[DMITRY VASILYEVICH POLENOV (1806-1878)] THE BOOK OF MARS or Book of Military affairs of troops of the Russian Imperial Majesty in taking glorious fortifications and at other brave battles committed against his Majesty Swedish.

Lot 363
15 00020 000
First time published in St. Petersburg in 1713 by second embossing printing. SPb.: at the Naval gentry cadet corps, 1766. - [2], 193 p., 23 p. maps, 2 l. explanations to maps; 24,5x20 cm. 23 folding maps depicting battles, sieges and capture of cities and fortresses, made in the technique of engraving on copper; engraved intros and endings. In a semi-leather cover of the time. Minor abrasions of the corners of the binding, neat restoration of the spine. Owner’s sticker ‘DVI’ with the handwrittn number and a trace of stamp bookplate on the flyleaf. The second edition of one of the rarest and most remarkable books of Peter’s time. Includes ‘urnals or daily paintings’ and reports on some fighting clashes of the Northern war (1700-1721) in the period 1702 - 1714. It is one of the oldest works of Russian military literature that was emerging at that time. Bibliography: SK XVIII. №2955; Sm.-Sok. №3; Sopikov. № 5224; Bitovt. №2479; Obolyaninov. №1274. Provenance: from the library of Dmitry Vasilyevich Polenov (1806-1878) - diplomat, archaeologist, writer, bibliographer. The library mainly consisted of books of historical content and works of rhe Russian writers, inherited by his son, the artist V.D. Polenov, who in 1892 according to his father’s will handed the collection to the Naryshkin Special library.