Asia
Australia
Borneo
Burma
Cambodia
China
Hong Kong
India
Indonesia
Japan
Macao
Malaysia
Nepal
New Zealand
Philippines
Singapore
Thailand
Tibet
Vietnam
China - Pictorial, Descriptive, and Historical. With some account of Ava and the Burmese, Siam, and Anam -
Julia Corner
1853 - Henry G. Bohn, London - First Edition
A compilation of various writings on China, with steel engraved map, and 85 black and white woodcut illustrations. Beautifully bound in modern pictorial cloth.
A large portion of the writing is from Julia Corner’s History of China, other authors include John Davis and Wells Williams.
More details
Price HK$ 3,000
1853 - Henry G. Bohn, London - First Edition
A compilation of various writings on China, with steel engraved map, and 85 black and white woodcut illustrations. Beautifully bound in modern pictorial cloth.A large portion of the writing is from Julia Corner’s History of China, other authors include John Davis and Wells Williams.
More details
Price HK$ 3,000
The Eastern Seas -
George Windsor Earl
1837 - Wm. H. Allen and Co., London - First Edition
A very important association copy, with the signature of Margaret, Lady Brooke. Earl was a strong admirer of Raffles, who had died in 1826’ and Earl’s book ‘greatly impressed James Brooke, who was also an admirer of Raffles and his writings’. Brooke’s prospectus for his voyage to Singapore and then Borneo (published in October 1938), reflected the influence of Earl’s book.
An entertaining and insightful work, with extensive chapters on Indonesia, Borneo, Malaysia, and Singapore, as well as a lengthy treatise in the Appendix titled ‘Observations on the Commercial Resources of the Indian Archipelago’. Illustrated with four folding maps.
Brooke encouraged the work of Wallace, whose ‘Wallace Line’, showing the boundary between Asian and Australian faunal regions, was critical to Wallace and Darwin’s evolutionary theory. But the ‘Line’ had been earlier presented to the Royal Geographical Society by Earl in 1845, and Wallace acknowledged that ‘Earl believed that there had been a former connection between Asia and Australia’. Darwin also wrote to Wallace, after reading a draft of his paper on Malay zoogeography, to ask: ‘Are you aware that Mr. W. Earl published several years ago the view of distribution of animals in Malay Archipelago in relation to the depth of the sea between the islands?’.
More details
Price HK$ 9,000
1837 - Wm. H. Allen and Co., London - First Edition
A very important association copy, with the signature of Margaret, Lady Brooke. Earl was a strong admirer of Raffles, who had died in 1826’ and Earl’s book ‘greatly impressed James Brooke, who was also an admirer of Raffles and his writings’. Brooke’s prospectus for his voyage to Singapore and then Borneo (published in October 1938), reflected the influence of Earl’s book.An entertaining and insightful work, with extensive chapters on Indonesia, Borneo, Malaysia, and Singapore, as well as a lengthy treatise in the Appendix titled ‘Observations on the Commercial Resources of the Indian Archipelago’. Illustrated with four folding maps.
Brooke encouraged the work of Wallace, whose ‘Wallace Line’, showing the boundary between Asian and Australian faunal regions, was critical to Wallace and Darwin’s evolutionary theory. But the ‘Line’ had been earlier presented to the Royal Geographical Society by Earl in 1845, and Wallace acknowledged that ‘Earl believed that there had been a former connection between Asia and Australia’. Darwin also wrote to Wallace, after reading a draft of his paper on Malay zoogeography, to ask: ‘Are you aware that Mr. W. Earl published several years ago the view of distribution of animals in Malay Archipelago in relation to the depth of the sea between the islands?’.
More details
Price HK$ 9,000
A Thousand Miles on an Elephant in the Shan States -
Holt S. Hallett
1890 - William Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh and London - First Edition
A superb example of this rather scarce and wonderfully illustrated account, ‘narrating Hallett’s travels in Thailand and the Shan States of Eastern Burma in 1876 to survey possible railway routes from Burma. He was accompanied by two missionaries, Rev. Dr. Josiah Nelson Cushing and Rev. Dr. Daniel McGilvary. Hallett was a lively observer of the local topography, people, trade and customs, and recorded his impressions not only in words but in detailed illustrations that are included in this book, together with route maps.’ [Patricia Herbert, Burmah]
With eight folding lithographed maps, 7 of which are in colour, together with sketches and diagrams throughout the text.
More details
Price HK$ 22,000
1890 - William Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh and London - First Edition
A superb example of this rather scarce and wonderfully illustrated account, ‘narrating Hallett’s travels in Thailand and the Shan States of Eastern Burma in 1876 to survey possible railway routes from Burma. He was accompanied by two missionaries, Rev. Dr. Josiah Nelson Cushing and Rev. Dr. Daniel McGilvary. Hallett was a lively observer of the local topography, people, trade and customs, and recorded his impressions not only in words but in detailed illustrations that are included in this book, together with route maps.’ [Patricia Herbert, Burmah]With eight folding lithographed maps, 7 of which are in colour, together with sketches and diagrams throughout the text.
More details
Price HK$ 22,000
Embassy to the Eastern Courts of Cochin-China, Siam, and Muscat -
Edmund Roberts
1837 - Harper & Brothers, New York - First Edition
Important account of an early American embassy to the east. Roberts was appointed as special agent of the United States to negotiate treaties with Muscat, Siam, Cochin China and Japan, which he set out to do in 1832 with the ship Peacock and the schooner Boxer.
Includes about 120 pages describing the culture and business practices of China.
More details
Price HK$ 7,500
1837 - Harper & Brothers, New York - First Edition
Important account of an early American embassy to the east. Roberts was appointed as special agent of the United States to negotiate treaties with Muscat, Siam, Cochin China and Japan, which he set out to do in 1832 with the ship Peacock and the schooner Boxer.Includes about 120 pages describing the culture and business practices of China.
More details
Price HK$ 7,500
Descriptio regni Japoniae et SIam -
Bernhardus Varenius (Bernhard Varen), Jodocum Schoutenium (Joost Schouten)
1649 - Apud Ludovicum Elzevirium, Amsterdam - First Edition
Two little volumes bound in one stunning contemporary vellum binding (11.9 x 6.5 cm), with additional engraved title page and folding out table.
Volume I contains the first comprehensive description of Japan from a European perspective, which Varenius based on a diversity of sources, without visiting Japan himself, together with a Latin translation of the first reliable work on Siam (Thailand, and provinces of Cambodia, Malaysia, and Burma) by Joost Schouten. Volume II contains a discourse on religion in Japan by Varenius, and his writings on diverse races and their religions (including Schouten on the religions of Siam), followed by short excerpts from Leo Africanus on religion in Africa.
More details
Price HK$ 7,800
1649 - Apud Ludovicum Elzevirium, Amsterdam - First Edition
Two little volumes bound in one stunning contemporary vellum binding (11.9 x 6.5 cm), with additional engraved title page and folding out table.Volume I contains the first comprehensive description of Japan from a European perspective, which Varenius based on a diversity of sources, without visiting Japan himself, together with a Latin translation of the first reliable work on Siam (Thailand, and provinces of Cambodia, Malaysia, and Burma) by Joost Schouten. Volume II contains a discourse on religion in Japan by Varenius, and his writings on diverse races and their religions (including Schouten on the religions of Siam), followed by short excerpts from Leo Africanus on religion in Africa.
More details
Price HK$ 7,800