Our Notes & References
A scarce St.-Petersburg imprint of large format, with many interesting aspects, including an early cartographic representation of the development of the Russian empire: a large, double-page map showing the “progressive conquest of Siberia”, up to the Alaska and detailing the northern coast of Russia.
The rather luxuriously printed publication intends, in a very didactic way, to familiarise European readers with the history, geography, population, structure and economy of a country that had always seemed to have been a mystery to foreigners.
After a brief history of the Russian Empire covering the period from 862, the work shows a genealogical table of the ruling dynasties. In the present example, the letterpressed Romanov’s dynasty tree, ending with the name Alexander II, is expanded with manuscript notes of a 19th century reader, who updated it with the names of the spouse of Alexander II and their children.
The large double-page tables and maps include a wealth of information on Russian geography, flora, fauna, trade, peoples etc. Of special note are the insets on the Don Cossacks, Georgia, Caucasus and the American colonies.
Unusually the work includes a bibliography, mentioning a majority of books in Russian.
Uncommon: only one example in the USA (Ohio) according to WorldCat, which lists 11 copies overall.
Bibliography
Brunet V, 1437; Cat. Russica W-394.
Physical Description
Folio (50.5 x 37 cm). Title, [3] pp. incl. preface, bibliography and subscribers’ list, 16 double page text tables, incl. a hand coloured genealogical table and 3 hand coloured engraved maps.
Binding
Contemporary half straight-grained green morocco over marbled boards, straight-grained green morocco label to upper cover lettered in gilt.
Condition
Binding minimally rubbed otherwise a fine example.
