[The Bible, or the Holy Books of the Old and New Testament].
Moscow Press, Moscow, 1797
GRAND DUCHESS ALEXANDRA PAVLOVNA'S BIBLE IN A SUPERB RUSSIAN BINDING, PRESENTED TO HER BY ANDREI SAMBORSKII, her spiritual mentor, with a lengthy inscription in each volume: 'V sozidanie very Khristianskoi, i preuspeianie v dobrodetel'nom zhitii, prinosit v dar dushespasitel'nuiu Knigu siiu, vernopoddanneishii sluga i vseuserdneishii Bogomolets Dukhovnik Andrei Samborskii [In the glory of Christian faith and virtuous life I, your humble servant and diligent churchman and priest Andrei Samborskii, am presenting to you this soul-saving Book].
Grand Duchess Alexandra, was the oldest daughter of Tsar Paul I, and sister of Tsars Alexander I and Nicholas I; she died in childbirth at a very young age and consequently books from her collection are exceedingly rare.
Samborskii was an influential figure in the Imperial household; he was rector of the Orthodox church in London, when Catherine II appointed him as the confessor of the future Tsar Paul I during his grand tour. On his return he was charged with the religious education of the future Tsar Alexander I. Samborskii accompanied Alexandra Pavlovna to Hungary, where she joined her husband Archduke Joseph of Austria, and stayed with her until her untimely death.
The text of this Bible is an 18th-century edition of the 'Elizabeth Bible', the revision instigated by Peter the Great and first published in 1751, which remains to this day the standard edition of the Slavonic Bible.
Three volumes folio (40 x 25 cm). Engraved title pages by Vasilii Ikonnikov, engraved vignettes, head- and tailpieces and initials. (Occasional light soiling.) Contemporary red-brown morocco, spines with raised bands gilt in compartments, some centred with urns, green labels, sides panelled in gilt, gauffered gilt edges, Buntpapier endpapers (small repairs).
Darlow & Moule 8376; Sopikov 125.
Grand Duchess Alexandra, was the oldest daughter of Tsar Paul I, and sister of Tsars Alexander I and Nicholas I; she died in childbirth at a very young age and consequently books from her collection are exceedingly rare.
Samborskii was an influential figure in the Imperial household; he was rector of the Orthodox church in London, when Catherine II appointed him as the confessor of the future Tsar Paul I during his grand tour. On his return he was charged with the religious education of the future Tsar Alexander I. Samborskii accompanied Alexandra Pavlovna to Hungary, where she joined her husband Archduke Joseph of Austria, and stayed with her until her untimely death.
The text of this Bible is an 18th-century edition of the 'Elizabeth Bible', the revision instigated by Peter the Great and first published in 1751, which remains to this day the standard edition of the Slavonic Bible.
Three volumes folio (40 x 25 cm). Engraved title pages by Vasilii Ikonnikov, engraved vignettes, head- and tailpieces and initials. (Occasional light soiling.) Contemporary red-brown morocco, spines with raised bands gilt in compartments, some centred with urns, green labels, sides panelled in gilt, gauffered gilt edges, Buntpapier endpapers (small repairs).
Darlow & Moule 8376; Sopikov 125.
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