Rare first octavo edition, second issue, 2 vols., frontcovers and the spines richly gilt and sumptuously decorated with morocco onlays in various colours, backcovers elaborately stamped in blind and gilt with coloured morocco onlays as well. The frontboard showing a Maharaja and the backboard with a picture of a lute player. All edges gilt. The binding of this copy incredibly fresh and bright. Illustrated with a map indicating the author’s routes and 36 lithographs in duo tone.
Coll. Vol. I: blank, title page gilt printed, half title, pl. 1 as frontis, title page, pp. i, (1), map, pp. 227, vignette, blank.
Coll. Vol II: blank, title page gilt printed, half title, pl. 19 as frontis, title page, pp i, (1), 267, vignette, blank.
The bookplate of Maximilian Joseph Eugene Auguste Napoleon de Beauharnais, 3rd Duke of Leuchtenberg, Prince Romanowsky on the inner front board of both copies.
Important provenance: Maximilian, 3rd Duke of Leuchtenberg was a son in law of Tsar Nicholas the first of Russia and a cousin both of emperor Napoleon III of France and of Franz Joseph I, emperor of Austria and king of Hungary.
Both volumes with a title page printed in gold and dated 1850 and a second letterpress title page dated 1851 and stating that it is the second edition. We assume that this is the first Curmer & Lecou edition (or the second issue of the second edition if the 1848 Amyot edition is considered to be the first edition of this work), despite the indication “deuxième édition” on the letterpress title page for a number of reasons; the main reason being that we have a second edition with the same letterpress title page, however, with important differences from this edition.
Confusingly, being the second issue by Curmer & Lecou, this edition has an extra title page printed in gold with the year “MDCCCL” (1850) at the bottom of the page. Moreover it has a very luxurious binding. Though the basis is publisher’s cloth, panels have been laid on which are extremely richly gilt and have onlays in various colours, while the other edition, also with its publisher’s cloth, is gilt- and blindstamped, but far less luxurious. Being aware of prince Saltykov’s taste and his involvement with the folio editions of his work, this luxurious binding may have been his wish as well.
In this edition plate nr. 2: ‘Ballet Dramatique’; plate nr. 3: ‘Offrande d’un Chef Kandien’; plate nr. 6 ‘Ceylan entre Colombo et Kandy’; plate nr. 7: ‘Village de Gatiganawa’ and plate nr. 12 ‘Une Pagode à Madura’ all have been engraved by Trayer, while of plate nrs. 9 and 10 the engraver’s name is not mentioned.
Second copy:
We still possess a second copy with a complete different binding, however, only vol. I. Large 8vo., (2), pp. 6, 1-227. A map with the author’s two voyages indicated in red and blue lines and 18 exquisite duo-tone lithographs. Beautiful original publisher’s cloth with blind stamped Indian style ornaments on front- and backboard as well as gilt decorations on both boards. The spine too is richly gilt. All edges gilt.
Vol. I only (of 2) of the second 8vo edition, containing the author’s first voyage.
Some light browning in the text, as well as some sporadic and light soiling. The magnificent plates, for the greater part printed by Lemercier and for a smaller part by Plista, which are all but one protected with tissue guards, overall are clean and crisp.
