Five Months on The Yang-Tsze; With a Narrative of the Exploration of its Upper Waters, and Notices of The Present Rebellions in China -
Thomas W. Blakiston
1862 - John Murray, London - First Edition
First edition in scarce original publisher’s cloth. Illustrated by Alfred Barton, with sixteen full page woodcut engraved plates, eight in-text engravings, and two folding maps by John Arrowsmith of The Yang-Tze Kiang from Han-Kow to Ping-Shan [64x21cm] and China [31x22cm].
Blakiston [1832-91] was an English army officer, explorer and naturalist who served with the British forces in Ireland, Nova Scotia and the Crimea before being posted to Canton during the second Opium War in 1859.
While in Canton, Blakiston organised this expedition, navigating ‘one of the greatest rivers in the world a distance of eighteen hundred miles’. ‘Despite the region being subject to extensive insurgency, Blakiston was able to travel 900 miles further up the river than any European before him except Jesuits wearing local attire.
His narrative, divided into nineteen chapters with illustrations by Alfred Barton, contains many observations relating to the politically volatile situation in China as well as descriptions of the local landscape, flora and fauna. It remained the standard account of the region for fifty years’. [Cambridge Library Collection]
Provenance: Edward Doubleday, with his contemporary signature to the half-title.
Reference: Löwendahl, China Illustrata Nova, 1263. Cordier, Bibliotheca Sinica, 121.
Thick octavo (book size 23.1x16.3cm), pp. xiv [2] 380, 12 (publisher’s catalogue dated November, 1861). In publisher’s red patterned cloth, spine lettered and ruled in gilt, upper board with gilt blocked vignette repeating in-text engraving, and showing title in blind, green coated endpapers. Condition: Near fine light foxing to first few pages, else clean throughout, some map folds delicate, some abrasion to front pastedown, in very good cloth, wear to corners and spine ends, some splitting along outer folds, but solid, gilt strong and bright, gentle soling. Ref: 112090 Price: HK$ 8,000
Blakiston [1832-91] was an English army officer, explorer and naturalist who served with the British forces in Ireland, Nova Scotia and the Crimea before being posted to Canton during the second Opium War in 1859.
While in Canton, Blakiston organised this expedition, navigating ‘one of the greatest rivers in the world a distance of eighteen hundred miles’. ‘Despite the region being subject to extensive insurgency, Blakiston was able to travel 900 miles further up the river than any European before him except Jesuits wearing local attire.
His narrative, divided into nineteen chapters with illustrations by Alfred Barton, contains many observations relating to the politically volatile situation in China as well as descriptions of the local landscape, flora and fauna. It remained the standard account of the region for fifty years’. [Cambridge Library Collection]
Provenance: Edward Doubleday, with his contemporary signature to the half-title.
Reference: Löwendahl, China Illustrata Nova, 1263. Cordier, Bibliotheca Sinica, 121.
Thick octavo (book size 23.1x16.3cm), pp. xiv [2] 380, 12 (publisher’s catalogue dated November, 1861). In publisher’s red patterned cloth, spine lettered and ruled in gilt, upper board with gilt blocked vignette repeating in-text engraving, and showing title in blind, green coated endpapers. Condition: Near fine light foxing to first few pages, else clean throughout, some map folds delicate, some abrasion to front pastedown, in very good cloth, wear to corners and spine ends, some splitting along outer folds, but solid, gilt strong and bright, gentle soling. Ref: 112090 Price: HK$ 8,000