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A Collection of eight early Tasmanian Almanacs - consisting of - The Tasmanian Royal Kalendar, Colonial Register, and Almanack. 1849 compiled by James Wood - with - seven editions of Walch’s Tasmanian Almanac, and Guide to Tasmania for 1866, 1871, 1872, 1874, 1882, 1885, and 1887 -
1849 - Henry Dowling, Launceston - First Editions
Eight of these scarce little Almanacs, beginning with James Wood’s 1849 ‘Tasmanian Royal Kalendar’. The first to be produced by Wood after James Ross’ 1848 printing.
Following on from Wood in 1863, J. Walch produced their ‘Tasmanian Almanac’, presented here are seven of these, from the fourth issue of 1866 in a later binding, and six further printings all in their original gilt and red cloth covers, so commonly referred to as the ‘red book’, each housed in a custom clamshell case. Regularly referenced and shelved in the tough climate of Tasmania over 150 years ago, examples in original bright cloth are exceptionally scarce.
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Price HK$ 15,000
1849 - Henry Dowling, Launceston - First Editions
Eight of these scarce little Almanacs, beginning with James Wood’s 1849 ‘Tasmanian Royal Kalendar’. The first to be produced by Wood after James Ross’ 1848 printing.Following on from Wood in 1863, J. Walch produced their ‘Tasmanian Almanac’, presented here are seven of these, from the fourth issue of 1866 in a later binding, and six further printings all in their original gilt and red cloth covers, so commonly referred to as the ‘red book’, each housed in a custom clamshell case. Regularly referenced and shelved in the tough climate of Tasmania over 150 years ago, examples in original bright cloth are exceptionally scarce.
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Price HK$ 15,000
The Hobart Town Almanack for the Year 1832. With Embellishments -
1831-2 - Printed by James Ross, Hobart Town - Only Edition
A fine and extremely rare example of this 1832 Tasmanian almanac, the fourth the to be printed by the enterprising James Ross, all of which are scarce. Ross competed continuously with Andrew Bent, who, in 1824 produced the first Almanack in Tasmania with Andrew Sorrell. From 1929 to Ross took over, producing these annuals which where essential for the development of local agricultural and trading enterprises. See the attached biography for the full details of Ross’s extraordinary life.
Illustrated with a folding colour ‘Plan of Lanceston and its Vicinity’ (21.2x32cm), an engraved title page with vignette of cockatoos, a hand-coloured folding plate of flag signals, four single page black and white engravings, together with several wood engraved vignettes.
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Price HK$ 12,000
1831-2 - Printed by James Ross, Hobart Town - Only Edition
A fine and extremely rare example of this 1832 Tasmanian almanac, the fourth the to be printed by the enterprising James Ross, all of which are scarce. Ross competed continuously with Andrew Bent, who, in 1824 produced the first Almanack in Tasmania with Andrew Sorrell. From 1929 to Ross took over, producing these annuals which where essential for the development of local agricultural and trading enterprises. See the attached biography for the full details of Ross’s extraordinary life.Illustrated with a folding colour ‘Plan of Lanceston and its Vicinity’ (21.2x32cm), an engraved title page with vignette of cockatoos, a hand-coloured folding plate of flag signals, four single page black and white engravings, together with several wood engraved vignettes.
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Price HK$ 12,000
Journal of the North-China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society - 1865 -
December 1865 - Printed at the Presbyterian Mission Press, Shanghai - New Series No.II
A rare and clean example of this early journal, produced by the Shanghai based North China branch, which was formed in 1857. In later covers, housing the original front paper wrappers.
Illustrated with two folding hand coloured shaded maps, two diagrams (one folding), and a number of in-text illustrations, .
Included in the nine articles are ‘Retrospect of Events in China and Japan’, ‘Birds and Beasts of Formosa’, and ‘The Hieroglyphic Character of the Chinese written Language’. To the rear are thirteen pages of miscellaneous articles and letters, followed by a summary of RAS proceedings during 1865.
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Price HK$ 5,500
December 1865 - Printed at the Presbyterian Mission Press, Shanghai - New Series No.II
A rare and clean example of this early journal, produced by the Shanghai based North China branch, which was formed in 1857. In later covers, housing the original front paper wrappers.Illustrated with two folding hand coloured shaded maps, two diagrams (one folding), and a number of in-text illustrations, .
Included in the nine articles are ‘Retrospect of Events in China and Japan’, ‘Birds and Beasts of Formosa’, and ‘The Hieroglyphic Character of the Chinese written Language’. To the rear are thirteen pages of miscellaneous articles and letters, followed by a summary of RAS proceedings during 1865.
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Price HK$ 5,500
Haiku : Volume 1 Eastern Culture; Volume 2 Spring; Volume 3 Summer-Autumn; Volume 4 Autumn-Winter -
R. H. Blyth
1949 - The Hokuseido Press, Tokyo - Vol. 1, 2, & 4 First Editions, Vol. 3 early printing
‘Mountains and rivers, the whole earth, –
All manifest forth the essence of being’
A lovely set of this four volume work on the origins and spirit of Japanese haiku, complete and fine in beautifully illustrated dust jackets. Tipped in the last page of each volume is the publisher’s sheet with date of printing, Blyth’s hanko (ink stamp), bookseller’s plate and other details, which are normally missing and which allow accurate dating of each volume (our thanks to a particular customer for assisting with this).
Blyth is best known as a major interpreter of haiku to English speakers. These four volumes, first published from 1949 to 1952, helped introduce haiku to the post World War II world, and his translations and writings on the subject were a crucial impetus in triggering the creation of haiku outside of Japan. Many contemporary Western writers of haiku were introduced to the genre through his works. These include the San Francisco and Beat Generation writers, such as Jack Kerouac, Gary Snyder, and Allen Ginsberg, as well as J.D. Salinger.
Each volume with numerous full page black and white and colour illustrations. Volume 4 contains a fold-out graph depicting the evolution of English and Japanese literature, at rear. Many haiku in Blyth’s translation are presented alongside their original Japanese characters.
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Price HK$ 6,000
1949 - The Hokuseido Press, Tokyo - Vol. 1, 2, & 4 First Editions, Vol. 3 early printing
‘Mountains and rivers, the whole earth, –All manifest forth the essence of being’
A lovely set of this four volume work on the origins and spirit of Japanese haiku, complete and fine in beautifully illustrated dust jackets. Tipped in the last page of each volume is the publisher’s sheet with date of printing, Blyth’s hanko (ink stamp), bookseller’s plate and other details, which are normally missing and which allow accurate dating of each volume (our thanks to a particular customer for assisting with this).
Blyth is best known as a major interpreter of haiku to English speakers. These four volumes, first published from 1949 to 1952, helped introduce haiku to the post World War II world, and his translations and writings on the subject were a crucial impetus in triggering the creation of haiku outside of Japan. Many contemporary Western writers of haiku were introduced to the genre through his works. These include the San Francisco and Beat Generation writers, such as Jack Kerouac, Gary Snyder, and Allen Ginsberg, as well as J.D. Salinger.
Each volume with numerous full page black and white and colour illustrations. Volume 4 contains a fold-out graph depicting the evolution of English and Japanese literature, at rear. Many haiku in Blyth’s translation are presented alongside their original Japanese characters.
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Price HK$ 6,000
La Chine et les Chinois -
Auguste Borget
1842 - Goupil & Vibert, Paris - First Edition
Complete set of this renowned and highly prized collection of plates on China, including views of Hong Kong, Macao, and Canton.
Tinted lithographic title page and thirty two sepia tinted lithographic plates on 25 sheets by Eugène Cicéri after Borget, letterpress text and title page, and two leaves of dedication.
‘The feeling of superiority to the Chinese, so characteristic of accounts from the 1840s, is absent here. The artist observes with a fresh eye.’ - Lust, Western Travellers in China.
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Price HK$ 210,000
1842 - Goupil & Vibert, Paris - First Edition
Complete set of this renowned and highly prized collection of plates on China, including views of Hong Kong, Macao, and Canton.Tinted lithographic title page and thirty two sepia tinted lithographic plates on 25 sheets by Eugène Cicéri after Borget, letterpress text and title page, and two leaves of dedication.
‘The feeling of superiority to the Chinese, so characteristic of accounts from the 1840s, is absent here. The artist observes with a fresh eye.’ - Lust, Western Travellers in China.
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Price HK$ 210,000
Hundred Altars -
Juliet Bredon
1936 - Kelly and Walsh, Shanghai - Special Far Eastern Edition.
Unusually for Bredon’s works this was first published in London 1934, and later presented here as the Special Far Eastern Edition, published in Shanghai, and with the scarce and delicate Kelly and Walsh dust jacket. Normally the first editions of Bredon were published by Kelly and Walsh.
‘Hundred Altars is the name of a village in Northern China, an impressive first novel by Juliet Bredon, long term expatriate and author of several detailed historical and descriptive works on China. Penetrates the soul of that vast country, revealing its people, its customs, its struggles as they have seldom if ever been revealed before. The soul of a nation lies in the hearts of its peasantry, and it is of the peasantry that this novel so unforgettably deals. We see them here in the strange humility, with those traits of character so curious in our eyes, these men and women and children of the village of Hundred Altars; they live before us so vividly that the story becomes one of intense personal importance to the reader.’ - publishers description.
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Price HK$ 4,000
1936 - Kelly and Walsh, Shanghai - Special Far Eastern Edition.
Unusually for Bredon’s works this was first published in London 1934, and later presented here as the Special Far Eastern Edition, published in Shanghai, and with the scarce and delicate Kelly and Walsh dust jacket. Normally the first editions of Bredon were published by Kelly and Walsh.‘Hundred Altars is the name of a village in Northern China, an impressive first novel by Juliet Bredon, long term expatriate and author of several detailed historical and descriptive works on China. Penetrates the soul of that vast country, revealing its people, its customs, its struggles as they have seldom if ever been revealed before. The soul of a nation lies in the hearts of its peasantry, and it is of the peasantry that this novel so unforgettably deals. We see them here in the strange humility, with those traits of character so curious in our eyes, these men and women and children of the village of Hundred Altars; they live before us so vividly that the story becomes one of intense personal importance to the reader.’ - publishers description.
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Price HK$ 4,000
I Want to Take Picture - Signed -
Bill Burke
1987 - Nexus Press, Atlanta - First Edition
Illustrated throughout with duotones and halftones from photographs by Bill Burke; some colour reproductions and photographs.
Signed by Bill Burke with inscription to Terry Etherton within a trace of the photographer's left hand.
A photographic journal taken during the author's trips through Thailand along the Cambodian border in the early 1980’s, particularly focusing on the after-effects of the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia.
‘In 1982, years after Vietnam, I decided to give myself my own Southeast Asia experience. I wanted to make pictures in a place where I didn't know the rules, where I'd be off balance. Friends who had been there recommended Thailand; nice people, easy transportation, good food. Another friend told me that as long as I was going to Thailand I should go see the refugees coming out of Cambodia. He set me up with the International Rescue Committee, which was working at the Thai-Cambodian border.’ – Bill Burke.
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Price HK$ 8,000
1987 - Nexus Press, Atlanta - First Edition
Illustrated throughout with duotones and halftones from photographs by Bill Burke; some colour reproductions and photographs.Signed by Bill Burke with inscription to Terry Etherton within a trace of the photographer's left hand.
A photographic journal taken during the author's trips through Thailand along the Cambodian border in the early 1980’s, particularly focusing on the after-effects of the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia.
‘In 1982, years after Vietnam, I decided to give myself my own Southeast Asia experience. I wanted to make pictures in a place where I didn't know the rules, where I'd be off balance. Friends who had been there recommended Thailand; nice people, easy transportation, good food. Another friend told me that as long as I was going to Thailand I should go see the refugees coming out of Cambodia. He set me up with the International Rescue Committee, which was working at the Thai-Cambodian border.’ – Bill Burke.
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Price HK$ 8,000
The Morals of Confucius -
Confucius
Circa 1760-80 - Printed for Randal Taylor, London - First Thus
A rare later 18th century reprint of this work and the first to include the folding frontispiece engraving of Confucius (often missing). First published in 1691 and scarce in any early edition, more so this edition with the engraving. In contemporary binding, and with decorations to title page, six headpieces, and three tailpieces.
Beginning with a ‘Preface’ introducing this translation and its sources, followed by ‘Part First’ titled ‘Of the Antiquity and Philosophy of the Chinese’, then ‘Part II’ which offers selected translations from the three books, and ends with 80 ‘Maxims’.
‘The great Chinese teacher Confucius (551 BC–479 BC) articulated a philosophy based on the concepts of ren (‘benevolence’ or ‘compassion’) and li (‘ritual’ or ‘propriety’). He hoped to create the ideal, superior man (junzi) and thereby facilitate a just society.
Confucius’s teachings were highly influential across China and large areas of east Asia for almost two millennia before this 1691 work offered English readers their first introduction to his philosophical approach. It provides an account of Confucius’s life and times, as well as 80 of his maxims.
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Price HK$ 16,000
Circa 1760-80 - Printed for Randal Taylor, London - First Thus
A rare later 18th century reprint of this work and the first to include the folding frontispiece engraving of Confucius (often missing). First published in 1691 and scarce in any early edition, more so this edition with the engraving. In contemporary binding, and with decorations to title page, six headpieces, and three tailpieces.Beginning with a ‘Preface’ introducing this translation and its sources, followed by ‘Part First’ titled ‘Of the Antiquity and Philosophy of the Chinese’, then ‘Part II’ which offers selected translations from the three books, and ends with 80 ‘Maxims’.
‘The great Chinese teacher Confucius (551 BC–479 BC) articulated a philosophy based on the concepts of ren (‘benevolence’ or ‘compassion’) and li (‘ritual’ or ‘propriety’). He hoped to create the ideal, superior man (junzi) and thereby facilitate a just society.
Confucius’s teachings were highly influential across China and large areas of east Asia for almost two millennia before this 1691 work offered English readers their first introduction to his philosophical approach. It provides an account of Confucius’s life and times, as well as 80 of his maxims.
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Price HK$ 16,000