Dumas, A. Louis XIV and His Century (Lyudovik XIV i ego vek). Issue I (and the only one), 1859. First Edition in Russian

[Первое издание на русском языке] А. Дюма.
Людовик XIV и его век. Выпуск I (и единственный).
Перевод Н. Р. Щиглеева под ред. Смарагдова.
Санкт-Петербург: Типография Штаба Отдельного корпуса внутренней стражи, 1859.
IV, 487, XIII с., ил. ; 22 × 14,5 см. Твердый владельческий переплет эпохи. В хорошем состоянии, загрязнение нескольких страниц.
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[First Edition in Russian] A. Dumas.
Louis XIV and His Century. Issue I (and the only one).
Translated by N. R. Shchigleyev, edited by Smaragdov.
Saint Petersburg: Typography of the Staff of the Separate Corps of Internal Guard, 1859.
IV, 487, XIII pp., illus. ; 22 × 14.5 cm. Owner's hardcover.
In good condition, with soiling on several pages.

This exceptionally rare 1859 volume represents the first attempt to introduce Alexander Dumas’ expansive historical scholarship to the Russian reading public. The text provides a deep dive into the internal logic of the French absolutist state, including the arrangement of the elaborate court protocols and political maneuverings that defined the reign of the "Sun King," Louis XIV. Covering the rise of Cardinal Richelieu, the regency of Anne of Austria, and the transition of France into a dominant European power, this "Issue I" (which remained the only one published in this specific edition) serves as a vital primary source for documenting the mid-19th-century Russian interest in French history and romantic historiography. Translated by N. R. Shchigleyev under the editorial guidance of the scholar Smaragdov, the prose captures Dumas’ characteristic narrative flair, blending rigorous historical detail with the dramatic pacing of his famous novels.
The physical identity of this Saint Petersburg imprint is defined by its unusual provenance—printed at the typography of the Staff of the Separate Corps of Internal Guard—and its inclusion of period illustrations that bring the 17th-century personalities to life. The 487-page work documents the exact state of Russian book production during the reign of Alexander II, where high-quality translations of Western historical works were highly prized but often difficult to complete as multi-volume sets. Preserved in an owner's hardcover binding, this edition remains a significant bibliographical rarity, as few copies of this initial release have survived the intervening century and a half. For bibliophiles, scholars of Dumas, and collectors of Russian first translations, this 1859 volume is a cornerstone acquisition, preserving a tactile connection to the era when the Sun King's legacy first captivated the Russian intelligentsia.