You searched for: Sir Thomas Stamford and Sophia Raffles, Sophia Raffles
The History of Java - with - Memoir of the Life and Public Services of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles - together with the folio atlas – Plates to Raffles History of Java -
Sir Thomas Stamford and Sophia Raffles, Sophia Raffles
1830 - John Murray, London - Second Editions
A very rare and near fine set of the two most comprehensive works on the history of Indonesia and Singapore in the publisher’s uniform cloth bindings including the folio atlas, nearly all of which were apparently remaindered by the publisher Henry Bohn, who then reissued them separately [Abbey Travel].
The folio Atlas contains all seventy-two engravings originally in the first edition of ‘History of Java’ and together with twenty-two additional plates, not originally included. Those illustrations include a large (114x44cm) folding map ‘Map of Java’ with inset ‘Mineralogical Sketch of the Island of Java’ and an engraved map of the ‘Countries referred to in the Brata Yud’ha &c’ and ten finely hand coloured aquatint costume plates engraved by William Daniell who visited the island in 1785 and 1793.
The ‘Memoir’ is illustrated with an engraved frontispiece, a folding map of ‘The Island of Singapore’, and a larger folding ‘Map of the Indian Archipelago’, a large folding facsimile of a letter from Raffles to Thomas Horsfield, and five folding aquatint lithograph plates, four of which are by William Daniell, made during his two visits to Java.
Raffles ‘History of Java’ is a magnificent survey of the customs, dress, language, religion, culture, and history of the Javanese people as written by Thomas Stamford Raffles, British colonial agent cum Imperial statesman and later founder of modern Singapore. ‘The marriage of a scientifically original text with beautiful illustrations by an accomplished aquatint engraver resulted in a book about Indonesia of outstanding quality; indeed a masterpiece.’ [Bastin and Brommer]
Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles (1781-1826) ‘was interested in every aspect of his subject, and devotes whole sections to Javan ethics, literature, poetry, music and musical instruments, drama, games of skill and methods of hunting, besides the more ordinary matters of interest, population, natural history, religion, antiquities, and the military system. At the end of the second volume a hundred and fifty pages are given up to the comparative vocabularies of Java and the neighbouring islands, and the whole is a unique monument erected by a great ruler to those over whom he rules, and incidentally, to his own honour, stands very high in its own class and the aquatint plates are full of interest’ [Prideaux]
‘During his last voyage back to England, the ship of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles (1781–1826) caught fire, consuming many of the papers from which future biographers might have worked. When he died two years later, the task of sifting through the surviving materials and recording his life and career fell to his widow Sophia (1786–1858). Her substantial biography, remains an essential source of information about one of the key figures of British colonialism in the East Indies. At the centre of the book, interspersed with many of her husband's letters, is Raffles' struggle against his Dutch opponents, with whom he clashed on ideological grounds - he noted with distaste their mistreatment of the local population and their advocacy of slavery. It was this rivalry which convinced Raffles to found Singapore as a trading post’. [CUP]
More details
Price HK$ 48,000
1830 - John Murray, London - Second Editions
A very rare and near fine set of the two most comprehensive works on the history of Indonesia and Singapore in the publisher’s uniform cloth bindings including the folio atlas, nearly all of which were apparently remaindered by the publisher Henry Bohn, who then reissued them separately [Abbey Travel].The folio Atlas contains all seventy-two engravings originally in the first edition of ‘History of Java’ and together with twenty-two additional plates, not originally included. Those illustrations include a large (114x44cm) folding map ‘Map of Java’ with inset ‘Mineralogical Sketch of the Island of Java’ and an engraved map of the ‘Countries referred to in the Brata Yud’ha &c’ and ten finely hand coloured aquatint costume plates engraved by William Daniell who visited the island in 1785 and 1793.
The ‘Memoir’ is illustrated with an engraved frontispiece, a folding map of ‘The Island of Singapore’, and a larger folding ‘Map of the Indian Archipelago’, a large folding facsimile of a letter from Raffles to Thomas Horsfield, and five folding aquatint lithograph plates, four of which are by William Daniell, made during his two visits to Java.
Raffles ‘History of Java’ is a magnificent survey of the customs, dress, language, religion, culture, and history of the Javanese people as written by Thomas Stamford Raffles, British colonial agent cum Imperial statesman and later founder of modern Singapore. ‘The marriage of a scientifically original text with beautiful illustrations by an accomplished aquatint engraver resulted in a book about Indonesia of outstanding quality; indeed a masterpiece.’ [Bastin and Brommer]
Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles (1781-1826) ‘was interested in every aspect of his subject, and devotes whole sections to Javan ethics, literature, poetry, music and musical instruments, drama, games of skill and methods of hunting, besides the more ordinary matters of interest, population, natural history, religion, antiquities, and the military system. At the end of the second volume a hundred and fifty pages are given up to the comparative vocabularies of Java and the neighbouring islands, and the whole is a unique monument erected by a great ruler to those over whom he rules, and incidentally, to his own honour, stands very high in its own class and the aquatint plates are full of interest’ [Prideaux]
‘During his last voyage back to England, the ship of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles (1781–1826) caught fire, consuming many of the papers from which future biographers might have worked. When he died two years later, the task of sifting through the surviving materials and recording his life and career fell to his widow Sophia (1786–1858). Her substantial biography, remains an essential source of information about one of the key figures of British colonialism in the East Indies. At the centre of the book, interspersed with many of her husband's letters, is Raffles' struggle against his Dutch opponents, with whom he clashed on ideological grounds - he noted with distaste their mistreatment of the local population and their advocacy of slavery. It was this rivalry which convinced Raffles to found Singapore as a trading post’. [CUP]
More details
Price HK$ 48,000