Russia
[MANSTEIN, Christoff Herman von].
Beytrag zur Geschichte Russlands vom Jahr 1727 bis 1744: nebst einem Anhange über die damalige Beschaffenheit des Kriegs, des Seewesens, des Handels, der Academie ec. ec. mit Charten und Planen. Aus einer französischen Handschrift.
Johann Heinrich Cramer, Hamburg und Bremen, 1771. 8vo (19 x 12.5 cm). 694 pp., 25 pp. index, 10 large engraved folding maps bound at end, mounted on guards, engraved by Relffson; without the leaf of instructions to the binder (b7). Original red paper-covered boards, spine and front cover lettered in gilt; spine faded, some wear.to edges and joints, but a good firm copy, edges blue. Provenance: Prinz von Sachsen, Weimar (gilt lettering to upper cover 'Reg. Bibliothec v. Pr: v. S Weymar'); Joseph Freiherr von Lassberg (inscription to upper fly-leaf).
The most informative account of Russia of its time, in a good copy of the first German edition, with noble provenance. Prussian General Manstein came from a Bohemian family settled in Prussia. He took service with the Russian Court, served in the Crimea and participated in the campaigns of 1737-39 against the Turks. In 1751 he circulated the manuscript of his Russian experiences. Voltaire had also previewed the work and it later formed a large part of Frederick the Great's "Russia" (NDB xvi, pg. 83). The work describes the Turkish and Swedish campaigns, and gives information about the Russian Court at the time of Empress Anna (daughter of Peter the Great who reigned from 1730-40 with apparently some success). Among the folding maps is one of the Crimean peninsular including the Black Sea, one of the Finnish coast from Wyborg to Helsingfors and a plan of Dantzig with the fortress of Weichselmuendung. German and French editions were published in 1771, the year following the first edition, in English. ADB xx, pg. 292; Cat Russica M-360. Nitsche/Stender 238; Jaehns III, 5. 2344. Klaiber p. 47f. Fromm vi, 28384.
Price: £ 1400
US Dollar Price: $ 2030
Stock Number: 46109