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The Caucasus: topography and languages

[ELLIS, George]

Memoir of a Map of the Countries Comprehended Between the Black Sea and the Caspian; with an Account of the Caucasian Nations, and Vocabularies of their Languages

Publication: J.Edwards, London, 1788.

[ELLIS, George], Memoir of a Map of the Countries Comprehended Between the Black Sea and the Caspian; with an Account of the Caucasian Nations, and Vocabularies of their Languages

A great work on the Caucasus and its peoples, from Chechnya to Georgia, detailing their customs and, more originally, their languages, next to a large map of the region. First edition, in very good condition.

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£2,750

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Our Notes & References

Impressive large map of the Caucasus, with an interesting description of its countries and peoples, and an unusual 22 pages of various vocabularies, including Tchetchen, Abkhazian, Osetian and Georgian with a distinction with Imeretian and Suaneti too.

This authorship of this uncommon work is generally ascribed to the writer George Ellis (1753-1815). “Ellis spent two years in Russia c.1786 attached to the British legation at St. Petersburg” (Atabey). “The British Library’s copy, a gift from Ellis’s wife to her niece, has a note from the latter confirming [the attribution], and stating that it was written after his return from a visit to the British ambassador to Russia” (ODNB).

An appealing example of the first edition.

Provenance

Prof. Philip Longworth (1933-2021, historian and writer, esp. on Russian history).

Bibliography

Atabey 394; Cox I, 235; Lowndes 731; Miansarov 1907. Not in Blackmer.

Item number

2755

 

Physical Description

Quarto (30.5 x 24 cm). iv, 80pp., with large folding map (approx. 90 x 60cm) engraved by S. J. Neele, “General map of the countries comprehended between the Black Sea and the Caspian”, borders outlined in contemporary hand-colour.

Binding

Contemporary half calf over marbled boards, spine with raised bands, darker label lettered in gilt, blind rollwork to covers.

Condition

Binding rubbed, label chipped and spine at extremities too; fresh and crisp internally, the large map on thick paper with two small closed tears at fold.

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