Russia
SOLNTSEV, F[eodor] G[rigorevich] and F. DREGER (artists).
Drevnosti Rossiskago Gosudarstva [Antiquities of the Russian State].
Aleksandr Semyon, Moscow, 1849-53. 6 volumes with 508 chromolithographic plates, 2 title pages, 6 section titles and 6 contents lists, engraved by Dreger after Solntsev. Modern red morocco richly gilt on covers, spine with raised bands gilt in compartments, lettered in gilt, all edges gilt.
BEAUTIFUL COPY OF ONE OF THE MOST CELEBRATED RUSSIAN PUBLICATION. Complete of all the plates, without the smaller text volume. In 1841 a plan was underway to document every aspect of Russian life and society for future generation. The project was the brainchild of A.N. Olenin, President of the Academy of Arts and Director of the Public Library. He employed the services of the artist Solntsev (1801-92) to produce lithographs and drawings of domestic, clerical and royal articles ranging from mundane items such as cooking ustensils to the lavish Imperial robes and jewels. The project was a great success and on 27 April 1844 under the command of Tsar Nicholas I a committee was formed, under the presidence of the Earl Stroganov, to organise the publishing of the collection of lithographs. The Tsar allocated 1,000 gold rubles for the project. 600 copies were produced in total and thirty years post publishing Solntsev himself commented that the volumes were extremely rare. In 1852, an edition lacking the last two volumes was offered at auction in St. Petersburg and it sold for 800 rubles, more expensive at the time than Ivan Fedorov's 'Apostle'.
Price: £ 165000
US Dollar Price: $ 239190
Stock Number: 73503