[Zhalovannai͡a︡ gramota].
Contributors: Russia. Sovereign (1762-1796 : Catherine II); 18th-Century Russian Law Collection (Library of Congress)
Publisher: [s.n.]
Published: 1785
Place of publication: V Prestolʹnom Nashem gradi͡e︡ Svi͡a︡tago Petra
Language: rus
Number of pages: 36
Subjects: Nobility -- Russia -- Early works to 1800.; Civil rights -- Russia -- Early works to 1800.; Law -- Russia -- Sources.
Genres: Early works to 1800.; Sources.
Other titles: Bozhiei͡u︡ Pospi͡e︡shestvui͡u︡shchei͡u︡ Milostii͡u︡, My Ekaterina Vtorai͡a︡, Imperatrit͡s︡a i Samoderzhit͡s︡a Vserossīĭskai͡a︡
Notes: LC copy acquired by the Law Library of Congress in 1937.
Report of the Librarian of Congress, 1937 p. 70
A special issue of the first publication of Catherine II's "Charter Granted to the Nobility," probably published before the generally acknowledged first edition of April 24, 1785. This copy, bound in silk, has handwritten inscription, at end, to the nobility of the province of Saratov signed by Chancellor Graf Ivan Osterman. Text, including preliminaries, appears to be identical to that of the April 24 edition.
"... My sīi͡u︡ Nashu zhalovannui͡u︡ gramotu na prava, volʹnosti i preimushchestva blagorodnomu Nam vi͡e︡rnoli͡u︡beznomu poddannomu Rossīĭskomu dvori͡a︡nstvu, Nashei͡u︡ sobstvennoi͡u︡ rukoi͡u︡ podpisali ..." [We this Our charter on the rights, liberties, and privileges granted by Us to the gentle Russian nobility signed with Our own hand ...] -- Colophon.
Inscription hand lettered at end: Nashemu vi͡e︡rno-li͡u︡bezno-poddannomu Rossīĭskomu dvori͡a︡nstvu Saratovskago Nami͡e︡stnichestva. Signed in ms.: Vit͡s︡ekant͡s︡ler Graf Ivan Osterman.
Catherine's signature does not appear.
Each page of text printed within ornamental border on heavy parchment. Throughout the text, pronouns and adjectives referring to the Empress are hand lettered in gold. Interleaved throughout with green silk moire.
The first two pages of text are ruled by hand and hand-lettered in gold and provide the Empress's title within an etched ornamental border. The border reproduces the coats of arms of Russian provinces as well as the Empress's monogram, which is colored and gilded by hand.
For a history of the publication of this charter, cf. Bitovt, Redkie russkie knigi i letuchie izdanii͡a︡ XVIII veka, 1989, no. 2098, and especially Svodnyĭ katalog russkoĭ knigi grazhdanskoĭ pechati XVIII veka, vol. II, no. 4724-4738. The present edition is not listed in either source.