MBA004: Lot 23. OLEARIUS, Adam.

A RICHLY ILLUSTRATED EDITION OF OLEARIUS’ CELEBRATED TRAVEL ACCOUNT, translated 70 years before by Abraham Wicquefort and edited by Van der Aa; from the collection of one of the most important families of the Belgian nobility.

Olearius’s account greatly influenced European opinion of Russia and Persia in the 17th and 18th centuries. The work is of great cartographic importance, particulary for its large map of the river Volga. The illustrations include a large folding plate of Riga, and fine views of Tver, Danzig, Moscow, Kazan, Samara, Bagdad and Ispahan, among many others.

Description

Two volumes in one folio (32.5 x 21 cm). Half-title, title, [32] pp., 560 columns on [280] pp., with engraved portrait of the author, 12 folding engraved maps, 19 folding and 2 full-page engraved plates, and 40 engravings in text; half-title, title, 565-1108 columns on [272], [21] pp. table and privilege, with 8 folding engraved plates and 19 engravings in text — in all 29 engraved plates, 12 engraved maps, an engraved portrait and 59 engravings in text; uniform browning to some quires and a couple of plates, a folding plate a bit frayed at external edge. Contemporary brown calf, spine with raised bands with decorative ornaments in compartments, two morocco labels with gilt lettering, red speckled edges; slightly rubbed, joints repaired.

Provenance

Provenance: House of de Merode Westerloo (armorial bookplate to upper pastedown with motto “Plus d’honneur que d’honneurs”).

Bibliography

Atabey 884 (missing a leaf and with an engraved title from Van der Aa’s 1719 edition); Boucher de la Richarderie I, 187 (wrong date); Brunet IV, 178; Ghani 286; Ulyaninskiy 3949.