Unusual items Keywords | PY Rare Books

Showing 1–18 of 93 results

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

, Noveishii polnyi pismovnik ili vseobshchyi sekretar

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 [COMMISSION ON LAWS]. Mémoire...à l'organisation de la Commission des Lois... First edition, St. Petersburg, 1804. #2

Reforming the laws of the empire

[LOPUKHIN, Prince Petr, and Nikolai NOVOSILTSEV]

Mémoire Presenté par le Ministère de la Justice Relativement à L'Organisation de la Comission des Lois [...] Suivi d'un Extrait des Rapports [...] sur les Travaux de Cette Commission. Première Partie [All published]

£5,750

[LOPUKHIN, Prince Petr, and Nikolai NOVOSILTSEV], Mémoire Presenté par le Ministère de la Justice Relativement à L'Organisation de la Comission des Lois [...] Suivi d'un Extrait des Rapports [...] sur les Travaux de Cette Commission. Première Partie [All published]

A fundamental work at the source of a clarification and homogenisation of the laws of the Russian empire at the turn of the 19th century. An excellent copy of this very rare publication: only one copy traced of this French issue of the first edition (Göttingen).

Image for L. IAKOBZON. Sexual Disorders in Men. First edition, in the original Russian, Leningrad, 1926. #2

Probably the first such work on the subject in Russia and the USSR

IAKOBZON, Liudvig Iakovlevich

Polovye rasstroistva u muzhchin: polovoe bessilie, muzhskoe besplodie, polovye izvrashcheniia [Sexual Disorders in Men: Sexual Impotence, Male Infertility, Sexual Perversions]

£2,250

IAKOBZON, Liudvig Iakovlevich, Polovye rasstroistva u muzhchin: polovoe bessilie, muzhskoe besplodie, polovye izvrashcheniia

Very rare first edition of this study covering many aspects, with few taboos and much nuance - a surprisingly complete, scholarly and cultured work on the subject. Of great rarity: no other copy traced.

Image for N.A. BUTMI. Tainyia obshchestva i Iudei. First edition, Shanghai, 1934. #2

Russian fascist printing in Shanghai

Tainyia Obshchestva i Iudei [Secret Societies and the Jews]

£475

BUTMI, N.A, Tainyia Obshchestva i Iudei

Rare booklet of 'great Russian patriotism', covering one of the favorite themes of a part of the émigré community. Printed in China by Russians with Nazi sympathies.

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

£5,950

RYNKIEWICZ, Efim and family, Certification of 'szlachta' (nobility) status for the family

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 Slavonic, impressively bound with contemporary provenance. #2

A luxurious gift to the local church

[BIBLE, Slavonic] –

Evangelie Iisusa Khrista [Gospels of Jesus Christ]

£14,500

[BIBLE, Slavonic] -, Evangelie Iisusa Khrista

Large-format Moscow-printed Gospels in an impressive binding, very well preserved and probably from Ukraine/Western Russia. The binding is especially remarkable for its intricate design on both covers, its detailed contemporary provenance, and its appealing condition.

Image for [GASTRONOMY] - Broadside of Chinese teas available at Marinin's shops. St. Petersburg, 1843. #2

Chinese tea in Pushkin's Russia

Preis-courant neuerhaltener, ausgesuchter, bester Chinesischer Thee die zu haben sind in den Magazinen der Kaufmanns Gregorius Marinin, in St. Petersburg

£1,950

[GASTRONOMY], Preis-courant neuerhaltener, ausgesuchter, bester Chinesischer Thee die zu haben sind in den Magazinen der Kaufmanns Gregorius Marinin, in St. Petersburg

Extremely rare broadside boasting "the all-best" teas from China available at a merchant's in St. Petersburg. The poster contains much interesting information and is illustrated with many Asian scenes. Very fragile but in very good 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]

£8,500

MITKIN, Mikhail, Obshchii vid Ialty

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

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

Faith in your pocket

[BIBLE, Russian]

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

£2,500

[BIBLE, Russian], Gospada Nashego Iiususa Khrista Sviatoe Evangelie ot Matfeia/Marka/Luki/Ioanna

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]

£8,750

[ROMANOV, Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich] - TSVETKOV M. and Vasilii KITAEV (artist), Muzykalnyia stsenki. Popuri

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.

Image for J. WICHSELL. Description of Russia in Swedish. First edition, Stockholm, 1706. #2

A censored work - in amazing condition

[WICHSELL, Jöran]

Beskrifning om Rysslands Belägenhet/ Gräntzor/ Landskaper/ Städer/ Styrelse/ Macht/ Plägseder och andra Beskaffenheter nu för tijden

£2,950

[WICHSELL, Jöran], Beskrifning om Rysslands Belägenhet/ Gräntzor/ Landskaper/ Städer/ Styrelse/ Macht/ Plägseder och andra Beskaffenheter nu för tijden

An exceptionnal example, uncut, unopened and unbound, of a banned and later destroyed account of Peter the Great's Russia. First edition, rare.

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

£2,000

[COLLINS, Samuel], Relation curieuse de l'estat present de la Russie

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.

From amber mining to sable hunting on ski

BRAND, Johann Arnold von

Reysen durch die Marck Brandenburg, Preussen, Churland, Liefland, Peßcovien, Groß-Naugardien, Tweerien und Moskovien […] anbey Eine Seltsame und sehr Anmerckliche Beschreibung von Siberien […]

£4,250

BRAND, Johann Arnold von, Reysen durch die Marck Brandenburg, Preussen, Churland, Liefland, Peßcovien, Groß-Naugardien, Tweerien und Moskovien […] anbey Eine Seltsame und sehr Anmerckliche Beschreibung von Siberien […]

A very rich and overlooked 17th-c. travel account, with quantity of original material on Lithuania, Latvia, Russia and Siberia, including music and songs in the vernacular, as well as many engraved plates, especially on amber mining, sable hunting on ski and Easter celebrations in Moscow. A rare Rossica.

Image for PUSHKIN & STALIN. Lukomore. Samizdat, USSR, 1970s #2

The greatest Russian poet and the greatest Soviet dictator...

[PUSHKIN and STALIN]

Lukomore

£100

[PUSHKIN and STALIN], Lukomore

A small leaf containing a funny parody which could send you to a GULAG camp.

Image for ST. PETERSBURG. Address book of the Exchange. 1863. #2

Who's who of one of Russia's main business centres

[SAINT-PETERSBURG] –

Adresnaia kniga Sankt-Peterburgskogo birzhevogo kupechestva, birzhevykh maklerov i brakovshchikov pri Sankt-Peterburgskom porte [Address Book of Saint Petersburg Exchange Merchants, Brokers and Inspectors at the Saint Petersburg Port]

£1,500

[SAINT-PETERSBURG] –, Adresnaia kniga Sankt-Peterburgskogo birzhevogo kupechestva, birzhevykh maklerov i brakovshchikov pri Sankt-Peterburgskom porte

Fine example, in the original boards, of this very rare inventory of the main business actors in Saint Petersburg, the Russian capital, under Tsar Alexander II. No other copy traced outside Russia.

Image for KARNOVICH, E. Bogastva v Rossii. Skt. Peterburg, 1885. #1

The 'Russian oligarchs' of yesterday

KARNOVICH, Evgenii

Zamechatelnyia bogatstva chastnykh lits v Rossii [Remarkable Wealths of Private Individuals in Russia]

£1,250

KARNOVICH, Evgenii, Zamechatelnyia bogatstva chastnykh lits v Rossii

Fresh example of this extensive, high-quality, and very unusual study of private wealth in tsarist Russia. A fascinating and very informative read, curiously authorised by the censors.

Image for BARSKIY Y. Anti-Alcohol pamphlet in Ukrainian. Kharkiv, 1930. #2

Half their wages into alcohol

Chi dodae sili alkogol? [Does Alcohol Give Strength?]

£350

BARSKIY, Y. A, Chi dodae sili alkogol?

Great example of Soviet health propaganda, trying to make Ukrainians more sober. Very rare.

Image for SHANKOVSKY, L. Istoriia UPA. Rare samizdat. #2

Dangerous illegal printing in Soviet Ukraine

[SHANKOVSKY, Lev]

Istoriia UPA [History of the UPA]

£475

[SHANKOVSKY, Lev], Istoriia UPA

Rare example of a Ukrainian samizdat, focusing on the history of its now famous resistance group.

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