2

First edition with a consecutive numbering of pages of Du Bellay’s Works, extremely rare in its beautiful contemporary morocco binding.

Paris, 1574.

DU BELLAY, Joachim. Les Œuvres françaises de Joachim du Bellay. Reveues, & de nouveau augmentées de

plusieurs Poésies non encore auparavant imprimées. Au Roy Treschrestien

Charles IX.

Paris, Federic Morel, 1574. 17 500 € / 156 700 HKD

8vo [161 x 100 mm] of (12) ll., 559 ll., 1 l. of privilege. Full red morocco, double gilt

fillet on the covers, spine ribbed and decorated with double gilt fillets in the panels,

mottled edges. Contemporary binding.

FIRST EDITION WITH A CONSECUTIVE NUMBERING OF PAGES FOLLOWED BY DU BELLAY‟S

WORKS, WITH A RELAY TITLE DATED 1574; THIS IS ALSO THE FIRST ONE MENTIONED BY

BRUNET (Manuel du Libraire et de l‟amateur de livres, I, 749).

EACH OF DU BELLAY‟S MASTER-PIECES PRECEDED WITH A DEDICATED TITLE IS

DECORATED WITH A LARGE ENGRAVED STRING WITH RENAISSANCE PATTERNS AND WITH

A LARGE HISTORIATED INITIAL.

A VERY SEDUCING COPY PRESERVED IN A SUPERB CONTEMPORARY RED MOROCCO

BINDING, VERY ELEGANT.

THE ONLY TWO COPIES MENTIONED BY BRUNET AND TCHEMERZINE ARE THE Nodier

COPY in morocco AND THE Garcia ONE in morocco by Trautz-Bauzonnet.

The illustrated account of Léry’s travel to Brazil. Precious copy preserved with the large folding plate in its contemporary vellum binding.

LERY. Jean de. Histoire d‟un voyage fait en la terre du Brésil, Autrement dite Amérique. Contenant la navigation, et choses remarquables vues sur mer par l‟autheur. Le comportement de Villegagnon en ce pays-là. Les mœurs & façons de vivre estranges des Sauvages Ameriquains : avec un Colloque de leur langage. Ensemble la description de plusieurs Animaux, Arbres, Herbes, & autres choses singulieres, & du tout inconnues par deçà […]. Reveue, corrigée et bien augmentée en cette troisième Edition, tant de figures, qu‟autres choses notables sur le sujet de l‟autheur. N. p. [Geneva], pour les héritiers d‟Eustache Vignon, 1594. 16 500 € / 147 700 HKD

8vo [180 x 105 mm] of (22) ll., 382 pp., (6) ll., 8

full-page plates and 1 large folding plate out of

pagination, restoration in the white margin of the

title page, not affecting the text, a few ll. slightly

foxed. Contemporary overlapping limp vellum,

flat spine with handwritten title lenghtwise,

mottled edges. Contemporary binding.

THE ILLUSTRATED ACCOUNT OF LERY‟S TRAVEL

TO BRAZIL IN 1556. HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST

PROTESTANT COLONIZERS IN THIS COUNTRY.

THE VERY INTERESTING ILLUSTRATION CONSISTS

OF 9 FULL-PAGE WOODCUTS, INCLUDING A

FOLDING ONE. THE COPY IS COMPLETE WITH THE

EXTREMELY RARE LARGE FOLDING PLATE, WHICH

IS PUBLISHED HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME (240 x

194 mm). BIBLIOGRAPHERS ALL INSIST ON THE

RARITY OF THIS PLATE.

A PRECIOUS WIDE-MARGINED COPY (height: 180 mm) PRESERVED IN ITS ORIGINAL OVERLAPPING LIMP VELLUM BINDING.

1

2

3

Noël Du Fail, Rabelais’s disciple.

A magnificent, wide-margined copy, perfectly preserved

in its fine contemporary vellum binding.

Rennes, 1597. DU FAIL, Noël. Les Contes et discours d‟Eutrapel.

Rennes, pour Noël Glamet de Quinpercorentin, 1597. 11 000 € / 98 500 HKD

8vo [171 x 106 mm] of (4) ll., 223 (there is a gap in the page numbering from 137 to 141 without loss), (1) l., small

wormhole in the margin of the 3 last ll. not touching the text. Bound in

limp gilt vellum, gilt fillet around the covers, central medallion with a

pattern of leaves, flat spine decorated, remains of ties, gilt edges.

Contemporary binding.

VERY RARE EDITION OF THE “CONTES ET DISCOURS D‟EUTRAPEL”, A

FINE REPRINT OF THE FIRST EDITION OF 1585.

Tchemerzine, III, 110; Brunet, II, 1164.

Noël du Fail, seigneur de La Herissaye, country gentleman (“from the

Champagne area”) was born towards 1520 at the manor of Château-

Letard, near Rennes.

It is from his mischievous work that came all his glory.

“The thirteen „Propos rustiques‟, published in Lyons in 1547, report

the conversations and stories of 4 old fellows, Anselme, Pasquier,

Huguet and Lubin who, on festive village days, converse apart lying

under a large oak, while the youth frolic about before their gaze. They

will talk about old days, absentees and evenings; about the way

friendships are turning out; absentees they knew; local quarrels

between Flameaux and Vindelles. A good example of country realism.

The praise of rustic life is fed by Caton, by Pline and Cicero; by Virgil

and Horace. Though the content of the talk seems captured like a fly

on the wall, it has a literary form. And the realistic flavour of those

peasantries, which owe a lot to Rabelais, but by analogies of

vocabulary, is not wasted by it.”

As soon as 1548, the five Baliverneries, ou contes nouveaux d‟Eutrapel present the meetings of Eutrapel with his

friends Polygame and Lupold. Accommodating and mocking, Eutrapel is a happy drinker who is a reflection of

Panurge. A Rabelaisian philosophy emanates from the book, against those who want to “transform their nature”. But

those tales are only pastiches of Pantagruel.

Here are the three fellows of the Baliverneries, of which we find the arguments in the present work: a personal

collection of Lessons and Examples, matching the country philosopher (Eutrapel) against the socialite (Polygame) and

against the businessman (Lupold). Rabelais‟ influence fades out, despite clear marks: the propos de marier Eutrapel

(29) recalls the Tiers Livre.

“Du Fail often takes up his anecdotes to the common fund of storytellers, his abundant quotes from classic or sacred

texts, as well as popular songs. But his talent matured, he now gives to his sayings a large variety of subjects: justice or

the gout, music or the love of oneself, without mentioning the digressions. Finally, the work abounds in precious

documentary indications.”

“Those spiritually written tales are very realistic and contain some spiciness satires. They are presented as dialogues

between Noël du Fail, François du Fail, his brother, and Colin Briand, his professor”. (Rahir, La Bibliothèque de

l‟amateur, n°1331).

A MAGNIFICENT WIDE-MARGINED COPY, PERFECTLY PRESERVED IN ITS FINE CONTEMPORARY LIMP VELLUM BINDING.

Provenance: major Croissandeau‟s collection (1929, n°23) and Roux-Spitz (1977, n°44). Typographic ex libris: L.

Maurel.

3

4

The Letters written from China and the account of the Jesuit missions in Japan by the missionary Nicolas Trigault (1557-1628).

Augsburg, 1615.

TRIGAULT, Père Nicolas. Litterae Societatis Iesu e regno sinarum Annorum MDCX & XI...

Augsburg, Christoph Mangius, 1615.

- [Bound with] : Rei Christianae apudiaponios commentaries Ex litteris annuis Societatis Iesu annorum 1609,

1610, 1611, 1612…

Augsburg, Christoph Mangius, 1615.

11 500 € / 102 900 HKD

12mo [155 x 94 mm] of: I/ (4) ll., 294 pp., (1) bl.l., 1 folding

map; II/ (6) ll., (2) bl.ll., 298 pp. wrongly numbered 296, (1)

l., library stamp on the back of the title.

Stiff vellum binding, remains of ties, flat spine with

handwritten title, blue edges. Contemporary binding.

I / RARE SECOND LATIN EDITION OF « Two Letters from China

from 1610 and 1611 » BY THE MISSIONARY Nicolas Trigault

(1557-1628) ON HIS JOURNEY TO CHINA,

The original edition had been published in Italian in 1615

and the first Latin in 1615 in Antwerp (with an approval

dated Antwerp, May 2, 1615). The latter was followed very

closely by the second Latin edition, which has an approval

from July 25, 1615.

THIS LAST BOOK IS ONE OF THE FIRST DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS

OF CHINA, WHOSE FIRST PART IS DEDICATED TO GEOGRAPHY,

POLITICAL ORGANIZATION, EDUCATION, TRADE, ETC. The

other four parts are each assigned to the different cities.

This important work achieved great success, prompting

reeditions and translations: it gave a decisive impetus to

sinological studies.

Trigault joined the Jesuit mission in China in 1610. On his

return to Europe in 1613, he published these two letters

"della Cina del 1610 e del 1611". Written at the request of

his superior, these two letters describe "the need to respect

Chinese ways of dealing with foreigners, the contrast

between the peace and order in China and the turbulence in

Japan, and the desirability of making China into an

independent province of the Society "(Lach).

THE PRESENT WORK IS ILLUSTRATED WITH A FOLDING MAP OF

THE BEIJING PALACE CONVERTED TO A CHAPEL BY THE

JESUITS SHOWING THE TOMB OF RICCI

II/ FIRST EDITION OF TRIGAULT‟S RARE ACCOUNT OF THE

JESUIT MISSIONS IN JAPAN.

The letters cover a pivotal moment in the Japanese history of

the Jesuits, who were desperately trying to avert conflict

with Japan's new ruler, the Tokugawa shogun.

PRECIOUS COPY PRESERVED IN ITS CONTEMPORARY VELLUM

BINDING.

4

5

Mercator’s famous atlas printed in Amsterdam in 1623,

illustrated with 162 engravings, most of them on double-page, all of them finely contemporary watercolored.

MERCATOR, Gerardus. Atlas sive cosmographicae meditationes de fabrica mundi et fabricati figura. Amsterdam, Henrici Hondij, 1623.

140 000 € / 1 253 000 HKD

Large folio [450 x 300 mm] of (11) ll. including the engraved title and the double page plate presenting the

portraits of Mercator and Hondius, 374 pp., 18 ll., 156 maps on double-page. Text in Latin. Some foxing. Later

brown calf, blind-stamped fillet on the covers, spine ribbed.

SUPERB ATLAS BY

MERCATOR PRINTED IN

AMSTERDAM IN 1623

COMPOSED OF AN

ENGRAVED TITLE, A

DOUBLE-PAGE PLATE

REPRESENTING

MERCATOR AND

HONDIUS AT THEIR

WORK TABLE, OF FOUR

ENGRAVED TITLES AND

OF 156 ENGRAVED

MAPS, EACH OF THEM

CONTEMPORARY

WATERCOLOURED.

Brunet, III, 1644 ;

Koeman Me 27 A ;

Sabin 47882 ; Graesse,

Trésor de livres rares,

494.

BESIDES IT IS HERE THE

VERY FIRST TRUE

“ATLAS” – TERM

CHOSEN BY GÉRARD

MERCATOR himself to

refer to a collection of

maps, and which will only be adopted later by all geographers.

MERCATOR, THE GREATEST NAME OF OF 16TH

CENTURY CARTOGRAPHY, IS ALSO CONSIDERED AS THE GREATEST

CARTOGRAPHER OF ALL TIMES WITH PTOLEMY. His friend, Abraham Ortelius described Mercator as being the

“contemporary Ptolemy”.

In the end, Mercator did not live long enough to see his work finished and printed and it is his son Rumold who

took charge of the publication.

“Contrary to the maps in Abraham Ortelius‟s Theatrum orbis terrarium, Antwerp 1570, Mercator‟s maps are

original. Abraham Ortelius did what most of the atlas-makers of our time are engaged in: the reduction and

generalisation of already existing maps. Gerard Mercator, with his sense of scientific word (which should be

original and new) checked the current knowledge of the configuration of the earth‟s topography against its

fundamental sources and drew new maps in his original conception. This method of map-making took more time

than it would have by mere copying. But he had not the intention to compete with Ortelius‟s best -selling atlas”.

Koeman.

A PRECIOUS WIDE-MARGINED COPY, ILLUSTRATED WITH 162 ENGRAVINGS, MOST OF THEM ON DOUBLE-PAGE,

ENTIRELY CONTEMPORARY WATERCOLOURED.

“A copy with colored maps 108 fr. de Sacy” mentions Brunet, a considerable price for the time.

5

2

6

First edition of the utmost rarity regarding the missions to China in 1624 and to Tibet in 1626.

(Annual letter from Tibet and China for the 1626 and 1624 years) [ANDRADE, Antonio]. Lettere annue del Tibet del 1626 e della Cina del 1624. Scritte al M.R. P. Mutio Vitelleschi Genarale della Compagnia di Giesu. Roma, Francesco Corbelletti, 1628. 9 500 € / 85 000 HKD

8vo [148 x 96 mm] of 130 pp. A few foxing, binding from the last century in full ivory

vellum, red edges.

FIRST EDITION OF THE UTMOST RARITY OF THESE TWO ACCOUNTS OF THE YEARS

1624 AND 1626 REGARDING CHINA AND TIBET.

“Antoine de Andrade, was a Portuguese born towards 1580. He joined the

Compagnia very young, and is distinguishable by his tireless zeal, in the Indian

and Tartar missions. GEOGRAPHY OWES HIM AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY: HE

ENTERED TIBET IN 1624. Back in Goa, his superiors employed him in various

important matters. He died poisoned on March 16th 1634.”

(Bibliothèque des écrivains de la Compagnie de Jésus, 1853, p. 16).

This “letter from Tibet” recounts Father Andrade‟s second travel to Tibet, in

1625-1626. He started his trip from Agra in June 1625, and reached Tsaparang on

August 28th of the same year.

RELATIONS REGARDING TIBET ARE UNOBTAINABLE; THE ONES REGARDING CHINA

DURING THE FIRST YEARS OF THE 17TH

CENTURY ARE HIGHLY SOUGHT-AFTER.

Rare collection of three Jesuit letters written from Ethiopia, China and Tibet. A very pure copy preserved in its contemporary vellum binding.

[PAEZ, Gaspar / MENDEZ, le Père Alphonse]. Histoire de ce qui s‟est passé au royaume d‟Ethiopie Es années 1624, 1625 & 1626. Tirées des lettres écrites & adressées au R.P. Mutio Viteleschi, General de la Compagnie de Jésus. Traduite de l‟Italien en François par un Père de la mesme Compagnie. Paris, Sébastien Cramoisy, 1629. •[Followed by]: [KIRWITZER, Wencelas Pantaléon]. Histoire de ce qui s‟est passé au Royaume de la Chine en

l‟Année 1624. Paris, Sébastien Cramoisy, 1629. •[Followed by] : [ANDRADE, Antonio de]. Histoire de ce qui s‟est passé au Royaume du Tibet. Tirée des Lettres écrites en l‟année 1626. Paris, Sébastien Cramoisy, 1629.

9 500 € / 85 000 HKD

3 works bound in one 8vo volume [168 x 108 mm] of: I/ (4) ll., 262 pp. wrongly

numbered 252, (1) bl.l.; II/ (2) ll., 102 pp., (1) bl.l.; III/ (4) ll., 104 pp. Full

contemporary limp vellum, flat spine with handwritten title. Contemporary

binding.

I/ FIRST EDITION OF THE FRENCH TRANSLATION OF THESE ACCOUNTS WRITTEN BY

THE JESUITS GASPAR PAEZ (FOR 1624 AND 1625) AND ALPHONSE MENDEZ (FOR

1626) SENT ON A MISSION TO ETHIOPIA.

II/ FIRST EDITION OF THE FRENCH TRANSLATION OF THESE LETTERS SENT FROM

CHINA BY FATHER MUTIO VITELLESCHI, GENERAL OF THE SOCIETY OF JESUS.

III/ FIRST FRENCH EDITION OF THE LETTER WRITTEN FROM TIBET BY ANTONIO DE ANDRADE, DATED FROM THE 15TH

OF

AUGUST 1626.

A precious copy of this collection of three Jesuit letters of the utmost rarity, written in Ethiopia, China and Tibet.

6

7

7

First edition of the utmost rarity of this work composed by Manuel de Faria y Sousa after the Memoirs of Fr. Semmedo, Portuguese Jesuit missionary priest in China.

SEMMEDO, Alvaro. Imperio de la China. I cultura evangelica en el, por los Religios de la Compania de IESUS. Compuesto por el Padre Alvaro Semmedo de la propia Compania, natural de la Villa de Nisa en Portugal, Procurador General de la Provincia de la China, de donde fue embiado a Roma el Ano de 1640.

Madrid, Juan Sanchez, 1642. 8 000 € / 71 600 HKD

8vo [193 x 137 mm ] of (8) ll., 360 pp., (3) ll., small restoration in the margin

of p. 37 and in the corner of p. 39, foxing on 1 p., small waterstain in the

bottom of a dozen ll. Modern vellum, flat spine with handwritten title.

A number of authorities record a Portuguese edition of this work, published

either in Madrid in 1641, or Lisbon in 1642, but Löwendahl was unable to

locate copies of either and believed that no Portuguese translation appeared

before 1956, meaning that this is the first edition.

Alvaro Semmedo (1586-1658) was the Portuguese Procurado General for

China.

"This account of China, its various provinces, inhabitants and their manners

and customs, government and military art, the propagation of the Gospel, and

more particularly the labours of the Jesuits, was written to secure support for

the Jesuit mission there" (Löwendahl).

Precious copy dedicated to Queen Anne of Austria (1601-1660) of the first edition of journeys to the Far East by Alexander of Rhodes (1591-1660).

From the library of the Château de Menneval with ex-libris.

RHODES, Alexandre de. Divers voyages et missions en la Chine, & autres Royaumes de l‟Orient, Avec son retour en Europe par la Perse & l‟Arménie. Paris, Sébastien et Gabriel Cramoisy, 1653. 23 500 € / 210 400 HKD

4to [233 x 173 mm] of (2) bl.ll., (12) ll., 276 pp., 82 pp., 1 large folding map of the Kingdom of Annam.

Red morocco, large border decorated with a seme comprising fleurs-de-lis and crowned cyphers, coats of arms in the

center, ribbed spine with the same decorations, inner gilt border, renewed doublures and endpapers, title reinforced

without loss of text, gilt edges. Decorated contemporary morocco

binding with arms.

PRECIOUS DEDICATION COPY WHICH WAS OFFERED TO QUEEN ANNE

OF AUSTRIA OF THIS EXTREMELY RARE ORIGINAL EDITION OF

ALEXANDER OF RHODES‟ JOURNEYS TO THE FAR EAST.

IT IS ILLUSTRATED WITH AN FOLDING MAP OF THE KINGDOM OF

ANNAM, WITH TONKIN AND COCHINCHINA.

Alexander of Rhodes dedicates himself to the evangelization of

Japan and leaves Rome in October 1618 for Lisbon, which was the

main European port of embarkation for the East Indies.

PRECIOUS DEDICATION COPY MAGNIFICENTLY BOUND WITH THE ARMS

AND MONOGRAMS OF THE QUEEN ANNE OF AUSTRIA, SURROUNDED

BY THE WIDOW DRAWSTRING, LOUIS XIII HAVING DIED IN 1643. ANNE

OF AUSTRIA, THROUGH THE COMPANY OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT,

PARTLY FINANCED ALEXANDER OF RHODE'S JOURNEYS TO THE FAR

EAST.

8

9

8

Rare first Spanish edition of “the best general description of China before Du Halde...” (Lust).

MARTINI, Martin. Tartaros en China, Historia, que escrivio en Latin el R.P. Matin Martinio, de la Compania de Iesus. Y en Espanol El Doctor D. Esteuan de Aguilar y Zuñiga… Madrid, Joseph Fernandez de Buendia, 1665. 13 500 € / 120 900 HKD

16mo [145 x 98 mm] of (20) ll., 188 pp. Brown roan, very decorated ribbed spine, green morocco lettering piece,

mottled edges. Contemporary binding.

Martinio's work was first published in Latin in 1654 and was "CONSIDERED AT

THE TIME TO BE THE BEST GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF CHINA BEFORE DU HALDE...

Martini (1614-1661) was a remarkable Italian Jesuit, cartographer and traveler;

he is known for his history of China and his cartographic renderings of the

country; the latter so important, that eventually were published as one of the

volumes of Blaeu‟s monumental „Atlas Nuevo de la extrema Asia, o

descripcion geographica del Imperio de las Chinas‟, published in 1658. Martini

sailed to China in 1640, making port in Macau in 1642, where he stayed for

over 10 years studying the cartography, language and history of China.

EVEN TODAY, IN CHINA, HE IS ARGUABLY THE MOST REGARDED MISSIONARY TO

HAVE EVER STEPPED FOOT IN THAT COUNTRY, AND HAS BEEN CALLED "the first to

study the history and geography of China with rigorous scientific objectivity;

the extend of his knowledge of the Chinese culture, the accuracy of his

investigations, the depth of his understanding of things Chinese are examples

for the modern sinologists" (Prof. Ma Yong, Chinese Academy of Social

Sciences).

PRECIOUS COPY OF THIS RARE WORK ON CHINA PRESERVED IN ITS UNRESTORED CONTEMPORARY BINDING.

First edition of the account of the conquest of China by the Manchu people given by the Spanish bishop Palafox y Mendoza.

An attractive copy preserved in its original vellum binding.

PALAFOX Y MENDOZA, Juan de. Historia de la Conquista de la China por el Tartaro. Escrita Por el Illustrissimo Señor, Don Juan de Palafox y Mendoça, siendo Obispo de la Puebla de los Angeles, y Virrey de la Nueva-España y a su muerte Opispo de Osma. Paris, Antonio Bertier, 1670. 4 900 € / 43 900 HKD

12 mo [170 x 113 mm] of (6) ll. Including the engraved frontispiece, 388 pp.

Small waterstain in the lower corner of pp. 113 to 133. Bound in contemporary

vellum, flat spine with the title handwritten, mottled edges. Contemporary binding.

The present work was published after the death of the author, from a manuscript

found in his papers.

“Spanish bishop and historian (1600-59). Ordained a priest at Salamanca in

1629, he was in 1639 consecrated bishop of Puebla de los Angeles and appointed

visitor-general to Mexico. During his term in Mexico, 1640-49, Palafox was in

charge of the dispatch of vessels to the Philippines, placing him in an ideal

position to collect letters and memorials sent from China to Mexico by way of

Macao and Manila.[…]. HIS WORK IS BASED ENTIRELY ON LETTERS HE RECEIVED.”

The edition is illustrated with a superb copper engraved frontispiece showing a

map of China and of the neighboring countries (Japan, Macao, Corea…), as well

as a scene with three armed horsemen and the last Emperor of China kneeling in

front of them.

10

11

9

First edition of Dassie’s description of America and “its savages”, soon after the great Jesuit missions.

A work very rarely found in a contemporary binding decorated with fleurs-de-lys.

Thomas Jefferson owned a copy in his library.

DASSIE. Description generale des costes de l‟Amerique, Havres, Isles, Caps, Golfes, Bancs Ecueils, Baffes, profondeurs, vents & courans d‟eau. Des Peuples qui les Habitent, du temperament de l‟air, de la qualité des Terres & du Commerce... Le Havre, Jacques Gruchet, 1680. 15 500 € / 138 800 HKD

12mo [152 x 87 mm] of (8) ll., 421 pp., (1) bl.l. Contemporary full brown mottled calf,

ribbed spine decorated with a fleur-de-lys in every compartment and of 4 fleurs-de-lys

in the lower compartment, top and bottom of the spine restored. Contemporary

binding.

FIRST EDITION, a copy from the third issue with a new title-page dated 1680.

“EXTREMELY RARE” WORK according to several bibliographers, “very rare” according

to Chadenat (I, 2598), composed by a navy captain who, thereafter, became designer

and builder of boats for the King in Le Havre and then “Canon priest of Saint Ruf”.

THIS WORK DEALS WITH TERRITORIES IN EAST CANADA, UNITED STATES, SOUTH

AMERICA, THE WEST INDIES, ETC. “that he seems to have a real knowledge of”.

(Michaud)

THE AUTHOR PRECISELY DESCRIBES WHAT HE SAW OF AMERICA, analyses the cultivated

products, fishing or the upcoming business with New France.

RARE COPY IN A CONTEMPORARY BINDING WITH ITS SPINE DECORATED WITH FLEURS-DE-

LYS.

First French edition of one of the best ancient histories of China, illustrated

with 15 full-page engraved plates, in superb contemporary morocco decorated with fleurs-de-lis.

“Father Du Halde made a great use of this work” (Cordier).

MARTINI, Martino. Histoire de la Chine, Traduite du Latin du Père Martin Martini de la Compagnie de Jesus. Par l‟abbé Le Peletier. Paris, Claude Barbin et Arnoul Seneuze, 1692.

9 500 € / 85 000 HKD

2 parts in 2 vol. 12 mo [160 x 87 mm] of : I/ (3) bl.ll., (12) prel. ll. including the

engraved plate with the arms of the duke of Beauvillie

rs, 527 pp., 9 full-page engravings; II/ (1) title-page, 462 pp, 5 full-page

engravings.

Red morocco, gilt fillet around the covers with large gilt fleurs-de-lis in the corners,

ribbed spines decorated with a large fleur-de-lis and 4 small gilt fleurs-de-lis in the

panels, inner border decorated with gilt fleurs-de-lis, gilt edges, light occasional

foxing. Contemporary binding.

MOST OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS WORK COME FROM CHINESE

SOURCES AND FATHER MARTINI‟S BOOK REMAINED FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY THE

ONLY SERIOUS HISTORY OF ANCIENT CHINA WRITTEN BY A EUROPEAN.

The first Latin edition, published in Munich in 1658, wasn‟t illustrated.

PRECIOUS COPY OF THIS SOUGHT-AFTER TRAVEL BOOK TO CHINA, ONE OF THE VERY

FEW RECORDED IN CONTEMPORARY MOROCCO DECORATED WITH FLEURS-DE-LIS.

Chadenat‟s library only recorded 2 copies in calf.

13

12

10

A bibliophilic rarity printed in Beijing in Chinese by the Jesuits in 1694 preserved in a luxurious Parisian binding in 18

th century morocco.

Beijing, mission of the Jesuits, Chiesa Ling-Pao, year 1694.

CHINESE PRINTING BY THE JESUITS MADE IN BEIJING IN THE YEAR 1694. 聖母行實. Sheng mu xing shi (Life,

death and miracles of the Blessed Virgin).

Printed in Beijing: Pechino, Chiesa Ling-Pao, anno 33 del Regno dell‟Imperatore Kangxi [1694]. 50 000 € / 447 700 HKD

3 parts bound in 1 4to volume [247 x 152 mm] of: I/ (1) l. of title, 3 ll., 17 ll. all

numbered in Chinese; II/ 36 ll., (1) bl.l.; III/ (1) bl.l., 53., (1) bl.l. Complete. A

few discrete formerly restored wormtracks. Full French red morocco, triple gilt

fillet on the covers, gilt corner fleurons, decorated flat spine, red and green

lettering pieces, inner gilt border, starry paper doublures. 18th century Parisian

binding.

PRECIOUS AND EXTREMELY RARE FIRST EDITION PRINTED IN BEIJING IN CHINESE

CHARACTERS IN LING-PAO‟S RESIDENCE, IN THE YEAR 1694 - 33rd

year of Emperor

Kangxi‟s reign - of the “life and miracles of the Blessed Virgin”, work of the

Jesuits missions in China that reached us in an exceptional state of conservation.

This printing is the work of Father Vagnoni, a contemporary of Matteo Ricci,

who started to evangelize China. Master in Chinese language and writing, he

composed several religious works for the enlightenment of the Chinese people.

PRECIOUS, EXTREMELY RARE AND BEAUTIFUL VOLUME, COMPLETE, PRINTED IN

BEIJING IN 1694, COVERED IN THE 18TH CENTURY WITH A LUXURY PARISIAN

BINDING IN ELEGANT RED MOROCCO, STRIKING SYMBOL OF THE EUROPEAN

INFLUENCE IN 17TH AND 18TH CENTURY CHINA.

SUCH CHINESE WORKS FROM THE 17TH CENTURY THAT HAVE REACHED US IN THIS CONDITION BOUND IN 18TH CENTURY

PARISIAN MOROCCO ARE OF THE UTMOST BIBLIOPHILIC RARITY.

Complete first edition of the Mémoires sur la Chine by Louis Le Comte.

LE COMTE, Louis. Nouveaux Mémoires sur l‟etat présent de la Chine. Paris, Jean Anisson, 1697. 17 000 € / 152 000 HKD [Followed by :] [LE GOBIEN]. Nouveaux Mémoires sur l‟état présent de la Chine. Paris, Jean Anisson, 1698.

3 parts in 3 volumes 12mo [163 x 94 mm]. Red morocco,

covers decorated “à la Duseuil”, richly decorated ribbed

spines, gilt inner border, gilt over marbled edges.

Contemporary binding.

FIRST COMPLETE EDITION DEDICATED TO KING LOUIS XIV OF

THE MEMORIES ON THE PRESENT STATE OF CHINA BY FATHER

LE COMTE. THE THIRD VOLUME IS PUBLISHED HERE FOR THE

FIRST TIME. Father Louis Le Comte was one of the six

mathematician missionaries sent to Siam by the Society of

Jesus with the embassy of the knight of Chaumont in 1685.

IN HIS Mémoires, LOUIS LE COMTE DELIVERS A VARIOUS AND

DETAILED WEALTH OF INFORMATION ON CHINA, STILL LITTLE

KNOWN AT THE END OF THE 17TH

CENTURY.

SUPERB RULED COPY WITH WIDE MARGINS, COMPLETE WITH ITS 20 PLATES AND ITS THIRD VOLUME IN FIRST EDITION,

COVERED WITH LUXURIOUS CONTEMPORARY BINDINGS IN RED MOROCCO DECORATED “À LA DUSEUIL”.

14

15

11

First edition of this superb album financed by the Chinese emperor Kangxi in 1696, presenting poems he wrote as well as 46 superb wooducts

representing the everyday life of Chinese peasants in the 17th

century.

China, 1696.

KĀNGXĪ (or QING SHENGZU, 1654-1722). Gengzhitu (耕織圖 = The Book of Rice and Silk). China, Beijing, 1696. 30 000 € / 268 500 HKD

Folio [348 x 282 mm] of (52) pp. Traces of a small worm track anciently restored. The whole is mounted as brochure

“in the style of an accordion” (Leperello). Red stamp at the head of the volume.

The album is protected by two solid wooden boards. It is preserved in its rare 18th century binding, identical to the one

in the National Library, Engravings Department. Paper lettering piece on the upper cover.

FIRST EDITION OF THIS ALBUM FINANCED BY THE CHINESE EMPEROR KANGXI IN 1696, ENCLOSING HIS POEMS AND HIS

SEALS. There were several issues of this first edition and the present copy doesn‟t belong to the very first issue.

IT IS A MAJOR WORK IN THE QING DYNASTY ILLUSTRATED LITERATURE (1644-1912) THAT THE ERUDITE YAO SHI

COMMENTED AS FOLLOWS: “May those who look at this album do not treat it lightly”.

The work presents 46 POEMS COMPOSED AND CALLIGRAPHED BY THE EMPEROR OF CHINA, KANGXI 康熙. This emperor,

a contemporary of Louis XIV, reigned from 1662 to 1722. He was a tolerant sovereign who let China open to the

Buddhist and Christian influences by using the Jesuits mathematical, geographical and astronomical knowledge.

THE ALBUM IS COMPOSED OF 46 LARGE SUPERB WOODCUTS (24 x 24 cm) that each illustrates the emperor‟s poems.

These engravings were made after silk paintings by Jiao Bingzhen.

THE ORIGINAL PAINTINGS ON SILK ARE TODAY LOST, AND THIS WORK IS A XYLOGRAPHIC REPRODUCTION ORDAINED BY

THE EMPEROR KANGXI IN 1696.

PRECIOUS COPY OF THIS SUPERB WORK FINANCED BY THE CHINESE EMPEROR IN 1696, PRESERVED IN ITS RARE 18TH

CENTURY BINDING MADE OF TWO SOLID WOODEN BOARDS.

We have been able to locate 3 copies of this rare work: at the B.n.F. (Engravings department), Oxford Library,

Amsterdam.

16

12

First edition of “the History of China” printed in 1698.

Madame de Maintenon’s precious copy. LE GOBIEN, Charles. Histoire de l‟Edit de l‟Empereur de la Chine en faveur de la Religion Chretienne : avec un eclaircissement sur les honneurs que les Chinois rendent à Confucius & aux Morts. Paris, Jean Anisson Directeur de l‟Imprimerie Royale, 1698. 17 500 € / 157 000 HKD

12mo [166 x 91 mm] of (16) ll., 322 pp., (5) ll. of table. Red morocco,

triple gilt fillet around the covers, gilt-stamped arms in the center, spine

ribbed and decorated with armorial pieces, inner gilt border, gilt over

marbled edges. Contemporary binding by Du Seuil.

FIRST EDITION OF THIS INTERESTING DESCRIPTION OF CHINA AND OF THE

CHINESE HABITS AND CUSTOMS GIVEN BY FATHER LE GOBIEN, JESUIT IN

MISSION IN THE EAST UNDER THE REIGN OF KING LOUIS XIV.

MOVING AND PRECIOUS COPY OF MADAME DE MAINTENON.

Françoise d‟Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon truly lived in misery until

her wedding with Scarron whose house was then the rendez-vous of the

great Lords and people of spirit.

ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING VOLUMES HAVING BELONGED TO MADAME

DE MAINTENON, the vast majority of the 57 volumes listed by Quentin

Bauchart dealing exclusively with religious matters, GRACEFULLY BOUND

BY DU SEUIL WITH THE ARMS AND ARMORIAL PIECES OF THE MARQUISE AND

BEARING THE EXCEPTIONAL ENGRAVED EX LIBRIS OF THE ROYAL HOUSE OF

S. CIR., WORK OF THE ENGRAVER OF KING LOUIS XIV.

First edition of this study on the religion of the Chinese by the successor of Matteo Ricci at the head of the Jesuit mission in China.

LONGOBARDI, Nicola. Traité sur quelques points de la religion des Chinois. Paris, Jacques Josse, 1701. - [With] : Copie d‟une lettre de Monsieur Maigrot à Monsieur Charmot, du II Janvier 1699 reçue à Paris en Août 1700. Elle montre la fausseté de ce que le Père le Comte a écrit touchant la Religion ancienne des Chinois. 1700. - [With] : Suite du journal historique des assemblées tenues en Sorbonne, pour condamner les Mémoires de la Chine.

9 000 € / 80 500 HKD

12mo [157 x 87 mm] of (2) ll., 100 pp.; II/ 88 pp., tear p. 25; III/ 45 pp. Granite-like

brown calf, spine ribbed and decorated with gilt fleurons, mottled edges.

Contemporary binding.

FIRST EDITION OF THIS STUDY ON THE RELIGION OF THE CHINESE BY THE SUCCESSOR

OF MATTEO RICCI AT THE HEAD OF THE JESUIT MISSION IN CHINA.

The Chinese since the beginning of their Empire have worshiped the Spirits & have

offered them four kinds of sacrifices. The first was made to the Sky; the second to

the spirit of the six principal causes, that is to say the four seasons, the warm, the

cold, the sun & the Moon, the stars, the rain & the drought. The third to the spirits

of the mountains & of the rivers, the fourth to the spirits of the illustrious Men.

15

17

18

13

First edition of Marivaux’s first hit comedy.

Of a legendary rarity this copy is the only one quoted by Le Petit.

From the libraries of Guy Pellion, Durel, Am. Berton and A. Perreau.

MARIVAUX, Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de. La Surprise de l‟amour. Comédie représentée par les Comédiens Italiens de S.A.R. Monseigneur le Duc d‟Orléans, le… 1722. Paris, Antoine Gandouin, 1723.

3 900 € / 35 000 HKD

12mo [163 x 95 mm] of 110 pp. The collation of our copy, which doesn‟t contain

the (3) preliminary ll. quoted by Tchemerzine, does correspond to that of the copy

preserved at the B.n.F. Red jansenist morocco, spine ribbed, gilt inner border, gilt

over marbled edges. Thivet.

FIRST EDITION OF ONE OF MARIVAUX‟S BEST COMEDIES.

OF A LEGENDARY RARITY, THIS COPY IS THE ONLY ONE QUOTED BY JULES LE PETIT.

SUPERB COPY OF ONE OF MARIVAUX‟S BEST COMEDIES, VERY WIDE MARGINED

(height: 163 mm), COVERED WITH AN ELEGANT BINDING IN RED JANSENIST

MOROCCO.

IT COMES FROM THE COLLECTIONS OF Guy Pellion (1882) with ex libris, Durel

(1887), Am. Berton and A. Perreau.

Marivaux’s most accomplished comedy, which was staged in Chinese in 2005

by Jacques Lassalle in Beijing’s Chaoyang Theater.

MARIVAUX, Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de. Le Jeu de l‟amour et du hazard. Comédie en trois actes.

Représentée pour la première fois par les Comédiens Italiens ordinaires du Roi

le 23 Janvier 1730.

Paris, Briasson, n.d. [1730]. 7 500 € / 67 000 HKD

7 500 €

12mo [164 x 98 mm] of (2) ll., 115 pp., (1) p. of approval. Bound in burgundy

jansenist morocco, spine ribbed, gilt inner border, gilt over marbled edges. Binding

signed Chambolle-Duru.

EDITION PUBLISHED THE SAME YEAR AS THE FIRST OF MARIVAUX‟S MOST

ACCOMPLISHED COMEDY, PLAYED FOR THE FIRST TIME ON JANUARY 23RD

, 1730 BY

THE ITALIAN COMEDIANS AT THE HOTEL DE BOURGOGNE.

“While respecting the decorum codes of the time Ŕ the nobles will end up together

and the „lower people‟ separate Ŕ Marivaux, in this comedy with a brilliant dialog,

returns the established order, troubles the prejudices and inverses the relations

masters-servants”.

A PRECIOUS COPY, VERY PURE AND WIDE-MARGINED (height 164 mm), OF ONE OF

MARIVAUX‟S MOST SOUGHT-AFTER COMEDIES.

20 20

19

14

First edition of the Paysan Parvenu by Marivaux. Extremely rare copy from the very first state dated 1734,

preserved in its full contemporary binding.

MARIVAUX, Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de. Le Paysan parvenu, ou les Mémoires de M***. Paris, Prault Père, Prault Fils, 1734-1735.

12 500 € / 111 900 HKD 5 parts in 2 volumes 12mo [164 x 94 mm] of: Part I, 1734: (2) ll., 115

pp., Part II, 1734: (2) ll., 128 pp.; Part III, 1734: (2) ll., 134 pp., tear in

the margin p. 123 touching a few letters, (1) l.; Part IV, 1735: (1) l.,

115 pp., (3) pp.; Part V, 1735: 118 pp., (2) pp.

Granite-like fawn calf, blind-stamped fillet around the covers, spine

ribbed and decorated with gilt fleurons, red and black morocco

lettering pieces, red edges. Contemporary binding.

PRECIOUS TRUE FIRST EDITION OF THE UTMOST RARITY OF ONE OF THE

TWO GREATEST NOVELS BY MARIVAUX.

EXCEPTIONAL COPY, ONE OF THE VERY FEW DATED 1734. The first two

parts are edited by Prault father at the date of 1734; the three others by

his son, the first at the date of 1734, the last two at the date of 1735.

PRECIOUS COPY, FROM THE FIRST STATE NOT DESCRIBED BY THE

BIBLIOGRAPHERS, OF THE UTMOST RARITY, WITH WIDE MARGINS

(height: 164 mm), PRESERVED IN ITS PURE CONTEMPORARY BINDING.

It comes from the library of the financier Antoine Crozat (1655-1738) with ex-libris handwritten on the back of the

title of each part then from the library of Hureau de Livoy with a handwritten ex-libris dated 1764.

First French edition of the famous utopia The Fable of the Bees by Mandeville, precursor to Nietzsche and Friedrich Hayek,

one of the smartest philosophical texts of the 18th

century.

Beautiful copy in its contemporary binding with the arms of René-Jean d’Osmond, governor of Argentan in 1755.

[MANDEVILLE, Bernard de]. La Fable des abeilles, ou Les Fripons devenus honnetes gens. Avec le commentaire, Où l‟on prouve que les Vices des Particuliers tendent à l'avantage du Public. London, Aux Dépens de la Compagnie, 1740. 8 000 € / 71 600 HKD

4 parts in 4 vols. 12mo [153 x 96 mm] of: I/ (1) l., xxii

pp., 333 pp., II/ (1) l., 267 pp., III/ (1) l., xlviii pp., 282

pp., IV/ (1) l., 270 pp. Marbled calf, blind-stamped fillet,

arms in the center, spine ribbed and decorated, red and

citron lettering pieces, red edges, some slight wear to the

top of 2 spines. Contemporary binding.

The Fable of the Bees develops IN A SATIRICAL VEIN THE

THESIS OF THE SOCIAL UTILITY OF EGOISM.

HIS MAIN THESIS IS THAT THE ACTIONS OF MEN CANNOT BE

SEPARATED IN NOBLE AND VILE ACTIONS, AND THAT

PRIVATE VICES CONTRIBUTE TO THE PUBLIC OWN GOOD

WHILE ALTRUISTIC ACTIONS CAN IN FACT HARM IT.

FINE COPY OF ONE OF THE SMARTEST BOOKS OF THE 18TH

CENTURY.

21

22

15

Precious copy of this rare Americana in which the author “exonerates his Nation from the imputations with which it is charged”

bound with the arms of the de Luynes family.

JEFFERYS, Thomas / BUTEL-DUMONT, Georges-Marie. Conduite des François, par rapport à la Nouvelle Ecosse, depuis le premier établissement de cette Colonie jusquà nos jours… Traduit de l‟anglois, Avec des notes d‟un François, dans lesquelles il disculpe sa Nation des imputations dont on la charge, et où… il établit péremptoirement les droits de la France sur les possessions qu‟elle occupe dans l‟Amérique septentrionale. London [Paris], ches les Freres Vaillant, 1755.

6 500 € / 58 000 HKD 12mo [164 x 94 mm] of (1) l., xiv pp., 281 pp. Marbled fawn calf, blind-

stamped fillet ardound the covers, gilt-stamped arms in the center, spine

ribbed decorated with gilt fleurons, red morocco lettering piece, library

label at the top of the spine, red edges, small leather losses on the arms of the

lower cover. Contemporary binding.

FIRST FRENCH EDITION.

The French “exonerates his Nation from the imputations with which it is

charged, & by refuting the paralogisms of the English author & the false

assertions, he peremptorily establishes the rights of France over the

possessions it occupies in North America.”

PRECIOUS COPY PRESERVED IN ITS CONTEMPORARY BINDING WITH THE

ARMS OF THE DE LUYNES FAMILY.

Extremely rare first edition of “one of the best ancient works on Canada”. (Chadenat).

Beautiful copy in a contemporary binding.

PICHON, Thomas. Lettres et Mémoires pour servir à l'Histoire Naturelle, Civile et

Politique du Cap Breton, depuis son établissement jusqu'à la reprise de cette Isle par

les Anglois en 1758.

La Haye, Pierre Gosse et se trouve à Londres, chez Jean Nourse, 1760.

8 000 € / 71 600 HKD

12mo [163 x 95 mm] of xvi pp., 327 pp. Marbled calf, blind-stamped fillet around

the covers, flat spine decorated with gilt fleurons. Contemporary binding.

FIRST EDITION of “one of the best ancient works on Canada” (Chadenat).

IT IS SO RARE THAT NEITHER BRUNET, NOR DESCHAMPS MENTION IT.

“Pichon left for Canada around 1750, as a secretary for the count de Raymond,

governor of Cape Breton. He died in England in 1781. - One of the best ancient

works on this Canadian area.” (Chadenat).

BEAUTIFUL COPY COMPLETE with the 327 pages of text but bound as often at the time

without the blank leaf placed between the title and the preface.

BEAUTIFUL COPY OF A VERY RARE FIRST EDITION PRESERVED IN ITS CONTEMPORARY

BINDING.

23

24

16

Superb and rare pair of Japanese scroll paintings

representing various regions of Japan in the middle of the 18th

century.

Japan, c. 1740-1770.

[JAPANESE SCROLL PAINTINGS REPRESENTING THE EASTERN AND WESTERN PARTS OF THE JAPANESE

ISLANDS]. N.p.n.d. [Japan, c. 1740-1770].

35 000 € / 313 500 HKD

Two horizontal scrolls on paper, 絵巻物, 17 cm high x c. 4,50 m long each.

Colour painted on paper, backside decorated with gold powder.

The set comes in a protective wooden box.

A particularly fine calligraphy in Japanese “kuzushiji, 崩し字", from the brush of an artist and readable in our days

only to specialists: AN EXCEPTIONAL ART WORK PRESERVED IN VERY GOOD CONDITION.

Original silk end-paper, undated, ca. 1740 – 1770, according to Japanese scholars and based on the date of known

name changes with time.

Hundreds of name places portrayed, many of them no longer on modern maps because of name changes during the

centuries.

Title on the first scroll's title slip: 江戸より大坂まで道中名所由諸; Famous Places on the Road from Edo to Ôsaka.

25

17

Title at the beginning of the first scroll: 江戸より大坂まで宿付名所由諸; Famous Places from Ôsaka to Edo where

Shelter is provided (to travelers).

Title on the second scroll's title slip: より淀口西国之地道中巻物, 二巻, 大坂より長崎まで舟路: Horizontal Scroll

of the Land Roads in the Western Part of the Country from the Yodo (river); Second Scroll, The Sea Route from

Ôsaka to Nagasaki.

Title at the beginning of the second scroll: 大坂より長崎まで舩道名前由諸: Ship Roads from Ôsaka to Nagasaki.

SUPERB AND RARE PAIR OF JAPANESE SCROLL PAINTINGS REPRESENTING THE EASTERN AND WESTERN PARTS OF THE

JAPANESE ISLANDS.

The first scroll:

It begins with the illustration of Edo Castle, 江戸御城, the residence of the Tokugawa Shôgun until 1868. After the

Meiji Restoration it became the Japanese Imperial Palace. Distances between the named places are often given in Ri

(1 Ri, 1 里, ca. 4 km). Castle towns, Buddhist temples, Shintô Shrines, tea houses, (Ochaya, 御茶や), rivers, islands,

bridges and mountains are portrayed and named on the road. Road travelers and a few small sailing boats on Japan's

sea shore are also shown embellishing the scrolls.

The second scroll:

Ôsaka Castle, Sakai (important port city of the time), Awaji no kuni, Takamatsu, Miyajima, 宮嶋, (a small island most

famous for its fiant red tori-gate and Itsukushima Shrine), Matsuyama, Bungo, Kokura, Chikuzen, Fukuoka,

Kumamoto, Shimabara, (here in the wake of the rebellion of Japanese Christians in 1637, the catholic religion was

prohibited in Japan until 1850), Nagasaki (the single city open to trade with the Dutch merchants and the city from

where western science was introduced to Japan), Hirado, 平戸, the beautiful island where the English merchants were

staying between 1600-1613 and the Dutch until their transfer in 1639 to Dejima island in Nagasaki‟s port.

18

Original manuscript dictated by Montcalm and Bougainville and calligraphed by Montcalm’s secretary

such as the very rare subsisting manuscripts on the conquest of Canada.

This precious collection contains among others a complete manuscript signed August 9, 1757 falling within the “bicultural foundation of Modern Canada”.

CANADA - Marquis de Montcalm. « Affaires du canada du 10 septembre 1756 Jusqu‟aux Derniers jours de mars 1757 ».

75 000 € / 671 000 HKD

Manuscript of 15 folio pp. handwritten in black ink [315 x 205 mm], sewn with a blue ribbon, “signed Montcalm,

William Henry” dated August 9, 1757.

Upon his appointment as commander of the troops on January 31, 1756, Montcalm began to write a diary. Montcalm‟s

diary is not autograph; it is his secretary, Marcel, who wrote it under the dictation of Montcalm.

REPORT OF THE OPERATIONS FOR THE TAKING OF FORT GEORGES (also known as William Henry) BY MONTCALM AND

CAPITULATION TREATY OF FORT GEORGES ORDERED BY LIEUTENANT MOURE (dated August 9, 1757 at noon).

REMARKABLE CONTEMPORARY HANDWRITTEN ACCOUNT OF THE CAMPAIGNS OF WINTER 1756-1757 during which the

French (the marquis de Vaudreuil being governor of New France) ensure the collaboration of the “savages” of the five

nations, who will “IN THE WINTER CONTINUALLY SCALP THE ENGLISH”, and harass the latter near Fort Georges.

HANDWRITING PERFECTLY READABLE, COPY IN VERY GOOD CONDITION FALLING WITHIN THE CANADIAN CONTEXT OF THE

SEVEN YEARS WAR.

THE COVETED NEW FRANCE.

PRECIOUS AND REMARKABLE COMPLETE CONTEMPORARY MANUSCRIPT falling within the « bicultural foundation of

Modern Canada.

26

19

First edition of this work by Voltaire exposing his opinion on China and the Chinese people. Beautiful copy preserved in a fine contemporary binding.

VOLTAIRE. Lettres chinoises, indiennes et tartares, à Monsieur Paw, par un benedictin, Avec plusieurs autres pièces intéressantes. Paris, 1776.

5 500 € / 49 000 HKD

8vo [196 x 123 mm] of (2) ll., 126 pp. Full marbled calf, double gilt fillet

around the covers, spine ribbed and decorated with gilt fleurons, marbled

edges. Contemporary binding.

FIRST EDITION OF THIS WORK IN WHICH VOLTAIRE “responds to the attacks of

Mr. De Pauw on the origins of the Chinese people, Christianism in China, the

Chinese sciences and arts…” (Song, Voltaire et la Chine).

HIS ADMIRATION FOR CHINA BEING IMPOSED BY HIS IDEAS REPEATED A

THOUSAND TIMES RETRIEVED CHINA ITS RIGHTFUL PLACE IN THE UNIVERSAL

HISTORY, SPREAD THE CHINESE THINKING, THUS CONTRIBUTING TO THE

REVOLUTION OF 1789.” (Trousson, Dictionnaire général de Voltaire).

BEAUTIFUL COPY OF THIS RARE FIRST EDITION BY VOLTAIRE EXPOSING HIS

OPINION ON CHINA AND THE CHINESE PEOPLE, PRESERVED IN ITS ELEGANT

CONTEMPORARY BINDING.

Le Libertin de qualité by Mirabeau illustrated with 8 erotic figures.

“It was probably the first time that we made a romantic character out of the man who lives at the expense of women”, writes Apollinaire.

[CURIOSA]. [MIRABEAU, Honoré Gabriel Riquetti, Comte de]. Le Libertin de qualité, ou confidences d‟un prisonnier au Château de Vincennes. Ecrites par lui-même. Avec figures. A Stamboul, de l‟Imprimerie des Odalisques, 1784.

16 000 € / 143 000 HKD

12mo [163 x 97 mm] of viii prelim. pp. including 1 frontispiece in black and white, 317 pp., (3) pp., 7 numbered plates

out pagination in black and white. Framed pages.

Bound in granite like calf, triple gilt fillet around the covers, decorated flat spine, antique red morocco lettering piece.

Contemporary binding.

RARE FIRST EDITION OF THIS EROTIC WORK COMPOSED

BY MIRABEAU.

Immoral, licentious, provocative, with neither lord nor

master since his tender age, this was Honoré Riqueti,

comte de Mirabeau.

"It was probably the first time that we made a romantic

character out of the man who lives at the expense of

women”, writes Apollinaire.

Michel Camus, in his foreword to l'Enfer from the

French National Library, admires "the modernity of his

writing, his ease, his casualness." In the 21st century, it

is time to give to this modernity the tribute that it

deserves, meaning reading it. Rather than the

revolutionary orator (rather suspicious), read Mirabeau

the erotic writer, immoral, licentious, cynical,

provocative.

THIS EDITION IS ILLUSTRATED WITH A FRONTISPIECE AND 7 EROTIC ENGRAVINGS OUT OF PAGINATION.

27

28

20

First edition of this travel account to China at the end of

the 18th

century. CHARPENTIER-COSSIGNY, Joseph-François de. Voyage à Canton, capitale de la province de ce nom, à la Chine ; par Gorée, le Cap de Bonne-Espérance, et les Isles de France et de la Réunion ; suivi d‟observations sur le voyage à la Chine, de Lord Macartney et du citoyen Van-Braam, et d‟une Esquisse des arts des Indiens et des Chinois. Paris, André, An VII [1799].

8 000 € / 71 500 HKD

8vo [192 x 118 mm] of viii pp., 607 pp. Red straight-grained half-morocco, small

corners in green vellum, flat spine decorated with gilt patterns and greeks, olive

green lettering piece, yellow edges. Contemporary binding.

FIRST EDITION OF THIS TRAVEL ACCOUNT TO CHINA AT THE END OF THE 18TH

CENTURY.

The author specialist in indigo, coffee and spices gives the account of his travel and

also offers critical observations on the account of the travels to China of Macartney

and Van Braam

SUPERB COPY WITH A RED MOROCCO FLAT SPINE FINELY DECORATED WITH A

HARMONIOUS NEO-CLASSICAL DECOR.

The work of Macartney remains one of the best descriptions of the lands crossed by Macartney, providing precise information on Chinese sciences, natural history, and aristocracy.

Luxurious copy bound in citron morocco by Bozérian.

MACARTNEY, Lord George. Voyage dans l‟intérieur de la Chine, et en Tartarie, fait dans les années 1792, 1793 et 1794, par Lord Macartney, Ambassadeur du Roi d‟Angleterre auprès de l‟Empereur de la Chine ; Rédigé sur les Papiers de Lord Macartney, sur ceux du Commodore Erasme Gower, et des autres Personnes attachées à l‟Ambassade,... A Paris, chez F. Buisson, An XII (1804). 17 500 € / 157 000 HKD

5 volumes 8vo [205 x 128 mm] of: I/ (3) ll. including a portrait of the author in black and white after Hickey, 492 pp.,

6 plates out of pagination in black and white including 2 folding maps; II/ (2) ll., 392 pp., 9 pl. out of pagination in

black and white including 1 folding map; III/ (2) ll., 398 pp., 15 pl. out of pagination in black and white including 1

folding map; IV/ (2) ll., 359 pp., 9 pl. out of pagination in black and white, small loss of paper at the corner of p.37; V/

(2) ll., 344 pp., 1 pl. out of pagination in black and white. A total of 41 plates including 4 maps.

Citron straight-grained morocco, border

framed by a double gilt fillet around the

covers, spine ribbed and decorated with a

thousand points decor, black morocco lettering

pieces. Contemporary binding signed

Bozerian.

This edition is illustrated with 4 frontispieces

by Launay after Hickey, 33 plates out of

pagination and 4 large folding maps of China

etched by Tardieu l‟aîné (costumes, botany,

deities, characters, landscapes…).

SUPERB COPY PRINTED ON LARGE VELLUM

PAPER, PRESERVED IN A VERY BEAUTIFUL

CONTEMPORARY BINDING IN CITRON MOROCCO BY BOZÉRIAN (Culot n° 19 and 43) WITH A DÉCOR OF A THOUSAND

POINTS ON THE SPINES.

25 29

30

21

First edition of this compilation of first French translations related to the mission of Lord Macartney to China.

HOLMES, Samuel. Voyage en Chine et en Tartarie, à la suite de l‟ambassade de Lord Macartney, par M.

Holmes, sergent-major de sa garde ; Auquel on a joint les Vues, Costumes, etc., de la Chine, par M. W. Alexandre, les Planches de l‟Atlas original de cette Ambassade, omises dans la traduction française, et leur Explication… Paris, Delance et Lesueur, 1805. 4 000 € / 35 800 HKD

2 parts in 2 vols. 8vo [215 x 137 mm] of I/ (2) ll., xlv

pp., 171 pp., 25 engravings out of pagination including

a folded map of Macao; II/ (2) ll., 188 pp., 27

engravings including 1 folded plan of the courtroom.

Preserved in wrappers and untrimmed, as published,

title labels at the top of the spines. Original wrappers.

FIRST EDITION OF THIS COMPILATION OF THE FIRST FRENCH TRANSLATIONS RELATED TO THE MISSION OF LORD

MACARTNEY TO CHINA.

THIS EDITION IS ILLUSTRATED WITH A FOLDING MAP OF MACAO AND WITH 51 PLATES OUT OF PAGINATION under silky

paper engraved by S. Simon after the drawings of William Alexander.

BEAUTIFUL COPY PRESERVED AS PUBLISHED, IN WRAPPERS AND VERY WIDE-MARGINED SINCE UNTRIMMED.

First edition preserved in its magnificent contemporary red morocco binding with the arms of Louis-Philippe I King of France.

Paris, 1837.

JULIEN, Stanislas. Résumé des principaux traités chinois sur la culture des mûriers et l'éducation des vers à soie. Paris, Imprimerie royale, 1837.

18 500 € / 165 500 HKD 8vo [229 x140 mm] with xxii pp., (1) l., 1 plate and 1 table

folded, 224 pp., 10 plates out of pagination.

Straight grained red morocco, numerous gilt fillets around the

covers, gilt-stamped arms in the center, flat spine decorated

with gilt patterns, gilt inner border, doublures and endleaves in

blue watered silk, gilt edges. Contemporary binding.

FIRST EDITION OF THIS WORK PUBLISHED ON THE ORDER OF THE

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, ILLUSTRATED WITH 2 FOLDING

PLATES AND 10 FIGURES OUT OF PAGINATION.

French sinologist, Stanislas Julien (1797-1873) was tenure of

the chair of Chinese and Manchu language and literature at the

College de France from 1832 to 1873.

A MAGNIFICENT PRESENTATION SPECIALLY PRINTED ON LARGE

VELLUM PAPER AND BOUND IN A RED MOROCCO BINDING FOR THE

KING LOUIS-PHILIPPE.

It comes from the library of Geronimo marquis of Adda, with

ex-libris.

31

32

22

Superb horizontal Chinese scroll painting representing a succession of horsemen from the Mongolian steppes.

China, middle of the 19

th century.

CHINESE SCROLL PAINTING REPRESENTING A SUCCESSION OF MONGOLIAN HORSEMEN. N.p. [China], middle of the 19

th century. 19 000 € / 170 000 HKD

Horizontal scroll painted on paper measuring 10,63 m long x 32 cm high.

SUPERB HORIZONTAL CHINESE SCROLL PAINTING REPRESENTING 62 HORSEMEN FROM THE MONGOLIAN STEPPES.

The horsemen watercolored in bright colors measure around 13 x 6,5 cm each.

They are surmounted with a small handwritten caption on yellow paper mounted on the upper edge (8 horsemen have

lost their caption).

The Mongolian horsemen are represented in different poses, some of them practicing equestrian archery, some others

equestrian games with varied acrobatics.

The scroll offers a range of extremely diverse shades, and more particularly superb purples, pinks, sky blues and royal

blues, greens, browns, beiges or greys for the traditional clothes of the horsemen also comprising hats, generally red,

as well as green or red for the saddlery.

The horses colours are also varied with shades ranging from white to mid-grey to buckskin.

GORGEOUS CHINESE PARCHMENT IMPRESSIVE FOR ITS FORMAT (10,63 m long) DEPICTING A SUCCESSION OF HORSEMEN

FROM THE MONGOLIAN STEPPE IN VARIED ARTISTIC POSES, LAVISHLY WATERCOLOURED IN BRIGHT AND SHIMMERING

COLOURS.

A few tears in the upper and lower edges of the scroll, the first 5 watercolours present small defects in the image area.

30 33

23

Very interesting panorama of China in the early 20th century.

SOUVENIR ALBUM OF CHINA including four hundred and fifty original photographs by Charles F. Gammon. Published by Denniston & Sullivan, Shanghai, 1908.

1 500 € / 13 500 HKD

Oblong 4to [287 x 218 mm] of (1) title l., (50) ll. illustrated

with 462 photographs. Fir green shagreen, title « Souvenir of

China Ŕ 200 Illustrations » stamped on the upper cover.

Contemporary binding.

BEAUTIFUL ALBUM OF 462 PHOTOGRAPHS SHOWIING CHINA IN

1908.

The photographs mainly represent cityscapes of Shanghai,

Beijing and Canton, with subjects.

The photographer was Charles F. Gammon.

Charles F. Gammon worked for the American Consulate in

China and for the Chinese Imperial University. He spent 17

years in China.

VERY INTERESTING PANORAMA OF THE LIFE IN CHINA IN THE

EARLY 20TH

CENTURY.

1 COPY AT THE NYPL.

Chinese erotic album illustrated with 5 erotic engravings in colors.

[CHINA]. CHINESE EROTIC ALBUM. China, 20

th century. 1 000 € / 9 000 HKD

Album comprising 5 erotic engravings printed on cloth.

The whole has been pasted on wood and mounted as an “accordion fold type” work. (Leperello).

The two covers protecting the closed album are covered with fawn leather.

Dimensions of the closed album: 183 x 84 mm.

Dimensions of the unfolded album: 183 x 850 mm.

Beautiful album composed of 5 erotic engravings depicting 5 couples in the middle of diverse erotic embraces in five

different environments, both indoor and outdoor.

PRECIOUS CHINESE EROTIC ALBUM WITH BRIGHT COLORS, WELL PRESERVED.

34

35

24

ALPHABETICAL INDEX

[ANDRADE]. Lettere annue del Tibet... 1628. 6

[CANADA]. Affaires du canada... 1757. 26

CHARPENTIER-COSSIGNY.

Voyage à Canton… [1799]. 29

[CHINA] CHINESE EROTIC ALBUM. 20th

century. 35

CHINESE PRINTING BY THE JESUITS. [1694]. 14

CHINESE SCROLL PAINTING.

19th

century. 33

DASSIE. Description de l‟Amérique. 1680. 12

DU BELLAY. Les Œuvres. 1574. 1

DU FAIL. Les contes d‟Eutrapel. 1597. 3

HOLMES. Voyage en Chine et en Tartarie... 1805. 31

JAPANESE SCROLL PAINTINGS.

18th

century. 25

JEFFERYS. Conduite des François… 1755. 23

JULIEN. Résumé des principaux traités chinois

sur la culture des mûriers. 1837. 32

KANGXI. Gengzhitu. 1696. 16

LE COMTE. Mémoires sur la Chine... 1697. 15

LE GOBIEN. Histoire de l‟Édit de la Chine…. 1698. 17

LERY. Histoire d‟un voyage fait en la terre du

Brésil... 1594. 2

LONGOBARDI. Traité sur quelques points

de la religion des Chinois. 1700-01. 18

MACARTNEY. Voyage dans l‟intérieur de la

Chine... 1826-27. 30

[MANDEVILLE]. La Fable des abeilles. 1740. 22

MARIVAUX. La Surprise de l‟amour. 1723. 19

MARIVAUX. Le Jeu de l‟amour et du

hazard. 1730. 20

MARIVAUX. Le Paysan parvenu. 1734-35. 21

MARTINI. Tartaros en China... 1665. 10

MARTINI. Histoire de la Chine. 1692. 13

MERCATOR. Atlas sive cosmographicae... 1623. 5

[MIRABEAU]. Le Libertin de qualité. 1784. 28

[PAEZ…]. Histoire… d'Ethiopie / Chine / Tibet. 1629. 7

PALAFOX Y MENDOZA. Historia de la

China... 1670. 11

PICHON. Lettres et Mémoires… 1760. 24

RHODES. Divers voyages en Chine... 1653. 9

SEMMEDO. Imperio de la China. 1642. 8

SOUVENIR ALBUM OF CHINA. 1908. 34

TRIGAULT. Litterae Societatis… 1615. 4

VOLTAIRE. Lettres chinoises... 1776. 27