Charpentier

1665 · 55379 — Leiden: J. van Meurs 1665. First edition. Hardcover. Very good condition. Folio. 6 10 290 1 134 1pp. 35 plates including engraved half-title and frontispiece. Bound in three-quarter brown leather over brown textured paper-covered boards. Half-title engraving. Frontispiece engraving. Missing China folding map. The title page printed in red and black with framed engraved vignette. Historiated and decorative initials head- and endpieces. All but one folding plate engraving Ceremonies du Marriage are double-paged and bound in butterfly style. In addition the volume is profusely illustrated with 110 in-text engravings 4 1/4 x 6 1/8" placed at the top of pages. Part II is an illustrated general description of the Chinese Empire. <br /> <br /> Account of the first Dutch embassy from 1655-1657 by Messrs. Pierre de Goyer and Jacob de Keyser. It is illustrated with a highly accurate description of China and enriched with outstanding copperplate engravings. Compiled by Jean Nieuhoff steward of the embassy translated into French embellished and supplemented with a wealth of fascinating details by Jean le Carpentier historiographer. The goal was to establish a trade agreement on behalf of the Dutch East India Company providing a very accurate description of the cities towns villages seaports and other notable places in China.<br /> <br /> Text in French. Binding with some wear along edges more pronounced at tail of spine and along half of bottom edge of front cover. Very lightly starting at half-title engraving. Few minor notations in margins. Plate bound in between pp 98/99 with 4 1/4 x 1 3/4 chip at lower foredge not affecting image. Block very lightly age-toned. Binding in fair condition. J. van Meurs hardcover