Klubbat för:

55000 SEK

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25 000-30 000 SEK

Beskrivning

18TH CENTURY RUSSIAN DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE. About 75 letters, and some other documents, all from the Russian Royal Court in St. Petersburg or from Russian embassies in Europe, written between 1760ies-1790ies. Most of the letters written to the Russian envoy in Madrid, Stepan Stepanovitj Zinóvjev (Zinovieff). Mostly in French, but also some in Russian. In 8vo and 4to. Some with tears and a few with damages, some spotting.

The main part of this correspondence consists of letters from the Royal Court in St. Petersburg, or from the Russian embassies in Europe to the Russian embassy in Madrid. Most of the letters are written to Stepan Stepanovitj Zinóvjev (1740-1794, spelled Zinovieff), chamberlain, lieutenant general, Russia's envoy in Madrid the years 1772 to 1792 (during his numerous trips to St. Petersburg, the business was run by a chargé d'affaires, NA Nikitin who is the recipient of some letters.)
Other recipients are Nikolaus (Nikolaj Nikolajevitj) Bützow (1744-1823, spelled Butzow och Bitzow), secretary at the embassy in 1776, charge d'affaires 1792-94 and 1797-99, and Zinoviev's predecessor on the post of Madrid (in the years 1766-1772), Otto Magnus von Stackelberg (1736-1800, of old Livonian nobility).

Among the writers are: Count Semjon Romanovitj Vorontsóv (Woronzow, 1744-1832), eminent diplomat and Russian envoy in Great Britain during the years 1784-1806, Otto Henrik Igelström (Osip Andrejevitj Igelstrom, 1737-1817), count, diplomat and general, he was a Russian delegate during the peace negociations in Värälä 1790, the following year he was appointed Russian envoy in Stockholm but never entered this position. He instead became Govenor-General in Pskov and other Russian governements, and was appointed commander over the Russian troups in Poland in 1793.
Prince Alexander Borisovitj Kurákin (1752-1818), vice chancellor and diplomat who spent some time in Sweden, and also became a Swedish freemanson, Prince Nikolaj Vasiljevitj Repnín (1734-1801), eminent diplomat, field marshal, envoy in Poland 1764-1768, in the Ottoman empire 1775-1776, Prince Alexander Michajlovitj Golítsyn (1723-1807), envoy in France (1749-1755) and Great Britain (1755-1761), vice president in
the Foreign Office, Prince Dmitrij Alexejevitj Golítsyn (1734-1803), highly placed ???public servant, envoy in the Netherlands 1768-1782, Count Ivan Andrejevitj Osterman (1725-1811), Russian chancellor, 1757-1760 envoy in Paris, 1760-1774 in Stockholm. He was also known for his aktive interference in Swedish politics, Prince Andrej Michajlovitj Belosélskij (1736-1800), envoy in Sachsen 1766-1776.

There are also some official documents, amongst others a Letter of credence (damaged) dated 1772, a note on travel expenses from the Russian mission in Madrid 1791, an ukaz (decree) from Catherine the great (1765, not signed) which prohibits the play "L´Innocence opprimé ou la mort d´Iwan, Empereur de Russie" and a decree regarding "Mémoires pour Servir à l´Historie de Pierre III" (1763), and a copy of the letter to one of Catherine's favorites, the field marshal Rumjantsev-Zadunajskij (who ruled Ukraine during the years 1761-91).

We would like to thank Dr. Bengt Jangfeldt for his help with cataloguing this present lot.

Provenance: Stavsund castle, the family of Klinckowström, Sweden.
Photo.

Auktionsnummer:

6261

Datum:

2015-12-15