Beschreibung:

RUSSIA - MANUSCRIPT DRAWINGS OF 13TH. CENTURY NARVA. OPRITS, Colonel (compiler). [Atlas of drawings of the old Hermeister Castle with its high Hermann tower in the city of Narva with an accompanying explanatory text - translation]. Narva (Estonia) 1886. Atlas portfolio in imperial folio (440x650 mm), text 350x225 and 380x265 mm. Printed title, printed dedication leaf to Prince Vladimir Alexandrovich (brother of czar Alexander III), 13 sheets with 40 drawings of original architectural drawings in black ink and numerous colours (each 430x630 mm), together with two text booklets with descriptions, all text in Russian, one with 16 pp. of explanatory text, and a longer, but probably earlier, version of the text, with 26 pp., including 2 blanks, no title-page. Original gilt decorated green cloth with green leather spine, spine somewhat damaged, covers partly worn and rubbed, lacking ties, some flaps with tears. Armorial bookplate of Russian noble woman L. M. Savelova. Photo. Fine and detailed architectural colour drawings of the mediaeval Estonian castle in Narva which comprises 40 plans, sections and elevations of the castle, including a general plan that includes the surroundings (within about 500 metres) and part of the Ivangorad Fortress across the river. The Narva castle or Hermann castle (Hermanni linnus) is in the city of Narva on the Estonian side of the Narova river, which forms the border with Russia. The castle was severely damaged by bombing in WWII and this atlas presents an imporant historical source as well as these splendid drawings. Compiled by colonel Opritz, a Russian military engineer, who is mentioned on both the printed title-page and the manuscript one. The drawings comprise 40 plans, sections and elevations of the castle, including a general plan that includes the surroundings (within about 500 meters) including part of the Ivangorad Fortress across the river. Provenance: L. M. Savelova. Could be related to L.M. Savelova, perhaps related to Leonid Mikhailovich Savelov, a genealogist of Russian nobility. DETTA BEHÖVS EJ I KATALOGEN!!! An atlas of thirteen loose sheets containing 40 exquisite color scale drawings of the thirteenth-century Narva Castle or Hermann Castle (Hermanni Linnus) as it is usually called, in the city of Narva on the Estonian side of the Narova River, which forms the border with Russia. There are several plans of the different floors, sections and elevations, all superbly hand-colored and with scales. Since the castle was severely damaged by bombing in the Second World War (the top of the main tower was completely destroyed and many walls were reduced to rubble), the present atlas provides not only stunning architectural drawings, but also an essential historical source giving extremely detailed views of every part of the castle before the destruction and restoration. The overview map includes parts of the city walls and parts of the ca. 1500 Ivangorod Fortress on the Russian side of the river. The drawings are preceded by two letterpress sheets in the same format with the title (which also appears on the front of the portfolio), contents and dedications. The manuscript book with the accompanying text is formally lettered as though intended for lithographic reproduction, but it is lettered and written in black and one can still see traces of pencil guide lines for the text and pencil outline drawings for the title-page lettering. The other version of the text is similar but with a decorative border and without a title-page, and each version includes passages not in the other. That without a title-page is probably an earlier version, shortened and revised for the final version. The manuscript title for the text and the printed title-page for the atlas both mention the compiler, a military engineer, Colonel Oprits. Since it is dedicated to Prince Vladimir Alexandrovich (1847-1909), brother of Czar Alexander III and son of the murdered Czar Alexander II, it may have been produced for presen