[FIRST RUSSIAN CIRCUMNAVIGATION] - [Collection of maps and plates belonging to the Voyage […] in the ship Neva].: Sobranie kart i risunkov prinadlezhashchikh k Puteshestviiu Flota Kapitana I-go ranga i Kavalera Yuriia Lisianskogo, na korable Neve.

The very rare atlas to the first edition of Lisianskii's voyage, "a very important and rare work on the history of Alaska in general and Sitka in particular" (Lada-Mocarski).

Provenance

The author? (large ink signature in Russian to title); Tambovskoe glavnoe narodnoe utschilischche [and] Fundamentalnaia biblioteka tambovskoi gubernskoi gimnasii (pre-Soviet blue ink stamps to title and wrapper, black ink inscription to title, shelfmarks to title, 'Atlas Lisianskago' [Atlas of Lisianskii] written in black ink to upper wrapper); European private collection (since the 1990s).

Description

Large folio (68 x 52 cm). Engraved title page, 13 maps on 12 leaves, including 4 double-page, and 3 engraved plates. Printed on thick paper of varying stock, some leaves of light blue paper. Contemporary blue-green marbled wrappers, kept in modern leather-backed solander box.

Condition

The volume has been folded in its middle at some point, leaving a vertical crease throughout, which has been strengthened/repaired; crease and repair a bit visible, incl. on the wrappers. Occasional small marginal tears restored, minimal light marginal soiling, the world map with light waterstain. Rebacked with green paper, all plates on blue-paper guards, wrappers a bit rubbed and stained, reinforced with Japan paper. Overall a pleasant example with fresh plates and unusual wide margins, showing many deckled edges.

Bibliographic references

Forbes 428; Lada-Mocarski 68; Obolianinov 1493; Sopikov 9211; SK 4550. Cf. Sabin 41416 for the English edition only; Arctic Bibliography 10208 for the text only (like Martin Greene's copy, Christie's NY, 7 December 2017, lot 114).