Bible, Russian. Evangelie Iisusa Khrista, 510ff., 4 engraved plates (one at start of each Gospel), text in Church Slavonic, printed in red and black within woodcut border, partly on blue paper, small marginal worming to first and last few ff., small puncture mark to first c.10ff., some light staining, a few marginal chips or short tears, one leaf torn with very small loss, wear to endpapers, elaborate contemporary silver-plated brass over wooden boards, in ornate bas-relief, upper cover incorporating five hand-painted oval porcelain medallions, depicting the Resurrection of Christ held within a monstrance cornered by the Four Evangelists, lower cover depicting a Biblical scene, most likely the Presentation at the Temple, four protruding screw fixtures to lower cover with some restoration, metal clasps, folio (binding 530 x 330mm.), Moscow, November 1783.

⁂ A striking example of 18th century Russian craftmanship. According to a statement on the first page, these Gospels were printed on the orders of Catherine the Great in November 1783, for distribution by Christmas.