A Short History of Shanghai: Being An Account of the Growth and Development of the International Settlement -
F. L. Hawks Pott
1928 - Kelly &, Shanghai - First Edition
A comprehensive and focussed work on the history of the International Settlement in Shanghai. The true and rare first edition in dust jacket. Not to be confused with the later 1970’s and 1980’s facsimile copies.
With wonderful large folding panoramic view of the Bund in 1928 (75cm), folding colour map of ‘Shanghai in 1855’, and six full page black and white photographs.
By Francis Lister Hawks Pott (1864-1947), an American Episcopal missionary and educator who spent 55 years in China and served as President of St. John's College in Shanghai (later renamed St. John's University), one of China's oldest and most prestigious universities.
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Price HK$ 6,000
1928 - Kelly &, Shanghai - First Edition
A comprehensive and focussed work on the history of the International Settlement in Shanghai. The true and rare first edition in dust jacket. Not to be confused with the later 1970’s and 1980’s facsimile copies.With wonderful large folding panoramic view of the Bund in 1928 (75cm), folding colour map of ‘Shanghai in 1855’, and six full page black and white photographs.
By Francis Lister Hawks Pott (1864-1947), an American Episcopal missionary and educator who spent 55 years in China and served as President of St. John's College in Shanghai (later renamed St. John's University), one of China's oldest and most prestigious universities.
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Price HK$ 6,000
The Later Ceramic Wares of China -
Robert Lockhart Hobson
1925 - Ernest Benn, London - First Edition. Deluxe Issue. Number 28 of 250 signed copies
A fine copy of the limited edition which was signed by Hobson and contains five additional colour plates (plates A to E), in the publisher’s deluxe full glazed pigskin binding.
Hobson’s exhaustive and scholarly work, is a natural sequel to Wares of the Ming Dynasty, carrying on the history of Chinese pottery and porcelain and completing the trilogy that began with Early Ceramic Wares of China. Chapters include general history, detailed studies of various periods, European influences on Chinese porcelain, as well as explanations of shapes, designs, and marks.
Profusely illustrated with twenty four full page colour plates, eight folding colour plates, and fifty full page monochrome plates. There are also a small number of in-text emblems, symbols, and the final chapter on potter’s marks provides five pages of examples.
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Price HK$ 18,000
1925 - Ernest Benn, London - First Edition. Deluxe Issue. Number 28 of 250 signed copies
A fine copy of the limited edition which was signed by Hobson and contains five additional colour plates (plates A to E), in the publisher’s deluxe full glazed pigskin binding.Hobson’s exhaustive and scholarly work, is a natural sequel to Wares of the Ming Dynasty, carrying on the history of Chinese pottery and porcelain and completing the trilogy that began with Early Ceramic Wares of China. Chapters include general history, detailed studies of various periods, European influences on Chinese porcelain, as well as explanations of shapes, designs, and marks.
Profusely illustrated with twenty four full page colour plates, eight folding colour plates, and fifty full page monochrome plates. There are also a small number of in-text emblems, symbols, and the final chapter on potter’s marks provides five pages of examples.
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Price HK$ 18,000
Szechwan: Its Products, Industries and Resources -
Sir Alexander Hosie
1922 - Kelly &, Shanghai - First Edition
First edition of this comprehensive study, the majority focussed on the expertise of Sir Alexander Hosie, former Consul-General for the Province ofd Szechuan, Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Products.
Two large folding sketch maps of Eastern and Western Szechwan, drawn by Florence Hosie
With a gift inscription to the front dated January 2, 1922, Shanghai.
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Price HK$ 1,600
1922 - Kelly &, Shanghai - First Edition
First edition of this comprehensive study, the majority focussed on the expertise of Sir Alexander Hosie, former Consul-General for the Province ofd Szechuan, Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Products.Two large folding sketch maps of Eastern and Western Szechwan, drawn by Florence Hosie
With a gift inscription to the front dated January 2, 1922, Shanghai.
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Price HK$ 1,600
The Game Birds of India, Burmah, and Ceylon -
Allan Octavian Hume, Charles H. T. Marshall
1879-81 - Hume and Marshall, Calcutta - First Editions
A superb and thus rare example of this three volume work, in the original gilt decorated bindings, and containing the complete set of 144 colour plates. All three illustrated title pages are also present.
Hume, ‘the Father of Indian Ornithology’, put together this work using contributions and notes from a network of 200 or more correspondents. Hume delegated the task of getting the plates made to Marshall. The chromolithographs of the birds were drawn by W. Foster, E. Neale, (Miss) M. Herbert, Stanley Wilson and others and the plates were produced by F. Waller in London. Hume had sent specific notes on colours of soft parts and instructions to the artists. He was unsatisfied with many of the plates and included additional notes on the plates in the book. This book was started at the point when the government demoted Hume and only the need to finance the publication of this book prevented him from retiring from service. He had estimated that it would cost £4,000 to publish it and he retired from service on 1 January 1882 after the publication.
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Price HK$ 18,000
1879-81 - Hume and Marshall, Calcutta - First Editions
A superb and thus rare example of this three volume work, in the original gilt decorated bindings, and containing the complete set of 144 colour plates. All three illustrated title pages are also present.Hume, ‘the Father of Indian Ornithology’, put together this work using contributions and notes from a network of 200 or more correspondents. Hume delegated the task of getting the plates made to Marshall. The chromolithographs of the birds were drawn by W. Foster, E. Neale, (Miss) M. Herbert, Stanley Wilson and others and the plates were produced by F. Waller in London. Hume had sent specific notes on colours of soft parts and instructions to the artists. He was unsatisfied with many of the plates and included additional notes on the plates in the book. This book was started at the point when the government demoted Hume and only the need to finance the publication of this book prevented him from retiring from service. He had estimated that it would cost £4,000 to publish it and he retired from service on 1 January 1882 after the publication.
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Price HK$ 18,000
Private Journal -
Captain Robert Jenkins [1825-94]
1857 to 1858
The original 320 page hand-written journal of Captain Robert Jenkins, during his time as Commander of HMS Actaeon for the year 1857 and HMS Comus in 1857, both ships active off the coast of China, mostly around Canton. Included is a hand drawn and water coloured sketch of Chinese villagers being forced to kowtow to the Union Jack. Finely bound in contemporary black calf and brass locks.
HMS Actaeon was commissioned in 1857 to serve as a survey vessel off the coast of China, under the command of Captain William Thornton Bate. She was present at the bombardment of Canton in 1857,where Bate was shot and killed on 29th. December. Captain Robert Jenkins took over the command of the ship and his journal refers to the bombardment of Canton, surveying factories, disputes over land between British and Chinese merchants. It also covers skirmishes with armed junks and defence of the Barrier. Locations include Hong Kong ,Canton, Macao and Amoy.
According to the Journal it appears that Jenkins was wounded seriously on June 30th 1858, and on September 16th ‘Joined Commander J Ward, [vice?] Captain R Jenkins discharged to Half Pay’, September 18th ‘I went to Shanghai with Commander Ward’, from whence Jenkins travelled to Hong Kong, Singapore, Penang, Galli, Aden, Alexandria, Malta, Gibralter, Falmouth, arriving in Southampton 19th November, one month after leaving Shanghai.
Journal Size 29 x 23.5 cm. pp. [4] [144 (1st January to 31st December 1857 as Commander of HMS Comus)] [9 (Summary of year 1857 as Commander of HMS Comus)] [1]; [7(January 1-19th, last days as Commander of HMS Comus)] [1] [92 (January 20th to 19th November as Commander of HMS Actaeon)] [4] [8 (Summary of year 1857 as Commander of HMS Actaeon)] [50]. Paper watermarked ‘1852’ ‘Fellows’.
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Price HK$ 130,000
1857 to 1858
The original 320 page hand-written journal of Captain Robert Jenkins, during his time as Commander of HMS Actaeon for the year 1857 and HMS Comus in 1857, both ships active off the coast of China, mostly around Canton. Included is a hand drawn and water coloured sketch of Chinese villagers being forced to kowtow to the Union Jack. Finely bound in contemporary black calf and brass locks.HMS Actaeon was commissioned in 1857 to serve as a survey vessel off the coast of China, under the command of Captain William Thornton Bate. She was present at the bombardment of Canton in 1857,where Bate was shot and killed on 29th. December. Captain Robert Jenkins took over the command of the ship and his journal refers to the bombardment of Canton, surveying factories, disputes over land between British and Chinese merchants. It also covers skirmishes with armed junks and defence of the Barrier. Locations include Hong Kong ,Canton, Macao and Amoy.
According to the Journal it appears that Jenkins was wounded seriously on June 30th 1858, and on September 16th ‘Joined Commander J Ward, [vice?] Captain R Jenkins discharged to Half Pay’, September 18th ‘I went to Shanghai with Commander Ward’, from whence Jenkins travelled to Hong Kong, Singapore, Penang, Galli, Aden, Alexandria, Malta, Gibralter, Falmouth, arriving in Southampton 19th November, one month after leaving Shanghai.
Journal Size 29 x 23.5 cm. pp. [4] [144 (1st January to 31st December 1857 as Commander of HMS Comus)] [9 (Summary of year 1857 as Commander of HMS Comus)] [1]; [7(January 1-19th, last days as Commander of HMS Comus)] [1] [92 (January 20th to 19th November as Commander of HMS Actaeon)] [4] [8 (Summary of year 1857 as Commander of HMS Actaeon)] [50]. Paper watermarked ‘1852’ ‘Fellows’.
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Price HK$ 130,000
Chinese Fairy Tales -
Phyllis Juby
1934 - Newspaper Enterprise, Hong Kong - First Editions
Four beautiful and fine little Fairy Tales bound in Chinese style, illustrated throughout ‘in the Chinese manner’ by her husband Hungarian (later South African) architect and pioneer film set designer Alesandro Sandor Konya. Housed in the publisher’s patterned purple silk case.
Includes:
The Mysterious Boat-Girl.
Hai and the Fairy Songster.
The Priest, The Moonmaid and The Fool's Magic.
The Stone Monkey.
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Price HK$ 8,000
1934 - Newspaper Enterprise, Hong Kong - First Editions
Four beautiful and fine little Fairy Tales bound in Chinese style, illustrated throughout ‘in the Chinese manner’ by her husband Hungarian (later South African) architect and pioneer film set designer Alesandro Sandor Konya. Housed in the publisher’s patterned purple silk case.Includes:
The Mysterious Boat-Girl.
Hai and the Fairy Songster.
The Priest, The Moonmaid and The Fool's Magic.
The Stone Monkey.
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Price HK$ 8,000
Culinary Jottings: A Treatise in Thirty Chapters on Reformed Cookery for Anglo-Indian Exiles -
Colonel Kenney-Herbert Wyvern
1885 - Higginbotham &, Madras - Fifth Edition
A scarce example of this popular cook book by ‘Wyvern’, expanded and revised from the first edition (’Culinary Jottings for Madras) published seven years earlier. All early editions are scarce because being a working cook book it is prone to all the usual issues that modern cookbooks are also in danger of, combined with the original cheap paper and glues used for its production in Madras.
With numerous chapters including two on ‘Our Curries’ and ‘Curries and Mulligatunny’, as well as ‘Camp Cookery’, ending with a fascinating essay about the British kitchens of India.
Recipes include helpful hints and advice, for example ‘Potted Prawns ought to be oftener seen at Madras than they are’ and suggestions on where to purchase the best potted meats, anecdotes (see ‘Mulligatunny’), a complete chapter titled ‘Notes on Curing of Meat’.
Published by legendary Indian book sellers Higginbotham’s, this work and other titles by ‘Wyvern’ ‘swept Higginbotham’s from being just a book establishment into becoming a part of India’s print and publishing history’ [Bangalore Mirror]
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Price HK$ 3,000
1885 - Higginbotham &, Madras - Fifth Edition
A scarce example of this popular cook book by ‘Wyvern’, expanded and revised from the first edition (’Culinary Jottings for Madras) published seven years earlier. All early editions are scarce because being a working cook book it is prone to all the usual issues that modern cookbooks are also in danger of, combined with the original cheap paper and glues used for its production in Madras.With numerous chapters including two on ‘Our Curries’ and ‘Curries and Mulligatunny’, as well as ‘Camp Cookery’, ending with a fascinating essay about the British kitchens of India.
Recipes include helpful hints and advice, for example ‘Potted Prawns ought to be oftener seen at Madras than they are’ and suggestions on where to purchase the best potted meats, anecdotes (see ‘Mulligatunny’), a complete chapter titled ‘Notes on Curing of Meat’.
Published by legendary Indian book sellers Higginbotham’s, this work and other titles by ‘Wyvern’ ‘swept Higginbotham’s from being just a book establishment into becoming a part of India’s print and publishing history’ [Bangalore Mirror]
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Price HK$ 3,000
An Account of the Kingdom of Nepaul -
William J. Kirkpatrick
1811 - Printed for William Miller by Bulmer &, London - First Edition
A beautiful first edition of the first major work on Nepal in English, illustrated with a large engraved folding map and fourteen engraved plates, including the hand-coloured plate of a Nepal ‘Khalidge’ Pheasant.
At the request of the Nepalese, Kirkpatrick was sent by the British to mediate between the Chinese and the Nepalese when the former attacked across Tibet and lay at the outskirts of Kathmandu. Kirkpatrick, the British officers who accompanied him, and his fellow officials were the first British to set foot in the secluded valley of Nepal.
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Price HK$ 24,000
1811 - Printed for William Miller by Bulmer &, London - First Edition
A beautiful first edition of the first major work on Nepal in English, illustrated with a large engraved folding map and fourteen engraved plates, including the hand-coloured plate of a Nepal ‘Khalidge’ Pheasant.At the request of the Nepalese, Kirkpatrick was sent by the British to mediate between the Chinese and the Nepalese when the former attacked across Tibet and lay at the outskirts of Kathmandu. Kirkpatrick, the British officers who accompanied him, and his fellow officials were the first British to set foot in the secluded valley of Nepal.
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Price HK$ 24,000