Turkestan Library of Ethnographer A.K. Geins

The aim of this article is to reconstruct the subject composition of the personal library of Alexander Konstantinovich Geins (1834—1892) during his service in the Turkestan region, based on the inventories of the Central State Archives of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The study of the book collection of A.K. Geins allowed us to objectively evaluate the owner’s personal contribution to the development of science and the role of his book collection in the socio-cultural development of the region. Using the methods of historical and bibliographic analysis and a visual examination of library and archival collections, it was possible to consider little-studied issues related to the book collection of A.K. Geins, to determine its subject composition and design features. The personal library of A.K. Geins, purchased by order of K.P. von Kaufman in February 1870 for the Turkestan Public Library (now the National Library of Uzbekistan named after A. Navoi), consisted of books, brochures, periodicals, manuscripts, and collections of articles — a total of 306 titles (including four periodicals). One of the collection’s distinctive features was the predominance of foreign literature, both original and translated. This book collection is divided into 24 thematic sections. Its chronological coverage extends from the 18th to the 19th centuries. An inventory of the collection was compiled in 1870 by E. Savenkov. It contains the following information: author, title, date and place of publication (not always), as well as price information.

Overall, the A.K. Geins library was a striking classic example of a personal book collection, combining the fundamental functions that justified its existence — informational and educational. The selection of books was primarily driven by the personal interests of its owner, but was also influenced by the reading trends of the period. An analysis of the subject matter of the books and periodicals in A.K. Geins’ personal library allows us to judge the universal nature of this collection and its great scholarly potential for the study of the Turkestan region.

1. Ostroumov N.P. Konstantin Petrovich fon-Kaufman, ustroitel’ Turkestanskogo kraya [Konstantin Petrovich von Kaufman, Organizer of the Turkestan Region]. Tashkent, 1899, 286 p.

2. Journal of the Annual Meeting of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society — January 17, 1873, Izvestiya Imperatorskogo Russkogo geograficheskogo obshchestva [Proceedings of the Russian Geographical Society], 1873, vol. 9, no. 1/10, 886 p. (in Russ.).

3. Monikov S.N., Knyazev Yu.P., Knyazev A.P. Ivan Vasilyevich Mushketov: Ural, Mushketovite (to the 120th Anniversary of the Death of an Outstanding Native of the Don Land), Izvestiya Ural’skogo gosudarstvennogo gornogo universiteta [News of the Ural State Mining University], 2021, no. 4 (64), pp. 165—169 (in Russ.).

4. Shamukaramova F.Sh. Vasiliy Vyatkin and Samarkand Antiquities, Problemy istorii, filologii, kul’tury [Journal of Historical, Philological and Cultural Studies], 2016, no. 1, pp. 408—421 (in Russ.).

5. Khamraeva T.R., Parshina V.N. Outstanding Russian Orientalists in the Study of the Cultural and Historical Heritage of Turkestan, Voprosy vostokovedeniya [Issues of Oriental Studies], 2023, no. 2, pp. 64—69. DOI: 10.52754/16948653_2023_2_9 (in Russ.).

6. Lizunova I.V., Pshenichnaya E.V. Owners of Russian Personal Book Collections in the Turkestan Region, Bibliosfera [Bibliosphere], 2022, no. 3, pp. 75—82. DOI: 10.20913/1815-3186-2022-3-75-82 (in Russ.).

7. Pshenichnaya E.V. Russkie lichnye biblioteki v Turkestanskom krae (poslednyaya tret’ XIX — nachalo XX v.) [Russian Personal Libraries in the Turkestan Region (Late 19th — Early 20th Century)], Cand. his. sci. diss. abstr. Novosibirsk, 2024, 23 p.

8. Kostetsky V.A. Rossiyane v Uzbekistane [The Russians in Uzbekistan]. Tashkent, NIHOL Publ., 2008, 335 p.

9. On the Acquisition of Books for the Turkestan Public Library from Major General Geins, Tsentral’nyi gosudarstvennyi arkhiv Respubliki Uzbekistan [Central State Archives of the Republic of Uzbekistan], coll. I-1, aids 16, fol. 2271, 53 p. (in Russ.).

10. Knauer N.Ch. Nemtsy drevnego kraya (Turkestan, Srednyaya, Tsentral’naya Aziya) [Germans of the Ancient Land (Turkestan, Soviet Central Asia)]. Moscow, IRIAS Publ., 2020, 674 p.

11. Ismailov E.E. Zolotoe oruzhie s nadpis’yu “Za khrabrost’”: spiski kavalerov: 1788—1913 [Golden Weapons with the Inscription “For Bravery”: Lists of Recipients: 1788—1913]. Moscow, Staraya Basmannaya Publ., 2007, 541 p.

12. On the Appointment of Major General Geins, Attached to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and Enlisted in the General Staff, as Governor of Kazan, Gosudarstvennyi arkhiv Respubliki Tatarstan [State Archives of the Republic of Tatarstan], coll. 2, aids 2, fol. 1560, 23 p. (in Russ.).

13. Dmitrovsky N.V. Pamyati Aleksandra Konstantinovicha Geinsa: (Iz Turkestansk. vedomostei za 1893 g.) [In Memory of Alexander Konstantinovich Geins: (From the Turkestan Gazette for 1893)]. Tashkent, 1893, 35 p.

14. Poyasnitel’naya zapiska k proektu polozheniya ob upravlenii v oblastyakh Turkestanskogo general-gubernatorstva [Explanatory Note to the Draft Regulation on Administration in the Turkestan Governorate-General Regions]. St. Petersburg, Voennaya Tipografiya Publ., 1874, 267 p.

15. Collected Literary Work by A.K. Geins, Turkestanskii sbornik [Turkestan Collection]. Tashkent, 1907, vol. 427, pp. 93—95 (in Russ.).

16. Geins A.K. Sobranie literaturnykh trudov Aleksandra Konstantinovicha Geinsa: v 3 t. [Collected Literary Works by Alexander Konstantinovich Geins: in 3 volumes]. St. Petersburg, Tipografiya M.M. Stasyulevicha Publ., 1897, vol. 1, 590 p.

17. Krylova E.E. First Exhibitions of V.V. Vereshchagin’s Works from Central Asia in Press and the Problem of the Turkestan Series Interpretation, Znanie. Ponimanie. Umenie [Knowledge. Understanding. Skill], 2015, no. 4, pp. 335—342. DOI: 10.17805/zpu.2015.4.33 (in Russ.).

18. Dobrosmyslov A.I. Tashkent v proshlom i nastoyashchem: istoricheskii ocherk [Tashkent in the Past and Present: A Historical Essay]. Tashkent, Ehlektro-Parovaya Tipolitografiya O.A. Portseva Publ., 1912, 520 p.

19. Delvig A.I. Moi vospominaniya: v 4 t. [My Memories: in 4 volumes]. Moscow, Moskovskii Publichnyi i Rumyantsevskii Muzei Publ., 1912, vol. 1, 374 p.

20. Aliev I.A. Staraya Kazan’: lyudi i dela [Old Kazan: People and Events]. Kazan, Idel-Press Publ., 2012, 423 p.

21. Vasilyev P. (ed.) Kalendar’-ukazatel’ goroda Kazani na 1882 god [Index-Calendar of the Kazan City for 1882]. Kazan, Tipografiya Gubernskogo Pravleniya Publ., 1881, 144 p.

22. Tchihatcheff M.P. Lettres sur la Turquie. Bruxelles, Leipzig, Auguste Schnee Publ., 1859, 84 p.

23. Golosov D. The 1839 Expedition to Khiva by a Detachment of Russian Troops Under the Command of General Adjutant Perovsky, Voennyi sbornik [Military Collection]. 1863, vol. XXIX, no. 1, 2 [part I—IV], 358 p. (in Russ.).

24. Betger E.K. “To Open a Public Library in Tashkent...”. Early Pages in the History of the National Library of Uzbekistan Named After A. Navoi, Vostok svyshe [The Orient from Above], 2014, no. 3, pp. 48—58 (in Russ.).

25. Logofet D.N. Turkestan Collection and Its Significance, Turkestanskii sbornik [Turkestan Collection], 1908, vol. 495, pp. 180—182 (in Russ.).