Printed at the Imperial Academy of Sciences. St. Petersburg. 1771. 26 x 20 cm.

First part. (10), 504 pages of text, in German. 14 folding plates on life culture and 11 folding plates with plant illustrations. Last leaves trimmed, thus no numbering of the plates, but probably complete. In leather binding with red edges. Dried plant parts inside, binding rubbed on the outside.

"In 1767, Tsarina Catherine II appointed him as an associate member and adjunct at the Academy in St. Petersburg and soon afterwards as professor of natural history and head of the natural history cabinet. P. was also commissioned to lead a major scientific expedition to Siberia. The explorations included the search for minerals and natural resources, the investigation of soils, waters, plants and animals with regard to their possible usability, surveys of the state of agriculture, crafts, trades and arts, the description of natural history, ethnic and cultural-historical objects, the depiction of mountain forms, astronomical observations and geographical localizations. .... The Academy had already published P.'s manuscripts as "Reise durch verschiedene Provinzen des Russ. Reich" (3 parts, 1771/73/76) in German, thereby strengthening his international reputation. " (NDB 20/2001).

Provenance : ownership note: "Stadtarchiv Lengefeld" and "...G. von Salisch".