Beschreibung:

[CHURCH SLAVONIC]. Ustav, sirech tserkovnoe oko. [The Order of the Church Rites]. [Moscow: Pechatnyi Dvor, 1641]. Rare edition of this major work on the order of liturgy, in a Russian binding. Derived from the Typikon of the Byzantine rite, the Ustav was first published by the Pechatnyi Dvor in 1610. It presented the prescribed order of the rites of the Russian Orthodox Church. ‘The book was fundamental for the life of the Russian Orthodox community in that it ensured the correctness of the liturgical activity; it also included several important additions to the rules of conduct for both believers and priests’ (Pozdeeva). Printed in 1200 copies, this fourth edition became the reference work for the Old Believers’ rites. The binding decoration displays composite features originating in the Moscow region. The upper board bears the stamps with the title typical of the Moscow printing press bindery, whilst the grille de St Laurent on the lower board recalls the style of the bindery of the Trinity-St Sergius Monastery. Zernova 154; Pozdeeva 323. Klepikov, ‘Russian Bookbinding’, p. 419; Pozdeeva, Moskovskii Pechatnyi Dvor , p. 19. Folio (295 x 190mm). ff. [1065] (against 1188 ff. in Zernova), text in red and black, decorated initials and ornaments (some finger-soiling and waterstaining to upper margins, numerous leaves repaired at margins or strengthened at gutter, scattered mainly marginal oil or wax stains and ink splashes, occasional marginal tearing with minor loss). 18th-century calf, bevelled wooden boards, remains of two clasps, double blind ruled to a panel design, upper board with rolls of tendrils to borders, arabesque to centre panel and stamps for title, lower with rolls of tendrils within grille de St Laurent and small urns, raised bands, spine blind tooled (boards and extremities rubbed, joints cracked, some loss at head and foot). Provenance: 18th-century inscription in memoriam written by Camila Petrova (one leaf) – occasional contemporary annotations.