Ariosto, Roland furieux, Paris, 1778-1783, 4 volumes, marbled calf, Stroganov copy

Ludovico Ariosto

Roland furieux, poëme héroïque... traduction nouvelle, par M. d'Ussieux. Tome premier (-quatrieme). Paris: Brunet, 1775-1783

2 volumes bound in 4, 4to (250 x 187mm.), engraved frontispiece portrait, 24+22+24+22 engraved plates, half-title in volume 2 part 2, contemporary marbled calf gilt, spines gilt in compartments with green morocco lettering-pieces, blue marbled edges, bindings somewhat rubbed, some joints cracked, cover of vol.4 slightly faded

LITERATURE:

Cohen-De Ricci 97

PROVENANCE:

Count Stroganov, armorial bookplates; Biblioteka Universiteta Sibirskago [Library of the University of Siberia], blue ink stamp on titles and smaller ink stamp on each plate

The Stroganov family was instrumental in the expansion of Russia into Siberia in the late sixteenth century. Their library had been added to the library of the newly-founded Tomsk University in Siberia in 1878, and later sold in the Communist era to fund government projects ("books into tractors").