A striking copy
Publication: The John C. Winston Co., Philadelphia, 1905.
Impressive American publication, here in fantastic condition, bringing to the English-speaking reader an account of Russia by one of the great French authors.
£850
In stock
A superb example of this richly illustrated work: exceptionally fresh and in an impressive binding, protected by its very rare dust-jackets.
Published during the Russo-Japanese war: written by the translator, the last chapter briefly analyses the geopolitical situation in the Far East in 1904-05 – before the end of the war and the first Russian revolution – and the future of Russia there. The first volumes mainly covers St. Petersburg and Moscow while the second volume deals with Siberia as well as interesting social considerations of Nicholas II’s Russia, such as ‘The Press and Censorship’, ‘Literature’, ‘Russian Art’ and ‘The Tea Kingdom’.
“The celebrated French poet and novelist (1811-72) sailed from Lübeck to St Petersburg in the autumn of 1858 and spent the next seven months in the capital and Moscow before returning overland to Paris. With a poet’s eye and palette he provides a refreshing and often original view of familiar places and events in the two capitals. Back in Paris, he was obsessed with memories of Russia and determined to spend a summer there and specifically to visit Nizhnii Novgorod, drawn by “the demon of travel” and the melody of its name. [He] went first to Moscow, then to Tver and down the Volga to Nizhnii. The first French edition in book form of Voyages en Russie appeared in 1866″ (Cross, our underlining).
Bibliography
Cf. Cross, In the Lands of the Romanovs, I28 for the first edition in English, just a few years earlier in the massive 24-vol. The Works of Théophile Gautier, London, 1900-03.
Item number
2793
Two volumes 8vo (20.7 x 14.5 cm). Blank fly-leaf, viii including half-title and title, 483; blank fly-leaf, viii including title, and 461 pp.; with 50 black & white plates including 2 frontispieces, all with original printed tissue guard.
Binding
Original publisher’s red cloth dust jacket lettered in gilt over richly gilt red cloth with Tsarist regalia and double-headed eagle to upper covers, flat spines lettered in gilt with gilt eagle, red silk bookmarks.
Condition
Dust-jackets a bit frayed at extremities, bookmarks detached, a puncture mark on the lower cover of vol. 1, binding very minimally rubbed at extremities, an excellent example, very fresh.
Fantastic publication on the important Russian community in 1920s-30s Shanghai. Wide-ranging, very richly illustrated, with a wealth of fascinating details. A lovely copy of the first edition, scarce.
A diplomatic gift from Nikolay II to the French President Felix Faure, in a great, striking binidng boasting the Russian flag. First edition of this fine illustrated work, very rare as only one other copy traced worldwide.
![Image for GEREBTZOFF [ZHEREBTSOV]. Essai sur l'histoire de la civilisation en Russie. First edition. Paris, 1858. #2](https://www.pyrarebooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3181_1-300x321.jpg)
A fine example of the very first edition, originally published in French; fresh, in a master binding. Scarce, as we couldn't trace any copies at auction in many decades. An extensive work covering the history of Russia and the Russian empire, with a slavophile accent.
Excellent example of the first touristic guide devoted to the Russian northern capital, an important publication, here in a fine binding. Complete with its folding map and views of the city.
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