DEMIDOFF, ANATOLE, PRINCE OF SAN DONATO.

Voyage Dans la Russie Méridionale & la Crimée Par la Hongrie, la Valachie & la Moldavie Exécuté En 1837. . . Par Mm. De Sainson, le Play, Hout, Léveillé, de Nordmann, Rousseau Et Du Ponceau 2 Volumes

. Dédié à Sa Majesté Nicolas Premier, Empereur de toutes des Russies. Dessiné d'après nature et lithographié par (Auguste) Raffet. With 100 tinted lithographs printed on India paper, by Auguste Raffet and printed by Auguste Bry (including additional lithographed title, and 9 other lithographed section titles), all with tissues. Half-title, illus. lithogr. title to face the title-page, with a plate list on verso numb. 1-100. 2 unn. pp. (half title), pp. 3- 64 with descriptive text for the plates nos. 1-87 (no description for the text of the plates 88-100 as usual, so complete). Large folio (530 x 350 mm). Contemp. black half chagrin, back gilt. With heraldic bookplate Louis Mondanton. Paris: Publié par Gihaut Frères, [1838-1848 ] First edition of this rare and complete album of an expedition through Hungary to southern Russia, returning by way of Constantinople and Smyrnia. Plates nos. 1 (frontispiece) - 8, Hungary; nos. 9- 19, Wallachia; nos. 20- 24, Moldova; nos. 25- 30 Bessarabia; nos. 31- 54 Crimea, 1st part; nos. 55- 68, Camp of Vosnessensk, inter alia portrait of Nicolas I; nos. 69- 80; Crimea, 2nd part; nos. 88- 100 show the portraits of the members of the expedition. The present huge work describes and illustrates scenery and exotic architecture, not only of the Russian meridional region, and depicts also uniforms, military camps, costumes, professions, festivities, trade, custom and manners of Armenians, Cossacks, Gipsies, Jews, Russians, Tartars, Turks, etc. An interior of a coffee shop is shown. This scientific journey to southern Russia and the Crimea, etc. was organized by Count Demidoff (1812-70) on behalf of the government. 22 scholars (of which Jules Janin wrote the descriptive text), and artists (of which Raffet was the most important one) accompanied the expedition. Opposite plate 93, (portrait of J. J. Huout) is a 3- page A.L.S. by his son Paul dated Colmar, 1 July 1868 . Prince Demidoff was a famous art collector. His collection was sold in Paris in 1870.- 2 small stamps and stamped number on title, a few slight spots, and some light smudging to margins at the beginning. A nice association copy on large paper. Brunet II, 583; Vicaire III, 167; NBG 13/14, p. 559 & NBG 25/26, p. 578; cf. Atabey 337 (later ed.); not in Blackmer.+ A de Démidoff: Voyage dans La Russie meridionale et la Crimee, par la Hongrie, la Valachie et la Moldavie, execute en 1837. Paris, 1840.in half blue morocoo binding, gilt titling. 7+621+(3) pp. pag. 64 plates by affet. Frontispiece: Nicolaas I on horseback . PAYMENT FOR THESE 2 VOLUMES ONLY VIA BANK TRANSFER.

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Book number: F2901

Catalogue: Russia

Keywords: Russia Rare Russian History Travel