![LITKE (also LÜTKE), Fedor Petrovich (1797-1882). Opyty nad postoiannym maiatnikom, proizvedennye v puteshestvie vokrug sveta na voennom shliup Seniavin v 1826, 1827, 1828 i 1829 godakh. [Experiments on the Invariable Pendulum, Conducted During the Voyage of the Military Seniavin during the Years 1826, 1827, 1828 and 1829.] St. Petersburg: at the press of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, 1833.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2017/NYR/2017_NYR_15724_0201_001(litke_fedor_petrovich_opyty_nad_postoiannym_maiatnikom_proizvedennye_v122852).jpg?w=1)
![LITKE (also LÜTKE), Fedor Petrovich (1797-1882). Opyty nad postoiannym maiatnikom, proizvedennye v puteshestvie vokrug sveta na voennom shliup Seniavin v 1826, 1827, 1828 i 1829 godakh. [Experiments on the Invariable Pendulum, Conducted During the Voyage of the Military Seniavin during the Years 1826, 1827, 1828 and 1829.] St. Petersburg: at the press of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, 1833.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2017/NYR/2017_NYR_15724_0201_000(litke_fedor_petrovich_opyty_nad_postoiannym_maiatnikom_proizvedennye_v055330).jpg?w=1)
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LITKE (also LÜTKE), Fedor Petrovich (1797-1882). Opyty nad postoiannym maiatnikom, proizvedennye v puteshestvie vokrug sveta na voennom shliup Seniavin v 1826, 1827, 1828 i 1829 godakh. [Experiments on the Invariable Pendulum, Conducted During the Voyage of the Military Seniavin during the Years 1826, 1827, 1828 and 1829.] St. Petersburg: at the press of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, 1833.
The rare first edition, unopened in the original wrappers, of the first scientific publication resulting from one of the outstanding Russian circumnavigations. In addition to exploring lesser-known parts of the Pacific, and charting the coastlines of Russian America and the Western Bering Sea, the Seniavin also conducted this geodesic survey of the earth’s shape and gravitational field. These observations helped reveal the irregular compression of the earth’s surface, and to refute earlier views that it had a regular ellipsoid shape. For the various publications associated with this voyage, Litke was awarded the Demidov prize in 1836. Rare: RBH and ABPC record no copy having been offered at auction. Cf. Lada-Mocarski 98.
Quarto (285 x 232mm, with deckle edges). Four engraved plates by A. Mel’nikov, laid in as issued (plates with faint dampstain and scattered spotting reaching into the image; occasional light wear to deckle edges, more pronounced in leaf 21.3 which is also spotted). Unopened in the original drab paper wrapper (front wrapper chipped; light wear and small losses to the extremities; front wrapper titled in purple pencil, probably in a later hand). Provenance: Wayfarer’s Bookshop.
The rare first edition, unopened in the original wrappers, of the first scientific publication resulting from one of the outstanding Russian circumnavigations. In addition to exploring lesser-known parts of the Pacific, and charting the coastlines of Russian America and the Western Bering Sea, the Seniavin also conducted this geodesic survey of the earth’s shape and gravitational field. These observations helped reveal the irregular compression of the earth’s surface, and to refute earlier views that it had a regular ellipsoid shape. For the various publications associated with this voyage, Litke was awarded the Demidov prize in 1836. Rare: RBH and ABPC record no copy having been offered at auction. Cf. Lada-Mocarski 98.
Quarto (285 x 232mm, with deckle edges). Four engraved plates by A. Mel’nikov, laid in as issued (plates with faint dampstain and scattered spotting reaching into the image; occasional light wear to deckle edges, more pronounced in leaf 21.3 which is also spotted). Unopened in the original drab paper wrapper (front wrapper chipped; light wear and small losses to the extremities; front wrapper titled in purple pencil, probably in a later hand). Provenance: Wayfarer’s Bookshop.