[Ethnographic Description of the Peoples of Russia]. Saint Petersburg: Imprimerie de F. Bellizard, 1862. Large folio (545 x 420 mm) original publisher's full black morocco, gilt title on first side, spine with raised bands and gilt lettering, all edges gilt. Half-title, title, XIVpp., 154pp., 30pp., 78pp., 13pp, 15pp. (each part with a divisional half-title). Illustrated with 62 fine chromolithographed costume plates by Wincelann of Berlin, J.B. Kuhn of Munich and Lemercier of Paris after C. Huhn, M. Ruswurm, S. Pavlov, Viale, F. Teichel and others, each plate with original tissue guard. 1 tinted lithographed plate of skulls. 1 double-page chromolithographed ethnographic map by Heinrich Kiepert, and 1 double-page ethnographic table (from the 1859 census). The book is arranged in five divisions: I. Peuples indo-europeens (23 plates); II. Peuples du Caucase (6 plates); III. Peuples ouralo-altaiques (27 plates); IV. Peuples de la Siberie orientale (4 plates); V. Peuples de l'Amerique russe (2 plates). Dedicated to his Majesty Emperor Alexander II, the book was published on the occasion of the one-thousandth anniversary of the foundation of the Russian Empire. According to Colas, "L'ouvrage est tres rare et c'est l'un des plus beaux sur les differents costumes des peuples de la Russie." All edges gilt.
PROVENANCE:
Original label of the St. Petesbrug bookbinder K.Gaag on the back endpaper. REFERENCES: Russkiya Knizhnaya Redkosti, 1902, #427; N. Soloviev, 'Redkiya Knigi', Katalog N.105, 1910, #299 (for 125 Rubles); Colas, 2292; Hiler, p. 691; Lipperheide, Kaa61; Sabin, 59233; Vinet, 1367. Excellent condition. The deluxe edition of this magnificent work has not appeared at auction before. VERY RARE.