depicted. A rare item of Russian folk art, here in fine condition.

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

£2,250

Russian vodka & caviar - a fresh example
[MARBAULT, M. de, also MARBEAU]. Essai sur le commerce de Russie, avec l'histoire de ses découvertes.
Published/created in: 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 Tablettes chronologiques de la Monarchie de Russie. Manuscrit, ca. 1785. #1

Manuscript history in your pocket

Tablettes chronologiques de la Monarchie de Russie

£3,950

Manuscript history in your pocket
[BARRIÉRA]. Tablettes chronologiques de la Monarchie de Russie.
Published/created in: late 18th c.]

£3,950

A lovely manuscript booklet finely bound, showing all important events of Russia's history up to 1784 - very unusual, attractive and informative, possibly connected to Tsar Nicholas I.

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