BELL, John. - Lot 90

BELL, John. Travels from St Petersburg in Russia, to diverse parts of Asia. Glasgow, Robert and Andrew Foulis, 1763. 2 volumes in-4. (11)-XVII-(3)-357-(2) pp. and (1)-426-(1) pp. on laid paper, one folding map. Contemporary fawn calf, fine gilt frieze framing the boards, ribbed spine, gilt fleuronné boxes and gilt roulettes, title-pieces, gilt title, gilt roulette on the edges, marbled pebbled paper endpapers, blue head (binding rubbed, one plate detached with a few ff in volume I, corners, headpieces and headpieces worn, spines dissimilar due to missing one pdt and one tomaison, a few freckles at the beginning of volume I and on the map, one of the bookplates detached). First edition, in its original English binding. Important account of a journey made in the first half of the eighteenth century through all of Russia in the XVIIIᵉ century to China, illustrated with a fine fold-out map in full length, engraved by John Riddell in black etching, showing the detailed route from Moscow to Peking, with figures of putti and Chinese adorning the cartouche. The work offers a detailed description of the manners, customs, geography and landscapes of the countries travelled through. A British expatriate, the Scottish Bell (1691-1780) was a diplomat and medical traveler who crossed Russia and the Orient between 1715 and 1738. He accompanied Peter the Great's embassies to Isfahan in Persia (1715-1717), to Peking via Siberia (1719-1721), to Derbent in Persia (1722), then to Constantinople (1737-1738). Among other things, he described the Great Wall of China and his encounter with the Dalai Lama. Bell published only one long account of his long journey, in this book. Contains a list of all subscribers at the beginning of Volume I. Provenances: Ex-libris engraved in black with the large arms of Château de La Palice (Allier). Antique handwritten bookplate Anne Ellis on a leaf in Volume I. Cordier,Sinica, 2093. Blackmer, 111. [Russia - Asia].