Search Results: abaa-50 from Rare Oriental Book Company, ABAA, ILAB - AN ART AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY COMPANY

London 1925-28, Benn. Black & gold blind stamped cloth,folio with 300 color, 500 b.w. photos, total of 718p., text+plates deckle edge paper, 32 x 46 cm., superbly illustrated work. FIRST & ONLY LIMITED NUMERED EDITION OF 560-725 COPIES. RARE This the stunningly famous and fabled collection representing some of the best ceramic pieces ever held in private hands. The complete set of 11 books are seldom found complete, and uniformly bound. There are several copies that are signed by the authors and also hand-numbered. *** A VERY RARE AND COMPLETE SET OF ELEVEN UNIFORMLY BOUND BOOKS . The first 5 vols. are devoted to pottery & porcelains from the Chou to Ch'ing periods. Wares covered: Ming, Ju, Kuan, Ko, Lung-Chuan, Chien, Chun,Ting, Tz'u Chou, wares. Vol. 6 is on Corean & Persian wares. * The next 3 vols. are by W.P. Yetts on Chinese & Korean bronzes, sculpture, jades, jewelry & misc. objects. * The last 2 vols. are by L. Binyon: CHINESE FRESCOES and CHINESE, KOREAN &… Read More

London 1818, Murray. 3/4 leather over marbled boards, neatly rebacked, 222p., appendix, glossary, 8 aquatint hand-colored plates, 1 b.w. engraving, 5 fold-out maps, 1 b.w. engraving, 6 fold-out maps & charts.*AUTHOR'S SIGNED PRESENTATION COPY* .. *** **** *** . . . THE FIRST ACCURATE EUROPEAN ACCOUNT OF COREANS & COREA . . THE RARE FIRST EDITION, WITH 8 HAND-COLORED AQUA TINTS . . COPPER ETCHED ENGRAVINGS AND MAPS . THE RARE FIRST EDITION, WITH 8 HAND-COLORED AQUA TINTS . . WITH FIVE LARGE FOLDING CHARTS/MAPS . While there was an earlier smaller accounts of Korea by the Dutchman, Hamel, Hall's work is comprehensive and an accurate account of Korea's coast, and other important aspects of Koreans, hitherto not recorded. * . With a rich appendix of charts, table of observations, meteorological journal, abstract of the Lyra's Voyage, geological memorandum, &c. With glossary & vocabulary of English & Loo-Choo [Okinawan] words, alphabetically arranged with notes &… Read More

London 1818, Murray. Contemporary full gold stamped leather, old spine laid down, 8 aquatint hand-colored engravings, 6 fold-out maps & charts, 222p., 1 b.w. engraving,ca 21.5 x 27 cm.FIRST EDITION * AUTHOR'S SIGNED, DATED LETTER TIPPED IN * .. *** **** *** . . . THE FIRST ACCURATE EUROPEAN ACCOUNT OF COREANS & COREA . . THE RARE FIRST EDITION, WITH 8 HAND-COLORED AQUA TINTS . . COPPER ETCHED ENGRAVINGS AND MAPS . THE RARE FIRST EDITION, WITH 8 HAND-COLORED AQUA TINTS . . WITH FIVE LARGE FOLDING CHARTS/MAPS . While there was an earlier smaller accounts of Korea by the Dutchman, Hamel, Hall's work is comprehensive and an accurate account of Korea's coast, and other important aspects of Koreans, hitherto not recorded. * . With a rich appendix of charts, table of observations, meteorological journal, abstract of the Lyra's Voyage, geological memorandum, &c. With glossary & vocabulary of English & Loo-Choo [Okinawan] words, alphabetically arranged with notes &… Read More

[China 1904-1906]. Half red leather over marbled boards, recent binding, gold-stamped, very good, 35 x 27.5 cm., all edge gilt [most gone], 18 stiff leaves, 166 b.w. photos, one pencil drawing, one post card, one photo cut out,very clean. *** *** *** . . . AMERICAN "DOUGH BOYS" IN CHINA 1927 . . . DURING THE FIRST REVOLUTIONARY WAR . . THE FOUNDING OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY This excellent primary record was begun July 1904, and ended with the last photo caption dated June-August 1906. The work is an exceptionally clean example, with meticulous captions, clear and bright images, of varying sizes. The smallest is 6 x 4.5 cm., [ca 10 each] up to 23.5 x 17 cm. for the largest. With a large number of intermediary sizes in between. . * The captions are in both English & Italian, and a mix of both languages, carefully identifying the place & person photographed. From the kind of photographs and people in these, its is easy to deduce that this album was likely made by an Italian officer… Read More

[Edo ? c.1700-50, n.p.]. Brown & silver covered boards, very clean, 7 double-page b.w. erotic woodblock illustrations, mounted on mica flecked paper, 18 x 25 cm., accordion folded illustration size: 31 x 12 cm. FIRST & ONLY UNRECORDED COPY! . *** *** *** . . . A VERY RARE UNRECORDED EARLY BOOK . . . A BIZARRE & UNIQUE EROTIC BOOK . . . UNSIGNED, BUT CLEARLY THE WORK OF A MASTER ARTIST . *** BY SUKENOBU OR HIS :SCHOOL: . A unique and hitherto unfound odd and most unusual erotic book of the early-mid-18th century. One of the most bizarre erotic books ever done in Japan. . The graphically explicit work portrays men and women with genitals on their foreheads, engaged in heterosexual and homosexual intercourse. There is no other book with such unusual and strange illustrations. . *** . THE TITLE: THE LEGEND OF AMANJAKU or AMAN NO JAKU: [Chinese Title: TIAN XIE GUI YUN] . THE MEANING OF AMANJAKU: Japanese Buddhist literature is abundant with variations on the theme of "Aman-No-Jaku,"… Read More

[China n.d. ca. 1927-1928]. Brown simulated alligator cloth covers, 37 x 27.5 cm., black pages, spine ribbon-tied, ca. 400 b.w. photos corner mounted, images very good, sharp and clear images NOT faded,solid,nicely done. V E R Y R A R E ! **** *** **** . . SUPERB PHOTO ALBUM OF THE CHINESE CIVIL WAR: . . Beginning of The Communist Party led led by Mao Tse-tung . . V.S. the Kuomintang [KMT] or Chinese Nationalist Party . Led by Chiang Kai Shek. . The United States Supported the KMT. In this album, we see how the KMT soldiers hosted the American Army in China, using their trains and military bases throughout China. * This unusual album contains 400 original b. w. photographs & and is an historic photographic record of American military deployment showing Dough-boys in China, probably from the U.S. Army's 2nd. Battalion, 15th. infantry, per the flag and insignia found on a group formation photograph. A minority are with written captions, by and large taken by the person who made the album, also… Read More

Lemgoviae 1712, Meyeri. New half leather over marbled boards engraved frontis piece & vignette on title,16 folding plates 60 full-page plates,8 half-page engravings, total of 91 fine copper-etched engravings, bright clean, green edges, 912p. . *** **** *** . . . THE FULL & COMPLETE TITLE: . . . AMOENITATUM EXOTICARUM POLITICO-PHYSICO MEDICARUM . . . FASCICULI V, QUIBUS CONTINENTUR VARIONES, OBSERVATIONES . . . & DESCRIPTIONES RERUM PERSICARUM & ULTERIORS ASIAE, . . . MULTA ATTENTIONE, IN PEREGRINATIONIBUS PER UNIVERSUM . . . ORIENTEM, COLLECTAE, AB AUCTORE . . . ENGLEBERTO KAEMPFERO, D. . . . THE FIRST & ONLY ORIGINAL EDITION 1712 . . *** About half of this work is devoted to Kaempfer's travels in Persia [see below], with stunning copper etchings documenting his travels and recording the flora & botanical specimens he found of interest of that desert region. Of interest are the plates of date palms and other unique desert fruits. The balance of the work convers Japanese… Read More

Lemgoviae 1712, Meyeri.New half leather over marbled boards, engraved frontis piece & vignette on title,16 folding plates 60 full-page plates,8 half-page engravings, total of 91 fine copper-etched engravings,paper'toned," faded red edges,912p. . *** **** *** . . . THE FULL & COMPLETE TITLE: . . . AMOENITATUM EXOTICARUM POLITICO-PHYSICO MEDICARUM . . . FASCICULI V, QUIBUS CONTINENTUR VARIONES, OBSERVATIONES . . . & DESCRIPTIONES RERUM PERSICARUM & ULTERIORS ASIAE, . . . MULTA ATTENTIONE, IN PEREGRINATIONIBUS PER UNIVERSUM . . . ORIENTEM, COLLECTAE, AB AUCTORE . . . ENGLEBERTO KAEMPFERO, D. . . . THE FIRST & ONLY ORIGINAL EDITION 1712 . . *** About half of this work is devoted to Kaempfer's travels in Persia [see below], with stunning copper etchings documenting his travels and recording the flora & botanical specimens he found of interest of that desert region. Of interest are the plates of date palms and other unique desert fruits. The balance of the work convers… Read More

London 1671, Johnson. Contemporary calf, six raised bands, gold-stamped spine & decorations, 723p., 38 copper-engraved plates, 32 double-page,65 engraved text plates,2 double-page engraved maps, clean & solid copy.RARE FIRST ENGLISH EDITION *** *** *** . . . A GRAND, EARLY ENGRAVED FOLIO IN ENGLISH . . . THE FIRST BRITISH EMBASSY TO CHINA 1671 . . . A MOST SUPERB FOLIO WITH PROFUSE COPPER-ETCHED PLATES . . *** SUBTITLE continued: "...And East Tartary. With a Relation of the Netherlanders Afsifting the Tartar againft Coxinga, and the Chinefe Fleet, who till then were Mafters of the Sea. And a more exact geographical defcription of than formerly, both of the whole Empire of China in general, and in particular of every of the fifteen provinces. Collected out of their feveral writings and journals, by Arnoldus Montanus. Englifh'd, and adorn'd with above a hundred feveral sculptures, by John Ogilby, Efq; Mafter of His Majesty's Revels in the Kingdom of Ireland." . *** TWO… Read More

London 1670, Johnson. Full tooled new leather saving the old leather, 4 double, 71 half page, 1 full page copper etched 24 double, 71 half page, 1 full page copper etched plates, folding map, 488p., 27.5 x 42.5 cm. bright copy.VERY R A R E *** *** *** . . TRULY A GREAT & EARLY FOLIO WITH PROFUSE ENGRAVINGS . . ONE OF THE EARLIEST BOOKS ON JAPAN IN ENGLISH . . A MONUMENTAL, HISTORIC AND IMPORTANT EARLY RESOURCE . . . SUBTITLE continued: Their Religions, Laws, and Customs, Prodigious Wealth & Gorgeous Habits, the Nature of Their Soil, Plants, Beasts, Hills, Rivers & Fountains With the Character of the Ancient & Modern Japanners. Collected Out of Their Several Writings and Journals by Arnoldus Montanus. English'd and Adorn'd With Above a Hundred Several Sculptures by John Ogilby, Esq; Master of His Majesties Revels in the Kingdom of Ireland. * A NOTE ABOUT THE "Old English" Spelling: This and other works of this period were commonly written in "Olde English,"… Read More

London 1796,98, Bulmer. Full calf, 3 vol. set, 2 vols.: text 518+626p.+ 29 engravings; + folio atlas 44 engraved plates, rebound 3/4-calf over marbled boards, bright text 1798 2nd.& best edition, atlas 1796, with Lady Mcartney's letter.RARE ! . *** *** *** . . . A MOST HISTORIC ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST BRITISH EMBASSY . . TO CHINA AND THE CHI'EN LUNG EMPEROR IN 1797 . . . TOGETHER WITH A DATED PENNED LETTER . . FROM LADY MACARTNEY TO A FRIEND . *** SUBTITLE.: continued: Tartary. Together With a Relation of The Voyage Undertaken on the Occasion By His Majesty's Ship the Lion, and the Ship Hindustan, in the East India Company's Service, to the Yellow Sea, and Gulf of Pekin; as well as of Their Return to Europe; With Notices of the Several Places Where they Stopped in Their Way Out and Home; Being the Islands of Madeira, Tenerife, and St. Jago; The Port of Rio De Janeiro in South America; the Islands of St. Helena, Tristan D'Acunha, and Amsterdam; the Coasts of Java, and Sumatra; the… Read More

Japan ca.[1835], n.p. A folded hand-printed map, very clean, rebacked, blue Chitsu cloth case, ivory clasps, ca. 65 x 66 cm., 4 tiny corner pin holes, else no worming, remarkably bright, clean copy of a double-hemisphere world map. R A R E *** *** *** . . A SUPERB EXAMPLE . . . AN EARLY WOODBLOCK PRINTED . . . DOUBLE-HEMISPHERE WORLD MAP . . . HAND-COLORED IN PASTEL GUACHE . * A lovely and charming gouach hand-colored map. . Shows the north & south American hemispheres on the left, the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, various islands, with both poles. . The right-hand hemisphere shows the western, eastern European, African, Asian and Australian continents. Showing the north and south poles and all oceans. . * There are four smaller inset hemisphereic maps of the world, each shows four separate views of continents. Top left: Africa, Asia & America. Lower left New Holland, Africa, America and 'Niikoya.' Upper right shows "Great Japan" although much smaller than most other… Read More

Geneva [1968-1974], Baur. Brown cloth, 176 color, 858 b. w. photo plates, complete 4 vol. set, very clean & solid, dust jackets mylar protected, 23 x 29 cm., vols. 1-3 in slipcase. ** FIRST & ONLY LIMITED NUMBERED EDITION OF 1000 COPIES ** . *** **** *** . . . THE LEGENDARY COLOR-ILLUSTRATED BAUR COLLECTION . . . THE FIRST AND ONLY . . . LIMITED NUMBERED EDITION . . . ONE THOUSAND COPIES . . *** THE COMPLETE SET OF 4 VOLUMES: . FIRST & ONLY NUMBERED EDITION OF 1000: Each title was issued in a FIRST & ONLY EDITION OF 1000 NUMBERED COPIES. Always RARE when found as a complete set of four volumes in excellent condition, with the dust jackets. . *** THE AUTHOR: John Ayers was the Keeper of the Victoria & Albert Museum. A well-known and deeply respected Chinese art historian and scholar. . *** MAJOR REFERENCE ON CHINESE CERAMICS: This is a 4 volume set reference set on Chinese ceramics, superbly printed in full color on heavy paper, quality book. . The major best and comprehensive… Read More

London 1655, John Crook. Full new leather, raised bands, red label, pp.253-308, complete, engraved frontispiece and map, list of J. Crook titles at the end, 19.2 x 29.5 cm. very very clean no foxing, solid copy. FIRST EDITION S C A R C E SUTBITLE: cont. Chief Cities of the Countries, for the Bet- ter Under standing of the Story. Written Originally in Latin this is an excellent primary narrative, quite readable. It covers the early history of China as known to foreigners. * ENGRAVED ILLUSTRATIONS: Contains a lovely frontispiece portrait of the Manchu Emperor. With an excellent map of China from just North of the Great Wall, including the Great Wall, South showing all of the provinces of China, down to Yunnan, including the island of Hainan, Taiwan, Macau, Korea and Japan. * BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR: Martini was born in Trento., in 1631 he entered the Austrian province of his order, where he studied mathematics under Athanasius Kircher in the Roman College, probably with the intention of being sent to… Read More

[Tokyo 1898, Ohira Gaho. Blue cloth brocaide album, 14 x 9cm 37 color Oban woodblock prints, title page,prints very clean silver gilt edges, covers corners a bit worn, mended, else clean & solid, accordion folded. FIRST & ONLY RARE ! EDITION *** *** *** . . . A STUNNINGLY SUPERB ALBUM WITH TWELVE TRYPTICHS . . . EXCELLENT CONDITION POLYCHROME WOODBLOCK PRINTS . . . . This is a stunningly superb and most lovely polychrome, woodblock-printed album, complete as issued, with full-page colophon at the rear. . The work depicts the twelve-months of Japanese Bijin [beauties] and children at daily activities and relaxation. . The album consists of twelve Oban triptychs [36 sheets in all], depicting lovely scenes showing the floral Japanese landscape, seaside, flowers, and interiors. All women and children are clothed in stunning floral or other traditional Japanese patterned silk Kimono, each appropriate with the season. . Children are also nicely dressed in silk Kimono or other attire reflective of… Read More

[Japan c. 1848]. A single large sheet, woodblock printed in vegetal colors by hand on hand-made paper, 38 x 51.5 cm., minor but mended pin holes, old folds weak, minor scuffing, but excellent condition for such a RARE grand size print. This superb and most rare example, shows a Japanese woman smoking a Kiseru pipe, as she holds a black & gold lacquered box with tissues over the handle. The whole print is done like a pictorial map of bodily functions, with a large crew of tiny women workers performing the work of making the body perform digestion and all related functions. . From the top, as the woman inhales the smoke from her Kiseru pipe, there are two women who operate the mechanical bellows [often used in metal & Japanese sword production] by pushing & pulling to "pump" & fan lung activity. One just rests while the woman is at ease. Another pair of female workers have hand held fans as an auxiliary to lung pumping. . The heart is surrounded by flames, indicating this is… Read More

1Tokyo 1963-66, Bokusui Shobo. Elephant folio 36.5 x 51 cm., a fine example, 12 volumes complete, cloth Chitsu, pristine a NEW example, profuse color & b.w. photos, many 3-d models. * * FIRST & ONLY LIMITED, NUMBERED EDITION OF 500 COPIES * * . *** ***** *** . . THE LEGENDARY & SELDOM FOUND . . . DELUXE SET OF ILLUSTRATED TWELVE ELEPHANT FOLIO VOLUMES . . .FIRST & ONLY RARE LIMITED & NUMBERED EDITION OF 500 COPIES . . . A SPECTACULAR COMPLETE SET IN FINE CONDITION . . . PROFUSELY ILLUSTRATING JAPAN'S MOST FAMOUS TEA HOUSES . . . IN LARGE COLOR & BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPHS . . . WITH ADDITIONAL FOLDERS OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL . . . TEA HOUSE MODELS & FLOOR PLANS . . .THE JAPANESE TEA HOUSE & TEA CEREMONY ARE ANCIENT ZEN ARTS . * Issued in 12 Deluxe gold-flecked decorated cloth covered Chitsu [folding cases], with two bone clasps. . Each Chitsu [cloth folding case] contains: . A hardbound book [CHA SHITSU OKOSHIE ZUSHU] of description of the Tea House illustrations. A… Read More

London 1676, Lowndes. Old leather good, 116p., leading edges chewed at margins, slight damage to title page & 15p., part of the balance only the margin chewed, text readable, solid. EXCEPTIONALLY RARE & FIRST & ONLY EARLY ENGLISH LANGUAGE ED. *** *** *** . . . A LEGENDARY AND FAMOUS EARLY BOOK. . . THE FIRST EUROPEAN ACCOUNT OF CHINA . THE FIRST EUROPEAN ACCOUNT OF CHINA: This work was authored by Johann Grueber [1623-1680], and compiled by Count Lorenzo Magalotti [1637-1712]. . Other authors were Viaggio del P. Giovanni tornando per terea da China in Europa, Albert Orville comte d' [1621-1662], Melchisedec Thevenot [1620-1692]. . *** THE SUBTITLE: continued "Lately Returned From That Country, Written and Published by the French Kings Cosmographer and Now Englished: The Other, Containing The Most Remarkable Passages Of The Reign And Life Of The Present French King, Lewis The Fourteenth, And Of The Valour Of Our English In His Armies." . CO-AUTHORS: Albert ORVILLE Comte… Read More

[China c.1897.]Half leather over brocade silk, most of spine gone, else very good, 69 b.w. photos, most are 14.5 x 9 cm., some panoramas 8.5 x 30 cm., one large photo 27 x 21.5 cm., all edge gilt, clean & solid copy. * Q U I T E R A R E * . *** **** *** . . AN ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHIC ALBUM OF AMERICAN MERCHANTS . . . IN CHINA, [1897] . * A very unusual album of photographs showing the tour of what appears to be American Business community members & their wives. Arrival in Kwantung [Guangdong i.e. Canton], tour of the Ming tombs, a panoramic ! With visits to some of the famous sights in China. . * Photos of early Canton area, sea coast, the Great Wall, a trip up the Yangtze River, city streets, river/canal scenes, elegant banquets with High Chinese military & political figures. . Of outstanding nature is the last & largest photograph depicts a grand photograph showing all of the members of the group of American & Kwantung Chinese Merchant Advisory Board. A stunning and classic… Read More

Japan c.[1703]. Original gray rubbed silk covers, a Japanese reprint of the 1663 Chinese map, neatly rebacked,127 x 137.5 cm., a few old mended worm holes, minor flaws, hand colored, folds down to 21.5 x 34 cm. R A R E FIRST & ONLY EDITION Translation of the Chinese Title: continued: "WITH THE WHOLE PICTURE OF THE PEOPLE'S HISTORY AND ALL ROADS." . Chinese pinyin title is: DA MING JIU BIAN WAN GUO, REN JI LU CHEN QUAN TU. . *** A marvelous and grand size example. The work basically shows the whole country and its surrounding areas. Minor tears, most repaired, some old stains & repaired worming, actually quite nice. Remarkable in its detail and features. It shows the Great Wall at the top, or Northern orientation, geographic features include: rivers, lakes, cities and villages, mountains are painted in green. With a list of foreign countries at the left margin, showing the distance in "Ri" or miles. Important administrative areas in red outline, islands named, the sea… Read More