SHELF SELECTIONS
Superb set of the
two great works on China translated and published
by John Ogilby, noteworthy not only for text,
bringing notice of the mysteries of the East to
English readers, but for the magnificent engraved
illustrations and plates. The Atlas Chinensis is
particularly choice, with contents very clean and
the plate impressions crisp.
With the bookplates of Alexander Dewey Calhoun, and the earlier armorial bookplates of Leeds; Calhoun, Shanghai, is written on Atlas Chinensis front pastedown. Calhoun was a banker in Shanghai in the 1920’s, and the books have remained in the family until we aquired them.
Ogilby's China 1671 & 1673 - Consisting of John Ogilby's translations of :-
- Jan Nieuhoff - An Embassy from the East-India Company of the United Provinces, to the Grand Tartar Cham Emperor of China, Delivered by their Excellencies Peter De Goyer, and Jacob De Keyser, at his imperial City of Peking. Wherein the Cities, Towns, Villages, Ports, Rivers, &c. in their Passages from Canton to Peking, are Ingeniously Describ'd by Mr. John Nieuhoff, Steward to the Ambassadors. Also, An Epistle of Father John Adams, their Antagonist, concerning the whole Negotiation. With an Appendix of several Remarks taken out of Father Athanasius Kircher. Translated by John Ogilby. [2], 431 pp. With added pictorial title-page (signed in the plate by Wenceslaus Hollar) & 17 copper-engraved plates; double-page plan of Canton; double-page map of China; 94 copper-engravings in the text. Second Edition in English.
- Montanus, Arnoldus. Atlas Chinensis: Being a Second Part of a Relation of Remarkable Passages in Two Embassies from the East-India Company of the United Provinces, to the Vice-Roy Singlamong and General Taising Lipovi, and to Konchi, Emperor of China and East Tartary… [4], 723 pp. With added copper-engraved title; double-page copper-engraved map of China; 38 copper-engraved plates, 32 of them double-page; 57 copper-engraved illustrations in the test. First Edition in English.
Originally issued separately, but here uniformly bound and issued as a set, with spines gilt-stamped Ogilby’s China, Vol. I & Vol. II. (Folio), 16½x10¼, late 19th/early 20th century half calf & marbled boards, spines gilt, raised bands.
All the plates called for in the list at front are present, and also the general map of China, but some copies seem to have been issued with an additional map, though there are no signs of ir ever having been bound into the present copy. Cox. I, pp.325-326; Wing N1153 & M2484.
Condition : Minor rubbing to covers, spines a little faded and dry, some scuffing, ends chipped; the Nieuhoff with some mild marginal darkening and occasional minor soiling or spotting; Atlas Chinensis with one plate slightly discolored, a few leaves with marginal loss not affecting text; both have a few plates with ill-creases, several with short marginal splits at centerfold; very good to fine condition, rarely found so nice, large and full-margined.
HK$ SOLD
With the bookplates of Alexander Dewey Calhoun, and the earlier armorial bookplates of Leeds; Calhoun, Shanghai, is written on Atlas Chinensis front pastedown. Calhoun was a banker in Shanghai in the 1920’s, and the books have remained in the family until we aquired them.
Ogilby's China 1671 & 1673 - Consisting of John Ogilby's translations of :-
- Jan Nieuhoff - An Embassy from the East-India Company of the United Provinces, to the Grand Tartar Cham Emperor of China, Delivered by their Excellencies Peter De Goyer, and Jacob De Keyser, at his imperial City of Peking. Wherein the Cities, Towns, Villages, Ports, Rivers, &c. in their Passages from Canton to Peking, are Ingeniously Describ'd by Mr. John Nieuhoff, Steward to the Ambassadors. Also, An Epistle of Father John Adams, their Antagonist, concerning the whole Negotiation. With an Appendix of several Remarks taken out of Father Athanasius Kircher. Translated by John Ogilby. [2], 431 pp. With added pictorial title-page (signed in the plate by Wenceslaus Hollar) & 17 copper-engraved plates; double-page plan of Canton; double-page map of China; 94 copper-engravings in the text. Second Edition in English.
- Montanus, Arnoldus. Atlas Chinensis: Being a Second Part of a Relation of Remarkable Passages in Two Embassies from the East-India Company of the United Provinces, to the Vice-Roy Singlamong and General Taising Lipovi, and to Konchi, Emperor of China and East Tartary… [4], 723 pp. With added copper-engraved title; double-page copper-engraved map of China; 38 copper-engraved plates, 32 of them double-page; 57 copper-engraved illustrations in the test. First Edition in English.
Originally issued separately, but here uniformly bound and issued as a set, with spines gilt-stamped Ogilby’s China, Vol. I & Vol. II. (Folio), 16½x10¼, late 19th/early 20th century half calf & marbled boards, spines gilt, raised bands.
All the plates called for in the list at front are present, and also the general map of China, but some copies seem to have been issued with an additional map, though there are no signs of ir ever having been bound into the present copy. Cox. I, pp.325-326; Wing N1153 & M2484.
Condition : Minor rubbing to covers, spines a little faded and dry, some scuffing, ends chipped; the Nieuhoff with some mild marginal darkening and occasional minor soiling or spotting; Atlas Chinensis with one plate slightly discolored, a few leaves with marginal loss not affecting text; both have a few plates with ill-creases, several with short marginal splits at centerfold; very good to fine condition, rarely found so nice, large and full-margined.
HK$ SOLD
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Journal of the
Proceedings of the late Embassy to China;
comprising a correct narrative of the public
transactions of the embassy, of the Voyage to and
from China, and of the journey from the mouth of
the Pei-Ho to the return to Canton.
Henry Ellis - 1818 - Published by John Murray, London.
Second edition in 2 volumes; 8vo. A superb set in English half calf with four wide gilt ribs, floral gilt rolls to spine, large gilt centre tools incorporating four ‘drawer handle’ devices, author’s name gilt lettered to date panel, marbled boards and end papers. Complete with 2 folding maps.
This edition was issued one year after the first and carries some minor corrections and a new three page preface by the author.
“Account of the events and adventures surrounding the Earl Amherst's embassy to China in 1816, sent out by King George III to protest ill-treatment of British subjects. Sir Henry Ellis, a noted diplomat and historian, served as the third commissioner, and, as Hill describes, "Unfortunately this honor was short-lived. Amherst and his retinue were sent home in disgrace after he refused to "kow-tow" (nine strikings of the forehead on the ground) at his presentation to the Emperor Khien Lung in Peking. As if this humiliation was not enough, their ship, the Alceste, was wrecked off the coast of Sumatra on the return voyage. Happily, all hands survived, and another ship was found to carry them home again. On the return voyage the ship stopped at St. Helena; included in the text is Sir Henry's interview with Napoleon Bonaparte. On the journey out, the Alceste had visited Madeira, Rio de Janeiro, Cape Town, Java, and Macao."
Abbey, Travel, 536; Hill, Pacific Voyages, p.413; Tooley 208.
Condition: Joints worn but holding tight; light general rubbing; very occasional and sparse foxing. A crisp, sound copy.
HK$9,200.- Terms & Conditions
Henry Ellis - 1818 - Published by John Murray, London.
Second edition in 2 volumes; 8vo. A superb set in English half calf with four wide gilt ribs, floral gilt rolls to spine, large gilt centre tools incorporating four ‘drawer handle’ devices, author’s name gilt lettered to date panel, marbled boards and end papers. Complete with 2 folding maps.
This edition was issued one year after the first and carries some minor corrections and a new three page preface by the author.
“Account of the events and adventures surrounding the Earl Amherst's embassy to China in 1816, sent out by King George III to protest ill-treatment of British subjects. Sir Henry Ellis, a noted diplomat and historian, served as the third commissioner, and, as Hill describes, "Unfortunately this honor was short-lived. Amherst and his retinue were sent home in disgrace after he refused to "kow-tow" (nine strikings of the forehead on the ground) at his presentation to the Emperor Khien Lung in Peking. As if this humiliation was not enough, their ship, the Alceste, was wrecked off the coast of Sumatra on the return voyage. Happily, all hands survived, and another ship was found to carry them home again. On the return voyage the ship stopped at St. Helena; included in the text is Sir Henry's interview with Napoleon Bonaparte. On the journey out, the Alceste had visited Madeira, Rio de Janeiro, Cape Town, Java, and Macao."
Abbey, Travel, 536; Hill, Pacific Voyages, p.413; Tooley 208.
Condition: Joints worn but holding tight; light general rubbing; very occasional and sparse foxing. A crisp, sound copy.
HK$9,200.- Terms & Conditions
An
Authentic Account of an embassy from the King of
Great Britain to the Emperor of China.
Sir George Staunton & The Earl of Macartney - 1797 - Printed by Bulmer for Nicol - London
First edition, two volumes. Bound in modern half morocco.
"An account of the first British embassy to China, under Lord Macartney (q.v.). Great Britain was anxious to establish formal diplomatic relations with China and thus open the way for unimpeded trade relations, but centuries of Chinese reserve and self-sufficiency presented a formidable obstacle to the embassy, and the Chinese emperor effectually resisted Lord Macartney’s arguments and gifts. The visit of the British embassy nonetheless resulted in this remarkable account of Chinese manners and customs at the close of the eighteenth century, which was prepared at government expense." (Hill).
Condition: Gently foxed, stain to rear of frontispiece to volume I. soiling and shelf wear; inked code on front free endpaper in each volume; else near fine. Note: Does not include the folio volume of additional plates.
$9,000.- Terms & Conditions
Sir George Staunton & The Earl of Macartney - 1797 - Printed by Bulmer for Nicol - London
First edition, two volumes. Bound in modern half morocco.
"An account of the first British embassy to China, under Lord Macartney (q.v.). Great Britain was anxious to establish formal diplomatic relations with China and thus open the way for unimpeded trade relations, but centuries of Chinese reserve and self-sufficiency presented a formidable obstacle to the embassy, and the Chinese emperor effectually resisted Lord Macartney’s arguments and gifts. The visit of the British embassy nonetheless resulted in this remarkable account of Chinese manners and customs at the close of the eighteenth century, which was prepared at government expense." (Hill).
Condition: Gently foxed, stain to rear of frontispiece to volume I. soiling and shelf wear; inked code on front free endpaper in each volume; else near fine. Note: Does not include the folio volume of additional plates.
$9,000.- Terms & Conditions
China