The peoples of Russia, or description of the customs and costumes of the various nations of the Russian Empire. Paris
de RECHBERG. Les Peuples de la Russie. Les peuples de la Russie, ou description des moeurs, usages et costumes des diverses nations de l’empire de Russie. Printed in Paris: D. Colas, 1812-1813. 2 volumes, folio (19 3/8 x 15 5/8 in.; 485 x 400 mm). Half-titles, 95 ex 96 Hand-Colored Aquatint plates after E. Karnejeff (Vol. I frontispiece in facsimile), Colas 2491; Lipperheide
1348 First edition. Fine condition filled with absolutely stunning plates, richly colored and providing a rich view of the different people of the Russian Empire at the time- a work of art.
Rechberg’s famous work on the costumes and customs of the peoples of the Russian empire includes Slavs, Tartars, Caucasians, Mongols, and others. The section on “peuples immigrés” includes Armenians, Persians, Chinese, and Japanese. In place of the often-missing plate # 18, Cosaques du Don, an evocative Night Sledding Scene has been substituted. The usually suppressed Le Bain Russe is present here.
A similar example of this book that only had 94/96 plates sold at Christie’s for 40,800 GBP in 2006. Additionally, a large eighteenth-century folding map of Russia has been laid in. Nicely and recently rebound in 3/4 green morocco.
