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The Hatha-Yoga Pradipika of Swatmaram Swami. Published with the original text and its commentary -
Svatmaram, Shrinivas Iyangar (translator)
1893 - Tookaram Tatya for the Theosophical Publication Fund, Bombay - First Edition in English
The first English translation, published with the original Sanskrit text and its commentary.
The Hatha Yoga Pradīpikā (or Light on Hatha Yoga) is a classic fifteenth-century Sanskrit manual on hatha yoga, written by Svāmi Svātmārāma, who connects the teaching's lineage to Matsyendranath of the Nathas. It is among the most influential surviving texts on hatha yoga, and is one of three classic texts on hatha yoga, alongside the Gheranda Samhita and the Shiva Samhita.
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Price HK$ 2,800
1893 - Tookaram Tatya for the Theosophical Publication Fund, Bombay - First Edition in English
The first English translation, published with the original Sanskrit text and its commentary.The Hatha Yoga Pradīpikā (or Light on Hatha Yoga) is a classic fifteenth-century Sanskrit manual on hatha yoga, written by Svāmi Svātmārāma, who connects the teaching's lineage to Matsyendranath of the Nathas. It is among the most influential surviving texts on hatha yoga, and is one of three classic texts on hatha yoga, alongside the Gheranda Samhita and the Shiva Samhita.
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Price HK$ 2,800
An Embassy to the Kingdom of Ava -
Michael Symes
1800 - W. Bulmer and Co., London - First Edition, Large Paper Copy
A stunning and rare large paper copy of ‘the first full account of Burma to be published’, finely illustrated with two folding engraved maps, eighteen engraved plates, and eight engraved botanical plates (four of which are folding). In contemporary full polished calf armourial binding of Sir Richard Colt Hoare, 2nd Baronet, and once housed in the Hoare Library at Stourhead.
Michael Symes was sent by Sir John Shore, governor-general of India, on a mission to Ava in Burma, to obtain from the emperor of Ava a permit to allow a British agent to reside at Rangoon, and to induce him to close his borders to French shipping. In diplomatic terms Symes’ mission was a success.
His detailed account, is highly interesting with keen observations and insight. ‘It is a mass of information on the history, religion, government, social systems, language, geography and economy of Burma, together with a narrative of Symes’ seven months stay in Burma, his journey to the capital and reception at court.’
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Price HK$ 42,000
1800 - W. Bulmer and Co., London - First Edition, Large Paper Copy
A stunning and rare large paper copy of ‘the first full account of Burma to be published’, finely illustrated with two folding engraved maps, eighteen engraved plates, and eight engraved botanical plates (four of which are folding). In contemporary full polished calf armourial binding of Sir Richard Colt Hoare, 2nd Baronet, and once housed in the Hoare Library at Stourhead.Michael Symes was sent by Sir John Shore, governor-general of India, on a mission to Ava in Burma, to obtain from the emperor of Ava a permit to allow a British agent to reside at Rangoon, and to induce him to close his borders to French shipping. In diplomatic terms Symes’ mission was a success.
His detailed account, is highly interesting with keen observations and insight. ‘It is a mass of information on the history, religion, government, social systems, language, geography and economy of Burma, together with a narrative of Symes’ seven months stay in Burma, his journey to the capital and reception at court.’
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Price HK$ 42,000
People in China. Thirty-two photographic studies from life -
Ellen Thorbecke, Friedrich Schiff (illustrator)
1935 - George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd., London - First Edition
A lovely copy, in the scarce original dust jacket. With an introduction by W. J. R. Thorbecke. Illustrated with one colour plate by F. H. Schiff and 32 mounted photographic plates by Ellen Thorbecke.
‘In the 1930's, Dutch photographer Ellen Thorbecke took a series of photos in China with the use of many experimental techniques. Her portraits covered a wide range of people, including an industrialist, a peddler, a student, a country woman, a soldier and so on. Accompanied with every portrait, there was a brief biography about the person. Like her photos, those "micro stories" composed a "macro view" of the Chinese society. While most Westerners were interested in “typical scenes” of China, Thorbecke went beyond producing stock photography by telling the story behind each photo and thus depicting the deeper layer of the Chinese society.’ [Dr. Chong-ho Yu]
Illustrated by Friederich Schiff, an Austrian artist, prolific cartoonist whose work appeared in books, newspapers, magazines and advertisements throughout China and the Far East. They had previously collaborated in 1934 on Peking Studies and on a similar guide book Shanghai in 1938.
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Price HK$ 6,000
1935 - George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd., London - First Edition
A lovely copy, in the scarce original dust jacket. With an introduction by W. J. R. Thorbecke. Illustrated with one colour plate by F. H. Schiff and 32 mounted photographic plates by Ellen Thorbecke.‘In the 1930's, Dutch photographer Ellen Thorbecke took a series of photos in China with the use of many experimental techniques. Her portraits covered a wide range of people, including an industrialist, a peddler, a student, a country woman, a soldier and so on. Accompanied with every portrait, there was a brief biography about the person. Like her photos, those "micro stories" composed a "macro view" of the Chinese society. While most Westerners were interested in “typical scenes” of China, Thorbecke went beyond producing stock photography by telling the story behind each photo and thus depicting the deeper layer of the Chinese society.’ [Dr. Chong-ho Yu]
Illustrated by Friederich Schiff, an Austrian artist, prolific cartoonist whose work appeared in books, newspapers, magazines and advertisements throughout China and the Far East. They had previously collaborated in 1934 on Peking Studies and on a similar guide book Shanghai in 1938.
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Price HK$ 6,000
Personal Narrative of a Voyage to Japan, Kamtschatka, Siberia, Tartary, and Various Parts of the Coast of China -
J. M. Tronson R.N.
1859 - Smith, London - First Edition
A handsomely bound first edition of British officer J.M. Tronson’s informative and detailed account of his voyage to Japan, together with extensive chapters on Hong Kong, Siberia, Shanghai, Korea, and various parts of the coast of China.
Tronson accompanied Sir Frederick Henry Stirling’s 1854-6 expedition, during which Stirling negotiated the first trade treaty between Britain and Japan, in Nagasaki. This was a time of great upheaval in Japan as the country had only recently been opened to the West.
Illustrated with 5 folding maps, 8 full page engraved plates including frontispiece, and a number of other engraved vignettes in the text.
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Price HK$ 11,000
1859 - Smith, London - First Edition
A handsomely bound first edition of British officer J.M. Tronson’s informative and detailed account of his voyage to Japan, together with extensive chapters on Hong Kong, Siberia, Shanghai, Korea, and various parts of the coast of China.Tronson accompanied Sir Frederick Henry Stirling’s 1854-6 expedition, during which Stirling negotiated the first trade treaty between Britain and Japan, in Nagasaki. This was a time of great upheaval in Japan as the country had only recently been opened to the West.
Illustrated with 5 folding maps, 8 full page engraved plates including frontispiece, and a number of other engraved vignettes in the text.
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Price HK$ 11,000
An Account of an Embassy to the Court of the Teshoo Lama, in Tibet; containing A Narrative of a Journey through Bootan, and Part of Tibet. -
Captain Samuel Turner, Lieutenant Samuel Davis, Robert Saunders
1800 - Printed by W. Bulmer and Co. for G. and W. Nicol, London - First Edition
A clean wide-margined first edition of ‘the first eye-witness report on Tibet and Bhutan to be published in English.’
It also contains the drawings of Samuel Davis ‘a surveyor and draftsman for the Bengal Army, he accompanied the second British embassy, in 1783, to Druk Yul, the Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon. These elegant depictions attest to the only foreign artist “of distinction” to show Bhutan, and the first outsider to paint scenes from these mountains’ [Michael Aris Views of Medieval Bhutan].
In addition, is the marvellously Mona-Lisa’esque ‘Yak of Tartary’, an engraved aquatint by De la Motte of the Bhutanese yak that Turner successfully shipped alive back to Hastings, where it was painted by George Stubbs.
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Price HK$ 33,000
1800 - Printed by W. Bulmer and Co. for G. and W. Nicol, London - First Edition
A clean wide-margined first edition of ‘the first eye-witness report on Tibet and Bhutan to be published in English.’It also contains the drawings of Samuel Davis ‘a surveyor and draftsman for the Bengal Army, he accompanied the second British embassy, in 1783, to Druk Yul, the Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon. These elegant depictions attest to the only foreign artist “of distinction” to show Bhutan, and the first outsider to paint scenes from these mountains’ [Michael Aris Views of Medieval Bhutan].
In addition, is the marvellously Mona-Lisa’esque ‘Yak of Tartary’, an engraved aquatint by De la Motte of the Bhutanese yak that Turner successfully shipped alive back to Hastings, where it was painted by George Stubbs.
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Price HK$ 33,000
A Pictorial Review of My Service on the Asiatic Station - By A Bluejacket -
V. D. Z.
1914 - Privately Printed, Printed in China (see last image) - First and Only Edition
A photographic record of the U.S.S. Saratoga, the United States flagship of the Asiatic Station in 1912, mostly covering Hong Kong and China. [29 x 22 cm]
Containing 406 black and white illustrations from photographs and three maps, together with index to the numbered photographs and accompanying descriptions. At the rear is an itinerary of ports visited which has been left blank.
‘The photographs where practically all taken by bluejackets off the various ships of the Asiatic Fleet or by Burr Photo Co., Denniston & Sullivan, or Rembrandt’.
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Price HK$ 15,000
1914 - Privately Printed, Printed in China (see last image) - First and Only Edition
A photographic record of the U.S.S. Saratoga, the United States flagship of the Asiatic Station in 1912, mostly covering Hong Kong and China. [29 x 22 cm]Containing 406 black and white illustrations from photographs and three maps, together with index to the numbered photographs and accompanying descriptions. At the rear is an itinerary of ports visited which has been left blank.
‘The photographs where practically all taken by bluejackets off the various ships of the Asiatic Fleet or by Burr Photo Co., Denniston & Sullivan, or Rembrandt’.
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Price HK$ 15,000
The Emperor's Pearl -
Robert H. Van Gulik
1963 - Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York - First American Edition
The eighth book in the Judge Dee series, and chronologically fifteenth tale, being set in China 669 AD.
With eight illustrations, a plan of Mr Kou’s library, and orange coated endpapers illustrated in white showing the Poo-yang Dragon Boat race in progress, all from Chinese style woodblocks prints by Van Gulik.
The time is 699 A.D. The place is Poo-yang. Here Judge Dee, imperial magistrate, must investigate two deaths: the collapse of a young drummer in the annual dragon-boat race and the murder of a woman in a deserted country estate. The mystery involves the cruel River Goddess, and the legendary Emperor's pearl, as well as a wealthy merchant's lovely, mute, mad wife.
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Price HK$ 1,200
1963 - Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York - First American Edition
The eighth book in the Judge Dee series, and chronologically fifteenth tale, being set in China 669 AD.With eight illustrations, a plan of Mr Kou’s library, and orange coated endpapers illustrated in white showing the Poo-yang Dragon Boat race in progress, all from Chinese style woodblocks prints by Van Gulik.
The time is 699 A.D. The place is Poo-yang. Here Judge Dee, imperial magistrate, must investigate two deaths: the collapse of a young drummer in the annual dragon-boat race and the murder of a woman in a deserted country estate. The mystery involves the cruel River Goddess, and the legendary Emperor's pearl, as well as a wealthy merchant's lovely, mute, mad wife.
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Price HK$ 1,200
The Phantom of the Temple -
Robert H. Van Gulik
1966 - Heinemann, London - First Edition
The fourteenth book in the Judge Dee series, and chronologically eighteenth tale, being set in China 670 AD.
With nine illustrations from woodblock prints, and endpapers illustrated with a sketch map of Lan-fang, in Chinese style by Van Gulik.
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Price HK$ 2,200
1966 - Heinemann, London - First Edition
The fourteenth book in the Judge Dee series, and chronologically eighteenth tale, being set in China 670 AD.With nine illustrations from woodblock prints, and endpapers illustrated with a sketch map of Lan-fang, in Chinese style by Van Gulik.
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Price HK$ 2,200