Pliushar, Adolf

Born 1806 in St. Petersburg; died there Mar. 23 (Apr. 4), 1865. Russian publisher, typographer, and bookseller.

Pliushar studied typography in Paris under Didot. The publishing house founded in St. Petersburg in 1806 by his father, A. P. Pliushar, printed such lavishly illustrated publications as A Library of Travels (eight vols.) and Collection de vues de St-Pétersbourg et de ses environs (1823). In 1834, Pliushar began publishing the multivolume Encyclopedic Lexicon edited by N. I. Grech and O. I. Senkovskii. However, since there was no consistent, efficient publication program, the Lexicon did not meet readers’ expectations; subscriptions decreased and then ceased entirely. By 1841, 17 volumes had come out, up to Diat. Pliushar, who had made a sizable investment in the Lexicon, was compelled to declare bankruptcy.

In the late 1840’s and in the 1850’s, Pliushar published several translated collections and periodicals, including The Garland (1846–54), and A Pictorial Collection of Remarkable Subjects From the Sciences, Arts, Industry, and the Community (185058). In the 1830’s, Pliushar’s printing house and type foundry were considered the best in St. Petersburg.