Gagarine, Prince Grégoire, and Ernest Stackelberg

Folio (495 x 340mm.), 66 hand-coloured lithographed plates by Gagarine, numbered at lower centre 1-66 (some irregularity - there are 2 plates numbered 26, 28-30, 49 and 55, but no plates numbered 7, 17, 18, 23, 35 and 36), contemporary half morocco by C. Francke, spine lettered in gilt "Costumes du Caucase", one printed livraison wrapper bound in, [Colas 1147; Lipperheide 1384; not in Atabey or Fekula], last plate slightly spotted, neat library stamp on title

A fine copy of a very rare work. Originally intended on a greater scale, this work eventually comprised 11 livrasons, each with 6 plates, without title or text, as here (see Colas). The text was intended to be written by Ernest Stackelberg. In 1847 Gagarine and Stackelberg published La Caucase pittoresque (see lot 167). Both works are extremely rare, with only La Caucase pittoresque being recorded at auction (these rooms, 10 May 2001, lot 214).