PORTER, Sir Robert Ker. A Narrative of the Campaign in Russia During the Year 1812. London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown. [1813].
4to. Contemporary sprinkled calf, spine with raised bands, morocco lettering-piece and shelfmak label; pp. [viii], 282, [2, advertisements], engraved portrait frontispiece of Kutuzov, two large folding engraved maps with a little hand-colouring (advance and retreat of the French Army); very light rubbing, maps with repaired marginal tears, otherwise a very good copy with only the frontispiece a little spotted, resulting in minimal offsetting to opposite title-page; contemporary ownership inscription N. Mcneal in upper margin of title-page.
First edition, complete with half-title and final advertisement leaf. Sir Robert Ker Porter was a celebrated painter, who went into Russian sevice where he was appointed historical painter to Tsar Alexander I, held a diplomatic role, and married a Russian princess. "He was subsequently accepted in Russian military and diplomatic circles and became well acquainted with the Russian version of the events of 1812–13, of which he gave a graphic account in his Narrative of the Campaign in Russia during 1812; it was printed seven times [in smaller format]" (ODNB).
SKU: 2119832