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Mr. Philip D. Burden
P.O. Box 863,
Chalfont St. Giles, Bucks HP6 9HD,
UNITED KINGDOM
Tel: +44 (0) 1494 76 33 13
Email: enquiries@caburden.com
The first edition in English of Jan Nieuhoff’s (1640-1672) important account of the Dutch East India company’s embassy to the Emperor Chun Chi in Peking. It was first published as ‘Gesandshap der Neederlandische Oost-Indische Compagnie aen den grooten Tartarischen Cham, den Keyzer von China’ in Amsterdam 1665. Its aim was to encourage the Emperor to allow the Company access to the Chinese ports for trade. The mission was headed by Pieter van Goyer and Jacob de Keyser and Nieuhoff was a steward. The voyage was unsuccessful. The work described the customs and manners of the Chinese, the second part or Appendix described the Chinese Empire. The numerous illustrations depict town views in China, Tibet and Tartary, costumes and various natural history subjects. John Ogilby’s translation also draws upon Kircher’s ‘China Monumentis’ and provided the English with reliable information about the Chinese empire. Provenance: Sir Roger Twisden, Bart (bookplate). Cox I p. 325; Cordier Sinica 2347; ESTC R9298; Howgego N25; Lust 536.
NIEUHOFF, Jan
An Embassy from the East-India Company of the United Provinces, to the Grand Tartar Cham Emperour of China
John Macock for the Author John Ogilby, London, 1669
FIRST ENGLISH EDITION. Folio (415 x 280 mm.), full contemporary mottled calf, blind panelled, rebacked preserving original spine, recornered, upper joint splitting, rubbed. With engraved portrait frontispiece of John Ogilby with small tear, additional engraved title by Wenceslaus Hollar dated 1668, printed title in red and black with small tear, dedication to Charles II, engraved double-page map by Hollar, unsigned double-page plan of Canton and 19 plates, 121 engraved illustrations in text, engraved initials and head-pieces, pp. (4), 327; 18; (2), 106. p. 265 small tear, part 3 Aa1 with small tear, otherwise a generally good example complete with 8 blank endpapers.
Stock number: 7810
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