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SAINT PETERSBURG ACADEMY OF SCIENCE — BACMEISTER, Johann Vollrath. Essai sur la bibliothèque et le cabinet de curiosités et d'histoire naturelle de l'Académie des Sciences de Saint Petersbourg. St Petersburg: Weitbrecht and Schnoor, 1776.
First edition of a rare guide to the collections of the St Petersburg Academy of Science. The academy was founded in 1724 by Peter the Great, who incorporated into it the collections of Areskinov, Pitkernova, and Binius. The Kunstkammer was rich in natural history specimens (from the collections of Seba and Ruysch, acquired by Peter the Great in Holland) and globes and scientific instruments from the collection of Mikhail Lomonosov, and the Czar's own private collection. In 1747, most of the original buildings were destroyed in a fire and rebuilt. Scarce. The last copy to appear at auction was the Breslauer copy in 2005 (Christie’s New York, sale 1594, lot 871).
Octavo (175 x 110mm). Woodcut head- and tailpieces (without blank Q8, very minor repair on title, faint waterstains in first and last few quires). Contemporary calf stamped in blind and gilt, red spine lettered in gilt (extremities lightly rubbed). Provenance: V.A. Krylov (stamp) – Antikvariat P. Gubar & U. Volkov, St Petersburg (label) – Russian bookseller’s price stamp.
First edition of a rare guide to the collections of the St Petersburg Academy of Science. The academy was founded in 1724 by Peter the Great, who incorporated into it the collections of Areskinov, Pitkernova, and Binius. The Kunstkammer was rich in natural history specimens (from the collections of Seba and Ruysch, acquired by Peter the Great in Holland) and globes and scientific instruments from the collection of Mikhail Lomonosov, and the Czar's own private collection. In 1747, most of the original buildings were destroyed in a fire and rebuilt. Scarce. The last copy to appear at auction was the Breslauer copy in 2005 (Christie’s New York, sale 1594, lot 871).
Octavo (175 x 110mm). Woodcut head- and tailpieces (without blank Q8, very minor repair on title, faint waterstains in first and last few quires). Contemporary calf stamped in blind and gilt, red spine lettered in gilt (extremities lightly rubbed). Provenance: V.A. Krylov (stamp) – Antikvariat P. Gubar & U. Volkov, St Petersburg (label) – Russian bookseller’s price stamp.
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