PALLAS, Peter Simon (1741-1811). Flora Rossica seu stirpium Imperii Rossici per Europam et Asiam indigenarum descriptiones et icones . St. Petersburg: J. J. Weitbrecht, 1784-1788. First edition of the first great illustrated Russian flora. It was Pallas's most ambitious work, intended to comprise 500 or 600 plates, with the costs underwritten by Catherine II. However, a change of ministers dried up the funds, and the second volume was abandoned. A few copies of Volume II, Part I were issued in 1831, containing plates 101-125, without text. The present volume, as normal, comprises only parts I and II of volume I. Dunthorne 221; Great Flower Books (1990) p.124; Hunt 672; Nissen BBI 1482; Pritzel 6905; Stafleu & Cowan 7227. 2 parts in one volume, folio (468 x 286mm). Letterpress titles to each part, 101 hand-coloured engraved plates by Karl Friedrich Knappe (lacking the hand-coloured engraved title, title lightly soiled, plate XVI with marginal tear, a few plates shaved at outer margin, just affecting image in plate L, final plate slightly stained and mounted on card, tiny wormholes, occasional faint marginal waterstain). Modern speckled half calf, gilt (front endpaper creased). Provenance : Frederick du Cane Godman (bookplate).
PALLAS, Peter Simon (1741-1811). Flora Rossica seu stirpium Imperii Rossici per Europam et Asiam indigenarum descriptiones et icones . St. Petersburg: J. J. Weitbrecht, 1784-1788. First edition of the first great illustrated Russian flora. It was Pallas's most ambitious work, intended to comprise 500 or 600 plates, with the costs underwritten by Catherine II. However, a change of ministers dried up the funds, and the second volume was abandoned. A few copies of Volume II, Part I were issued in 1831, containing plates 101-125, without text. The present volume, as normal, comprises only parts I and II of volume I. Dunthorne 221; Great Flower Books (1990) p.124; Hunt 672; Nissen BBI 1482; Pritzel 6905; Stafleu & Cowan 7227. 2 parts in one volume, folio (468 x 286mm). Letterpress titles to each part, 101 hand-coloured engraved plates by Karl Friedrich Knappe (lacking the hand-coloured engraved title, title lightly soiled, plate XVI with marginal tear, a few plates shaved at outer margin, just affecting image in plate L, final plate slightly stained and mounted on card, tiny wormholes, occasional faint marginal waterstain). Modern speckled half calf, gilt (front endpaper creased). Provenance : Frederick du Cane Godman (bookplate).
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