Russia
LEVESQUE, [Pierre-Charles].
Histoire de Russie.
Debure l'aine, Paris, 1782. 5 volumes tall 12mo (16.5 x 9.5 cm). With all half-titles, errata pages and 2 folding engraved maps. Contemporary French marbled calf, blind-stamp rule to covers, spines with 5 raised bands gilt in compartments, red and black morocco labels to two, lettered in gilt, red edges, marbled endpapers and original green silk bookmarks. Provenance: J. v. Fechenbach (armorial bookplate on upper pastedowns); Zobell (? - inscription on upper flyleaves).
EXCELLENT COPY, VERY FRESH, OF THE FIRST EDITION of this important history of Russia. Pierre-Charles Levesque (1736-1812) gathered a good knowledge of Russia and its history while teaching in St. Petersburg during 7 years, from 1773 to 1780. A protege of Diderot, he wrote with this work one of the foremost histories of Russia of his day. Widely considered the best work on the subject by a foreigner, it was nonetheless largely forgotten until revived by André Mazon in the 1960s. The first 10 pages contain the list of all subscriptors, mainly Russian nobles, and the two maps show Western Russia and the entire Empire, extending over Aleutian islands towards Alaska. Interestingly, 19 pages at the beginning of volume 1 are devoted to a commented bibliography of the Russian history, including many important works in Russian.
Price: £ 1000
US Dollar Price: $ 1450
Stock Number: 75156