Russia--[Scherer and Nabholz, attributed to]

LARGE FOLIO (615 x 435mm.), 16 LARGE ALBUMENISED SALTED PAPER PRINTS, each mounted on thick card and joined with cloth to form a panorama (total dimensions of the image when fully extended 340 x 6110mm.), together with an ALBUMEN PRINT of the cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Moscow (270 x 335mm.) mounted on the inside lower cover, bound in contemporary diced calf, raised decorative border, upper cover with large embossed presentation in Russian within a raised oval frame, cream watered- silk upper pastedown with presentation in gold letters "Panorama von Moskau. Zum Andenken für Louise u. Ludwig Knop. 10. Juni 1868 von K. Soldatönkoff," some light spotting and fading, a few expert repairs to binding, neatly rebacked

Presented in 1868 by Kozma Terentyevich Soldatyonkov (1818-1909), a Russian industrialist, publisher and patron of the arts, to Louise and Ludwig Knoop (1821-1894). Knoop was a wealthy cotton merchant and entrepreneur from Bremen, who had established the first power-driven cotton mill in Russia in 1840; he was created a Baron by Alexander II of Russia in 1877.

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

A MAGNIFICENT AND RARE 360 DEGREE 16-PART PHOTOGRAPH PANORAMA OF MOSCOW, OVER 6 METRES IN LENGTH, TAKEN FROM THE ROOF OF THE CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST THE SAVIOUR. THIS IS ONE OF THE LARGEST AND FINEST PHOTOGRAPHIC PANORAMAS OF MOSCOW MADE IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY AND HAS A DISTINGUISHED PROVENANCE: FROM THE LIBRARY OF BARON LUDWIG KNOOP. 

This fine panorama is attributed to the photographers Martin Scherer and Georgy Nabholz, who formed a company in Moscow in the 1860s and became famous for their large format city views and portraits. We can trace only one other example of this panorama, in the Joachim Bonnemaison Collection of Panorama Photographs at the Getty Institute. The Bonnemaison panorama is described as "Bound sixteen-part joined panorama, salted paper prints with an unidentified partial coating, together with a photograph of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Moscow" and was originally in the library of the dukes of Saxe-Coburg.