Search Results: Asia OOP/Rare from Orchid Press

Macao: Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, 2004. A beautifully produced survey of Chinese engraving art, predominantly woodcuts, of the 20th century. Woodblock printing has a 2000 year history in China, and examples from the early 20th century generally followed traditional techniques and subject matter. Commencing in the early 1930's however, a dramatic shift occurred among young graphic artists, as the medium's subject matter in the so named 'new print' movement focussed on depictions of the tumultuous changes then occurring in Chinese society. From this turning point, one may track the revolutionary upheavals, war, and eventual achievement of peace and prosperity by the Chinese people. This still little known genre contains some of the most original creations by Chinese artists in the 20th century and seems to have completely avoided the mostly forgettable developments in Chinese painting, with its slavish following of Western styles and commercialism. Lavishly printed in full… Read More

Seoul: Seoul Metropolitan Government & KBS, 1991. Catalogue of the seventh of this annual collectors' exhibition. Focusses on arts of the Korean scholar's studio. Exhibits include woodblock printed letter paper, calligraphy brushes, decorated inkcakes, inkstones, brushpots, ceramic water droppers, stationery boxes, writing tables, and other scholar's accoutrements. All exhibits are very fine examples of their type, drawn from various private collection in Seoul. The best of very few monographs on the subject. Text in Korean. 138 pp., over 300 colour plates. First Edition. Very Good. 25 x 25 cm..

Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 1978. Treatise on a critical and tumultuous period in China's history, during the early years of the 20th century as the country underwent its revolutionary transition from the corrupt and dying Qing monarchy to a republic. Traces the fascinating personal and political interrelationship between Britain's chief representative in Beijing, Sir John Jordan, and Yuan Shi-k'ai, whose attempt to re-establish himself as China's monarch between 1912 and 1916 ended tragically, with Yuan's death. 168 pp., notes, bibliography, glossary of names, index. (Four pages of endnotes and 4 of bibliography printed blank, a defect in all copies, per publisher information. Main body of text unaffected.). First Edition. Hard Cover. Near fine/Near fine. 22.5 x 14.5 cm.

Hong Kong: Urban Council, Hong Kong, 2003. A lively and highly informative monograph on the ancient traditions of archery in Asia, ranging from Turkey and Iran in the West, through the cultures of India, Tibet, China, Korea and Japan. Covers a wide range of bow and arrow designs, materials and techniques used in construction, decorative elements, accessories and archaeological finds of ancient crossbow mechanisms, bronze and stone arrowheads. The author, a linguist and widely recognized expert on Asian weaponry, is also a practicing archer. A fascinating and highly recommended study. Text in bilingual Chinese and English. 80 pp., over 110 colour illustrations, 6 b&w illustrations of woodcuts and rubbings, chronological chart.. First Edition. Soft Cover. As New. 30 x 23 cm..

Kathmandu: Mandala, 2005. A compilation of the writings of Dr. Mary Slusser on Nepalese art, archaeology, architecture and culture spanning some 23 years' work by one of the most prolific and respected scholars of Himalayan art. A total of 17 papers address issues related to Nepalese sculpture of stone, metal and wood, Nepalese painting, architecture and the minor arts. Of interest to all scholars, curators, connoisseurs and collectors of the arts of the Himalayan region and of traditions of Buddhist art in general. ix, 682 pp., 16 colour plates and over 330 b&w plates, maps & plans (PLEASE NOTE - This volume is heavy and will require additional postage. Please write for postage quotation.). First Edition. Hard bound. New/New. 29 x 22 cm.

Taipei: Council for Cultural Planning & Development, 1991. A detailed examination of the art of New Year prints, including examples from all of the most famous centers in China and Taiwan at which this art has flourished. Freely drawn and brilliantly coloured, the New Year print has long been a window into the soul of the common folk of China, reflecting their aspirations, humour, superstitions, religious beliefs, festivals, occupations and recreations. Over 120 examples are illustrated, many of which are pairs or larger sets of prints. Both overall and detail illustrations are provided. Essays in Chinese with generous English abstracts include 'A Discussion of Door Gods', 'Theatricality and Shapeliness in New Year Prints of Female Beauties', 'Prints Depicting Vases of Flowers', among others. This catalogue was not produced for commercial sale, but rather for presentation to visiting dignitaries and appropriate international institutions; thus scarce. Spine edge slightly… Read More

Taipei: National Taiwan University, 1950. An exhaustive and encyclopedic record of the economy, ecology, agriculture, infrastructure, population density and distribution and political boundaries on Taiwan, at the time of the retreat of Chiang Kai-chek's Kuomintang forces to the island following their loss to Communist forces on the mainland. Preface and all plate and map legends and captions in bilingual English & Chinese. Appendix includes tables with details of land areas, populations, population densities, household densities, as well as agricultural land usage; table headings in Chinese. An important resource for historical studies on China / Taiwan at a critical juncture in the political evolution of the modern state. xviii, 154 pp., 8 monochrome aerial photographic plates, 164 maps, endpapers browned, spine a little faded and minor marks to cloth, otherwise bright and in excellent condition.. First Edition. Hard bound in original cloth. Very Good/n/a. 38 x 27 cm..

n/a: Institute of Korean Archaeology and Art History, 1993. Nestled in the mountains overlooking the southern port city of Yosu, Chollanamdo Province, Hungkuksa Temple is the depository of a large number of Korean Buddhist paintings ('t'aenghwa') of the mid Yi Dynasty, beautifully executed and well preserved, many of a particularly impressive scale. (The largest painting illustrated is some 12 meters in height.) This book, the first issue of the 'Journal of Korean Art History', illustrates the best examples of the collection, as well as some of the fine architectural details of the temple complex itself. An excellent reference for all with interest in Korean Buddhist arts. Text in Korean. 218 pp., 161 colour and 32 b&w plates. Soft Cover. Very Good. 27 x 27 cm.

Ghent: Privately Printed, 1997. A catalogue of a diverse and spectacular collection of Chinese ephemeral art, many types of which do not seem to have been previously published. The collection encompasses embroidered festive temple decorations, funerary ornament and offerings in embroidered silk and paper, funerary paper cuts, ceremonial dragon robes, paper maché and textile festive figurines, Chinese opera costumes and woodblock printed Chinese decorative papers. Four original examples of the decorative papers have been tipped into the catalogue. Final section includes 13 plates exploring the dramatic qualities of Chinese opera costume through the medium of modern high fashion photography. All plates are in brilliant colour, several of which are two pages (and one foldout three page) wide. Illustrations are preceded by an essay by Dutch art historian C. Pepplinkhuizen on Daoist ritual and its significance to mainland and southeast Asian Chinese communities. 182 pp., 21 colour illustrations in… Read More

Princeton: Princeton UP, 1979. An important monograph on the contribution of the legal code promulgated by the Mongol conquerors of China during the Yuan Dynasty. The author, a lecturer at the U of London, first outlines the general development of the Chinese legal and penal traditions in the Yuan period, then provides a fresh translation of the Mongol code, first introduced in 1291. In his subsequent analysis, he illuminates its impact on medieval Chinese legal practice - far more significant than previously thought. DJ a little scratched, now protected in Mylar. Interior clean and unmarked. 205 pp. incl. 8 pp. reproducing the original Chinese text, glossary, bibliography, index . First Edition. Hard bound. Very Good/Very Good. 22 x 14 cm..

Bangkok: SDI, 1998. Originally published in 1925 in a four-volume edition now virtually unobtainable, this work, by one of the foremost Asian scholars of the last century, remains the most comprehensive treatise on Chinese Buddhist sculpture in any western language. In this monumental study, Siren commences with a comprehensive introduction and survey of the genre. He then illustrates, dates and describes over 900 examples in bronze, stone and wood, ranging in date from the fifth century Wei Dynasties, through the Northern Qi, Sui, Tang, and Song periods to the end of Chinese sculptural innovation in the fourteenth century Yuan Dynasty. Representative examples are included from all of the great collections of North America, Europe and Japan as well as in situ examples from cave temples, architectural ruins and imperial tombs in China. Many of the items illustrated appeared in print in this volume for the first time and a significant number of them have since been lost; it is also noteworthy that… Read More

Hong Kong: Vetch & Lee, 1972. Translation of 170 traditional Chinese 'children's' rhymes, gathered by the author at the end of the 19th century, each with original text in Chinese and detailed notes and explanations of each verse.The rhymes are replete with humour, folk wisdom, insight into traditional Chinese mores and quite often conceal themes that are distinctly adult. The author, a resident of Peking and student of Chinese, was initially admonished by his scholarly tutor for wasting his time on 'such rubbish'. A wonderful, and endlessly entertaining collection of folk ephemera that would otherwise most likely have disappeared over the years. Reprint of the 1896 original, limited to 700 copies. xvi, 274 pp., 2 colour and 1 b&w illustration, bibliography, indices.. Limited second edition.. Hard bound. Fine/Fine. 25 x 16 cm..

Singapore: Sun Tree, 1996. Many items of Chinese carving were created specifically for export and have had a great impact on the Western understanding of 'the East'. They continue even now, as museum pieces, to influence and reinforce the Western notion of a homogenous Chinese culture. Clunas takes the reader on a kaleidoscopic tour of the subject, investigating and discussing carved objects from the Shang Dynasty (about 1700 - 1050 BCE) to the present day, of various materials from wood and stone to ivory, and of diverse provenances, from the vast collections of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. 103 pp., richly illustrated in colour throughout.. First Edition. Hard Cover. New/new. 30.5 x 22 cm..

Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 1983. *** NB Includes accompanying audiocasette of recordings of ch'in music played by contemporary masters of the Mei-an tradition *** A complete translation of a Chinese zither (lute, ch'in, guxin) manual first published in Chinese in 1931, this remains the first and only translation of any Chinese zither tutor in any Western language. Richly detailed and complete, it guides the student through the components of the instrument, tuning, tabulature and finger techniques before embarking on 15 practice compositions. Illustrations include tuning principles and techniques, detailed views of finger positioning; and musical scores for all compositions. A fascinating book of interest to students of Chinese music, ethnomusicologists and all Sinologists interested in the history and literature of the Chinese zither. xiii, 172 pp., 27 b&w illustrations, musical scores, bibliography, glossary, index. . First Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/Fine. 16 x 23.5 cm.

Newtown: Bird & Bull Press, 1987. The authors, having found an old cache of Chinese metal clad paper which had been stored away for some fifty years, proceeded to write this unique monograph on the subject, tipping in samples from their find to illustrate the book. The papers, many woodblock printed by hand in lively Chinese motifs, were originally produced as lining material for chests of tea shipped to the West. Includes the correspondence between the authors which documents the find and later lead to the writing of the book, and many interesting details about the original application of the paper, its market price in the early part of the 20th century, as well as the authors' efforts to preserve the collection. A limited numbered edition of 325 copies, printed on heavy mouldmade paper, with fine typography and hand binding. A wonderful addition to any library on the history of paper and its use. 128 pp., 7 b&w plates including one large fold-out illustration, 24 samples of the original… Read More

Hong Kong: Urban Council & Min Chiu Society, 1983. Catalogue of an important early exhibition of Chinese archaic and antique jade carvings, held in the Hong Kong Museum of Art with contributions from the collections of various members of the prestigious Min Chiu Society. Includes 291 lots of fine ritual and ornamental jade carvings, ranging in age from China's Neolithic to the end of the Qing Dynasty, all described in detail and illustrated in colour. This catalogue is of particular significance as the exhibition that it documents was drawn from collections that were assembled prior to the onslaught of trade in faked old jades, now the curse of modern day collectors. An important reference, now rare. Small chips to edges of dust jacket, now in mylar protector. Previous owner's small red seal on half title page, tape residue on FFEPs and faint foxing to paste-down EPs. Otherwise a bright and clean copy externally & internally. 303 pp., 291 colour plates.. First Edition. Hard bound. Very… Read More

Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 1987. Collection of essays prepared in honour of Derk Bodde on the occasion of the eminent Sinologist's 75th birthday. Includes contributions from many scholars who had studiend under Bodde and have gone on to distinguished careers themselves, including Schuyler Cammann, Michael Leowe and Joseph Needham among others. Essays include an important collection of scholarly papers on traditoinal Chinese thought regarding nature, values, politics, legal matters and science. Includes also a biographical sketch and detailed bibliography of Professor Bodde. xii, 348 pp., 29 b&w figures & plates, glossary, index. First Edition. Soft Cover. Fine. 24 x 17 cm.

Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2003. An in-depth, scholarly monograph examining the history, techniques and traditions of archery in China, from its origins in approximately 1500 BCE to the present day. Covers a wide range of bow and arrow designs, materials and techniques used in construction, decorative elements, accessories and archaeological finds of ancient crossbow mechanisms, bronze and stone arrowheads. The author, a linguist and widely recognized expert on Asian weaponry, is also a practicing archer. A fascinating and highly recommended study. Text in English with key sections including excerpts from original ancient Chinese text. 418 pp., illustrations in colour & b&w, chronological chart, detailed bibliography of English and Chinese sources, index.. First Edition. Soft Cover. As New. 24 x 16.5 cm.

Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 1988. A unique, now scarce, monograph on the use of mineral and plant pigments, and metals in traditional Chinese painting. Beginning with the historical development of the use of colour in Chinese art, and the details of the natural sources of these colours, the author continues by explaining correct techniques for ink preparation, the use of natural colours in traditional folk and literati paintings and the continued use of these pigments to the present day. Essential reference for collectors, dealers and restorers of oriental paintings and also artists exploring Asian painting techniques. Ex-lib with some stamps on FFEP, page edges and title page. Light foxing on endpapers; former owner's neatly written name on FFEP. Cover and interior pages all clean and unmarked. Text in English, with Chinese also provided for key technical terms. xiv, 93 pp,. 48 colour samples, bibliography, index.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/none, as issued. 29 x 22 cm.

Macao: Municipal Council of Macao, 2000. Translated title: 'Collection of Woodblock Prints of the Shanghai Library'. Exhibition catalogue of a marvelous group of Chinese multi-colour woodblock prints now preserved in the Shanghai Library. Prints are organized into four groups: scenes of 19th century life, popular costumes, scenes from Chinese opera, and history & legend; all are fine, and many of the prints shown are very unusual examples of their type. A total of 60 prints are illustrated, all reproduced in brilliant colour on heavy cream art paper. Bilingual Portuguese / Chinese; edition limited to 1000 copies only. 138 pp., 60 colour plates. First Edition. Soft Cover. New. 29.5 x 21 cm.