Asiana

Yokahama 1899. Gilt titled brown cloth. 12mo. 1st Edition. Illustrated with colour ( some fold- out ) and monochrome plates. The delicious depiction of 19th century Japanese prostitution, noted for its staggering coloured plates. Front cover detaching, rear cover starting with obvious prior repairs, 2 plates paginated incorrectly, Bottom half of Title Page ( just below copyright notice on verso ) has obviously been repaired/replaced with paper pastedown, Prologue - pages I and II was obviously, at sometime, trimmed short with loss of text which has been replaced with a paper pastedown inscribed in ink with the missing text. This transcription also runs over to the top of the TOC - page III. The is also a similar pastedown to the 3rd paragraph of page I with 5 words of text transcribed in ink.. Usual edgewear to one folding plate trimmed long ( not affecting image ) and edgewear to one monochrome plate trimmed - long resulting in crease to caption. Offset and darkening to Kappore No.1. Whew… Read More

London: Edward Stanford, 1875. First Edition . Hardcover. Good. Francis Frith photos. Rare 1st edition, of which the 1877 book 'The Northern Barrier of India' is an abridgement. Has 568 pp. incl. index; many illustrations including 4 Woodbury-types (an uncommon printing process which makes photographs seem very lucid and 3-dimensional); and in the rear, folding maps; a Snow Map, a Race Map, a Language Map, a Faith Map, a Political Map, chart of 3 Isometric Views, and a chart of 4 Vertical Sections. There is also a folding chart, 'Genealogy of the Rajas of Jummo', to accompany Appendix 6. The binding is 3/4 leather, very worn, and professionally rebacked. The original leather of the spine has been preserved; the title can barely be read. Marbled boards (matching endpapers) rubbed, bookplate on front pastedown. The brittle free endpapers are both breaking at the new hinges. The text is mostly very clean; there are a couple of fingerprints in the margin of the photo, 'Kashmiri… Read More

London: Church Missionary Society, 1902. Book. Very Good. Hardcover. First Edition. green,gilt dec. pict. cloth, gilt spine,all edges gilt, beveled edges, vii, 120 p., illustrated, frontis., numerous black & white half tone illustrations from photographs, map, patterned endpapers, an exceptionally bright,tight copy, Rev. John Batchelor was an English missionary who lived in Japan, and known for his work among the Ainu people, and his advocacy for them in Japan. He wrote concerning the Ainu language and culture during some sixty years among them. Once authoritative, and forever a key primary source on Ainu folklore, more recent studies have superseded his linguistic analyses. His ministry in Japan ceased when he left in 1941 due to the Second World War."The word Yezo if probably of Ainu origin.means abounding and game." The name "Yezo" has been changed to Hokkaido, a word of Chinese origin meaning "the northern sea circuit." Size: 8 Vo.,20 Cm.,.

(Japan: Sûzan Shobô, 1816. Bôsai, Kameda. Small quarto. (19)ff. A Japanese book of color woodblock prints by Kameda Bôsai (1754-1826), one of the leading painters of the Nanga or Bunjinga (literati) schools of painting. The seventeen full-page illustrations, five of which extend across the page spread, are landscapes depicting mountainous terrain, comprised of strong, black calligraphic lines with soft colors. Each includes descriptive text printed along the margins and the artist's stamp in red. The images are simple but poetic, expressing the artist's love of the natural world, with descriptions that translate as: "The refreshing sound of a mountain waterfall," "The intoxicating effect of river and mountains," "Solitary fisher on a wintry river," and "Jeweled mountains like sapphires and water like emerald," among others. With a preface and two closing notes. Working during the Edo period, Bôsai was recognized for his paintings, calligraphy, and book illustrations. In her book Block Printing… Read More

Tucson: University of Arizona Press 1967. (Hardcover) 541pp. Very good plus, no dust jacket. Mottled grey cloth. Map endpapers, abbreviations, bibliographies, glossary, table of transliteration, index. The spine is lightly faded. Book about K'ang Yu-Wei. Publisher series: Association for Asian Studies Monographs and Papers 23 . Translated and edited by Jung-Pang Lo. (Ideas, Authors--China).

1780 Japanese Chinese Language Dictionary Mori Teisai 5v Woodblock Print

An interesting Edo woodblock-print of a Chinese Dictionary titled 'An Enlargement of All and Four Voices.' The Chinese Dictionary is used as a means of expanding the linguistic pursuits of the Japanese in the 1700s originally published in 1736. The book is organized by typical Chinese year symbols of dragon, snake, and others.

This rare 1780 edition is written in a column handwritten format with furigana usage for easier reading!

Item number: #10793
Price: $750
TEISAI, Mori
Chinese Dicitonary (zōzoku dai kōekikai gyokuhen taizen) (増続大広益会玉篇大全) (ぞうぞくだいこうえきかいぎょくへんたいぜん)
Ichibei Torikai [5 others], Anei 9 [1780].

Details:
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Collation: Complete with all pages; 5 volumes
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Language: Japanese
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Binding: Softcover; tight & secure
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Size: ~9in X 6.25in (23cm x 16cm)
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Quite rare
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Japan, 1920. Very Good Mounted Poster. Very Good. Minor repair at top left corner; minor creasing repaired in mounting; near fine. The left side says the performance will begin on xx month xx day but the number for the month and day is blank. The bottom white space would have shown the venue and is not completed. . A theatrical advertisement in the style of ukiyo-e for a Bunraku or Kabuki rendition of the 47 Ronin, the story of loyal former samurai who plot revenge for their wronged daimyo lord. Color lithograph poster professionally mounted on linen. 108.3 by 78.3 cm (42.75 by 30.75 inches) Background Information: The historical event, known as the Ako incident, took place in the early years of the 18th century but quickly became the stuff of legend. The story goes that Asano Naganori, lord of Ako, was requested to help carry out certain duties at the shogun's court. Kira, a court official, was assigned to instruct Asano in court etiquette, but treated him with such open contempt that the… Read More

Very good to Fine, very few signs of wear apart from a small (shelf?) smudge on one bottom edge.

Copperplate engraving. A very good and crisp impression.


A detailed plan of Batavia, (Jakarta), Indonesia. The lettered and numbered legend indicates the principal buildings including churches, market area, warehouses, castle as well as waterways. The Dutch emblematic lion with sword and shield lower right. Batavia was built by the Dutch in 1619 to establish their colonial power as the Dutch East India Company (VOC).

London: William H. Allen, 1839. First edition. Quarto (12 1/8 x 9 1/2 inches; 307 x 245 mm). lx, 518, [1, eratta], [1, blank] pp. With nine engraved plates including frontispiece by W.F. Sterling after F. Mackenzie from original sketches by Colonel Hunter Blair,. Numerous vignette engravings within the text. With half-title. Newer half green straight-grain morocco over marbled boards. Spine stamped lettered and stamped in gilt, with elephant motif. Edges dyed brown. Some minor offsetting from plates. Newer endpapers. Some previous owner's neat marginalia throughout, some in red and blue pencil, some in neat old ink and some in pencil. Still very clean inside. Overall very good. Lieu-Col. James Tod was an "army and political officer in India... Appointed on 29 May 1800 lieutenant in the 14th Bengal infantry, he went up country; in 1801, when stationed at Delhi, he was ordered to survey an old canal in the neighbourhood. In 1805 he was attached to the escort sent with his friend Graeme Mercer, envoy… Read More

1699 CHINA Memoirs of Le Comte Chinese Rites Confucius Mandarin Mathematics
The history of China has always been one of the most popular discussions of western culture and was a regular occurring topic of authors from the 16th- 18th-centuries. One of the most important examples of Chinese history was written by Louis Le Comte, a French Jesuit who wrote this work on his mission to China in 1688. This work, 'Memoirs and Observations', created a huge debate within the Chinese Rites Controversy.
This work covers various Chinese empires and kingdoms including the K'ang His and Kangxi, Chinese astrology and star gazing, Zodiac and mythology, Chinese boats, Mandarin costumes, mechanical inventions, and establishment of Christianity in China.
While these contents are important, the most desirable aspect of this book is the section devoted to Confucius and his teaching. A highly desirable work with fascinating contents that includes full-page and folding engravings!
Item number: #19473
Price: $950
LeCOMTE,… Read More

1860 Victories & Defeats of TATARS Japanese China Sea Ming Opium Taiping Wars

A rare, 19th century Japanese woodblock print of "Dattan shōhaiki". Dattan shōhaiki is a chronicle of the Tatars, any member of Turkic-speaking peoples that collectively numbered more than 5 million in the late 20th century, specifically around the restoration of the Ming Dynasty paying attention to the request for British help for the Qing and the effects and causes of the Opium and Taiping Wars.
This rare chronicle
is written in a column format with furigana for easier reading and includes illustrations of Chinese warriors, duels, siege battles, sea battles, ships, scenery and more!
Item number: #18546
Price: $950
Utagawa Kuniyoshi
Chronicle of the Victories and Defeats of the Tatars (Dattan shōhai-ki) 韃靼勝敗記（だったんしょうはいき）
[Japan: 1860]

Details:

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Collation: Complete with all pages; 5 volumes
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Illustrated throughout
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References:
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Iwanami, Kokusho So Mokuroku… Read More

London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1884. First Edition. First English book on Oriental rugs. Octavo, 11 lithographic plates including frontispiece, one in colour, folding map, four pages of publishers' advertisements; bound in olive green cloth, gilt-decorated pictorial boards with black lettering, an excellent copy of the first edition.

London: J. Murray / The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London, 1866. SCARCE pp. 128-156 (33 pages) with fold-out map - "The City of Peking from a Survey by Capt. Bouvier , of the French Engineers 1862" , . The map is Near Fine, 1" tear at right edge. In original dark blue cloth boards, gilt lettering at spine, Very Good, the boards stained and soiled, toning at end papers, German bookseller's small ticket and prior owner name front paste down. . First Printing. Cloth. Very Good/No Jacket, As Issued. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

London: George Allen & Unwin, 1948. Revised edition. Hard cover in original cloth. Published London: George Allen & Unwin, 1948. 8vo., xxi+380pp., numerous plate illustrations, color fold-out map at rear. Red cloth with gilt titles. Mild age toning to some sheets, else fine, crisp. . Hard. Near Fine/No Jacket. 8vo.