Very rare books Keywords

Image for MEYER & VELTEN, Vues pittoresques des palais et jardins impériaux...de Saint Pétersbourg. St. Petersburg, 1850s. #2

In stunning colour

Vues pittoresques des palais et jardins impériaux aux Environs de St. Pétersbourg

£65,000

MEYER J[ohann Jacob] (artist), Vues pittoresques des palais et jardins impériaux aux Environs de St. Pétersbourg

One of the best plate books on St. Petersburg, here in a fantastic example in excellent contemporary hand-colour. Beautiful and very rare.

Image for P. SVININ. Ezhedn. zapiski v Londone. First edition, Skt. Peterburg, 1817. #2

The first Russian book on the UK and its capital, and the start of Russian anglomania

SVININ, Pavel Petrovich

Ezhednevnyia zapiski v Londone [A Daily London Notebook]

£4,750

SVININ, Pavel Petrovich, Ezhednevnyia zapiski v Londone

Rare first edition of this little book giving the London impressions of a keen Russian observer, just after Napoleon's disastrous Russian campaign. A fascinating read on many various themes. With interesting aristocratic provenance.

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 G. HAMONIERE. Vocabulaire français et russe. First edition, Paris, 1815. #2

Great copy with great provenance

HAMONIÈRE, G

Frantsuzskoi i rossiiskoi slovar. Vocabulaire français et russe

£1,950

HAMONIÈRE, G, Frantsuzskoi i rossiiskoi slovar. Vocabulaire français et russe

Attractive example of this rare dictionary, finely printed the year of Napoelon's demise, and here with excellent provenance.

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 F.de R***. Fablen en vers. Barante's copy of the first edition. St. Petersburg, 1835. #2

Rare and beautiful

F. J. E. de R***

Fables en vers

£3,500

F. J. E. de R***, Fables en vers

An exceptionnally rare French publication in Russia at the heart of the Golden Age and a few years before Custine's famous travel, with a long preface expressing the author's political views. With great provenance and finely bound.

Image for E. WEISMANN and others. German-Latin-Russian Dictionary. First edition, St. Petersburg, 1731. #2

The first significant German-Russian dictionary

WEISMANN, Erich and others

Teutsch lateinisch und Russisches Lexicon, Samt Denen Anfangs-Gründen der Rußischen Sprache. Nemetsko-Latinskii i Ruskii Leksikon kupno s pervymi nachalami ruskago iazyka

£4,500

WEISMANN, Erich and others, Teutsch lateinisch und Russisches Lexicon, Samt Denen Anfangs-Gründen der Rußischen Sprache. Nemetsko-Latinskii i Ruskii Leksikon kupno s pervymi nachalami ruskago iazyka

Fresh example of this rare, imposing and early German-Latin-Russian dictionary, one of only 11 Russian works printed in Russia that year. One of the earliest works in German printed in Russia.

Image for E. ZIABLOVSKII. Rossiiskaia statistika. First edition, Skt. Peterburg, 1832. #2

Pushkin's Russia in figures

ZIABLOVSKII, Evdokim

Rossiiskaia statistika [Statistics of Russia]

£1,750

ZIABLOVSKII, Evdokim, Rossiiskaia statistika

Fascinating read about Russia under Tsar Alexander I, the Russia which saw Napoleon, Krylov, Griboedov, Pushkin... Atrractive example of the first edition, with a wealth of information on all themes. Very rare in the West.

Chinese tea in Pushkin's Russia

[GASTRONOMY]

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 N. CHERNISHEVSKII. Chto Delat? First book edition, Geneva, 1867. #2

Women's emancipation, Lenin's reshaping, and "the emotional dynamic" of the Russian revolution

CHERNYSHEVSKII, Nikolai

Chto delat? Iz rasskazov o novykh liudiakh [What Is to Be Done? Tales of New People]

£15,000

CHERNYSHEVSKII, Nikolai, Chto delat? Iz rasskazov o novykh liudiakh

First book edition of this groundbreaking novel, a cornerstone of Russian literature and, by its influence, political thought. A pleasant example in contemporary binding. Very rare.

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 E. FILIPOVSKII. Smert Marii Stuart... First edition, Moscow, 1803. #1

European cross-cultural publication

FILIPOVSKII, Efrem

Smert Marii Stuart, korolevy Shotlandskoi.. [The Death of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots […]: historical description illustrated with seven prints engraved after English originals […]]

£4,750

FILIPOVSKII, Efrem, Smert Marii Stuart, korolevy Shotlandskoi..

Complete copy of this bibliographical rarity, a charming book with skilfully engraved plates, and a great witness of cultural exchanges in Europe and Russia in the early 19th century. No copy traced in libraries outside Russia.

Image for PROTASOV, N. Siberian folk songs. First edition, 1902. #2

Siberian singing

PROTASOV, Nikolai Petrovich

20 narodnykh pesen Sibiri dlia odnogo golosa s soprovozhdeniem fortepiano [20 Siberian Folk-Songs for Solo Voice with Piano Accompaniment]

£375

PROTASOV, Nikolai Petrovich, 20 narodnykh pesen Sibiri dlia odnogo golosa s soprovozhdeniem fortepiano

Rare etnographic musical work, a record of popular songs from Siberia, with the attractively decorated wrapper. First edition.

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 [TRETYAKOV GALLERY] Very rare portfolio, Geneva, 1890s. #2

No other copy traced

[RUSSIAN ART] –

Khudozhestvennaia galereia P. i S. Tretiakovykh [The Art Gallery of P. and S. Tretyakov]

£1,500

[RUSSIAN ART] -, Khudozhestvennaia galereia P. i S. Tretiakovykh

Fine, high-quality production showing some of the most famous Russian paintings. An extremely rare Geneva publication.

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 TUMANSKII, F. Peter the Great. Rare first edition, St. Petersburg, 1788. #2

Peter's early days: a scarce, illustrated edition

TUMANSKII, Fedor

Polnoe opisanie deianii ego velichestva gosudaria imperatora Petra Velikago [A Complete Description of the Deeds of Peter the Great]

£5,950

TUMANSKII, Fedor, Polnoe opisanie deianii ego velichestva gosudaria imperatora Petra Velikago

An early Russian biography of Peter the Great, illustrated and noted for its rarity. Pleasant example in contemporary binding.

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