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Estimate: $ 1,500 - $ 2,500
(RUSSIA.) St. Petersburg Picturesque Review. Album of Russian Life and Nature in Picturesin Watercolors Peinted [sic] by the Russian Artist N.N. Karazin. English title-page printed in gold, 15 chromolithographs after Karazin mounted to black cards with gold-printed ruling and English captions. Oblong 4to, 9 1/2x14 inches, publisher's cloth with chromolithographed pictorial title-plate pasted to upper cover, rebacked and re-guarded with sympathetic cloth, small scrapes and stains; mounts with minor edge wear, plates fine; gift inscription on pictorial stationary from U.S. Consulate General to Russia, J.M. Crawford, to Dr. Thomas DeWitt Talmage pasted to inside front cover. St. Petersburg: S. Dobrodeew, 1892
A vestige of appreciation for one man's kindness: presentation copy of an uncommon album from U.S. Russian Consulate General J.M. Crawford, on behalf of its publisher, to Reverend Dr. Thomas DeWitt Talmage who in 1892 orchestrated the delivery of a ship's-load of food and relief aid to Russian provinces during their period of great famine. The American clergyman's humanitarian effort was received with utmost appreciation and his visiting circle were given an enthusiastic reception by the Russians, culminating in an audience with Tsar Alexander III.
The inscription reads: "July 17, 1892. Dear Dr. Talmage: The Picturesque Review of St. Petersburg desires me to offer you the accompanying album of Russian scenes as a petit souvenir of your humane mission to this country. Very sincerely yours, J.M. Crawford".
The fine vernacular chromolithographs are after oil paintings by Russian military officer and artist Nikolay Nikolaevich Karazin.
OCLC locates a single copy of the album, Yale University. See T. DeWitt Talmage, His Life and Work, pages 199-224 for a lengthy description of Talmage's Russian experience.
