[Russia]. [ROCKSTUHL (Alois Gustav), GILLE (Florent A.)]. [7 - Lot 111

[Russia]. [ROCKSTUHL (Alois Gustav), GILLE (Florent A.)]. [78 Lithographs from the Tzarskoe-Selo Museum or Collection of Arms of His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias"]. [St. Petersburg & Karlsruhe, Velten, ca. 1835-1853]. In-folio (ca. 51 x 35 cm.), [10] f., 78 plates, dark brown half-chagrin with corners, spine with 5 nerves, title and small gilt irons, gilt fillet on the boards, small epidermures, dull corners, russets, marginal cracks on qq. plates). Rare. Fine collection of the first thirteen issues, comprising 78 lithographed plates after compositions by the painter Alois Gustav Rockstuhl (1798-1877), accompanied by the first ten issue leaves containing explanations of plates I to LX. Le Musée d'armes rares, anciennes et orientales, de Sa Majesté l'Empereur de toute la Russie (The Museum of Rare, Ancient and Oriental Weapons of His Majesty the Emperor of All Russia) is an album of lithographs presenting weapons and munitions from the Imperial collection at the Tsarskoye Selo Arsenal. The plates were published in thirty issues of six, between 1835 and 1853. The 78 plates in this copy illustrate arms and armor from the Imperial Russian Collection, including European and Oriental swords and helmets, the armor of Charles the Bold, a German polished steel armor and Italian shield, a 16th-century French helmet, and an ancient Persian shield. Designed by Florent A. Gille, curator of the collection and head of the 1st Department of the Imperial Hermitage, in collaboration with court painter Alois Gustav Rockstuhl, this work was published in only 55 copies. It was the first arms catalog in Russia. (Brunet, II, 1598; Lipperheide 2409, Vinet 2064 and 2064bis).