Search Results: Authors starting with P from Orchid Press

Kuala Lumpur: Oxford in Asia, 2003. This collection of articles introduces.many important topics and some of the most insightful and active scholars doing research in Borneo. Many of the studies examine transitions in resource management in specific communities, but do not ignore the regional, national, and international contexts of local phenomena. Other contributions place more emphasis on regional patterns and national policies that have significance for the way resources are managed in local communities. Studies carried out at various levels of analysis highlight the diversity and complexity of the changing linkages between people and forests. xviii, 346 pp., 5 maps, index. Tape residue marks on front and rear endpapers; otherwise a new/unread copy.. First Edition. Soft Cover. Very Good/n/a. 25 x 15 cm..

Bangkok: White Lotus, 1995. The Nirvana Experiments and Other Tales of Asia is a collection of ten new stories set in Thailand, India, China, Nepal, Taiwan, and Afghanistan. Some highlights: An Indian scientist tries to induce enlightenment by manipulating the chemistry of the brain ...; an American Peace Corps volunteer declares war on the Nepalese caste system...; a traveler carries an ancient curse into the modern world ...; a California girl searches for a guru in the Himalayas...; a Chinese mother contends with a Bodhisattva for the soul of her eight-year-old son. Although the protagonists come from different backgrounds, most of them are engaged in a common venture: the quest for spiritual certitude. 182 pp.. First Edition. Soft Cover. New/n/a. 20 x 13 cm..

Los Angeles: LA County Museum of Art, 1983. Catalogue of a superb collections of Tibetan art, curated by one of America's most erudite and prolific scholars of South Asia art. Pal's introduction places the art in religious context - as remarkable for its clarity and style as for the breadth of its learning, this section outlines how Indian, Nepalese, Mongol, Chinese, and pre-Buddhist indigenous influences fused in a culture of extraordinary vigour and originality. Following the introduction, the catalogue provides detailed descriptions and generous illustration for a total of 119 objects, including manuscripts and manuscript covers, painting, sculpture and ritual objects, ranging in age from the 11th to the 20th century. 280 pp., 48 col. and 119 b&w plates. An important reference. Slight nick to dj, a few spots of discolouration to the page fore-edges, interior pages pristine.. First. Hardbound. Fine/Near fine. 31 x 24 cm..

Leiden: E J Brill, 1974. A magisterial two volume survey of the ancient Hindu and Buddhist arts of Nepal by the leading scholar and author in the field. Vol. 1 (ISBN 789004037762 - published 1974) examines sculpture in stone, bronze and wooden media, dating from about the 3rd to the 18th centuries. xvi, 186 pp. + 300 b&w plates. Vol. 2 (ISBN 9789004057500 - published 1978) examines Nepalese religious paintings and illustrated manuscripts from the 11th through the 19th century. xiv, 174 pp. + 220 plates (12 col. and 208 b&w). DJs slightly soiled, now both protected in Mylar. Light foxing on endpapers only; internal pages and plates are pristine.. First Edition. Hardbound. Near fine/Very Good. 25 x 20 cm..

Taipei: National Palace Museum, 1990. One of a series of books issued by Taiwan's National Palace Museum on important Chinese art in foreign museums and private collections, this volume focuses on ancient Buddhist bronze, wood, ceramic and stone sculpture. Ranging in date from the Later Zhau (early 4th century) to the Qing (17th-early 20th century) many of the 184 objects identified would be national treasures if they had remained in China. Text in Chinese; name and location of collections holding these objects also in English. [vii], 210 pp. 200 full page col. or b&w plates. A fine copy of an important reference, now difficult to find.. First Edition. Hardbound. Fine/Fine. 31 x 22 cm..

Hong Kong: Oxford University Press, 1991. Few visit Beijing without going to the Ming Tombs, the burial grounds of the Ming dynasty who ruled China from 1368 to 1644. This book gives a concise and up-to-date description of one of China's most important archaeological sites. It explains the beliefs underlying Chinese burial practices and the significant symbolism of the stone monuments lining the spirit road--the avenue leading to the first tomb in the valley - with its animals and stone officials in fifteenth-century court costume. 91 pp., 16 col. & 28 b&w illustrations, map.. First. Hard bound. Very Good/n/a. 22 x 15 cm..

Shanghai: Shanghai Renmin Meishu Chubanshe, 1986. Photographic record of a fine set of 16 arhats dated to the Southern Song Dynasty and located in the Zijin Temple compound, near Suzhou. Each lifelike figure, of sculptued clay and decorated with vivid polychrome, offers a unique expression of human wisdom and emotion. The series of sculptures has been designated a cultural and historic site of national significance. Small portfolio format; outer wrapper soiled and worn with spine top tear now taped. All interior pages remain fine. 12 pp., ribbon bound, with introductory text in English/Chinese/Japanese. 20 stiff cards, loose in wrapper, each with tipped on colour photograph, the reverse with detailed description of image. All text in trilingual English/Japanese/Chinese.. Small portfolio. Fine/Fair. 26 x 19 cm..

Bangkok: Tiew-chuy Sae Tiew, 1965. Translation from Lao to French of an epic poem written in the 16th or early 17th century, in the style of a Buddhist jataka tale. Sinsay (or Sinxay) is considered one of the great masterpieces of Lao literature and remains popular to the present day in both Laos and the (Lao speaking) Isan region of Thailand. Wrapper a little tanned, staple bound, loosely inserted errata page, now browned, interior pages clean and bright. x, 80 pp., 4 b&w illustrations.. First Edition. Softbound. Very Good +. 22 x 15 cm..

New Delhi: Army Educational Stores, 1978. Volume I of a definitive series on the ancient weaponry of India, the present volume deals with very early weaponry of South Asia. Chapters address stone age tools and weaponry; weapons of the Harappan Culture; copper weaponry; literary and archaeological evidence of archery; arrow; bow; quiver; modes of shooting. xxiv, tipped in col. frontispiece, 184 pp. with 254 figs in text, plus 52 pp. illustrations, incl. 89 b&w and 2 tipped in col. plates. The volume is in fine condition throughout, apparently never read.. First Edition. Hardbound. Fine/Fine. 35 x 28 cm..

New Delhi: Army Educational Stores, 1983. Volume III of a definitive series on the ancient weaponry of India, the present volume deals with body armour. Chapters address the origins, development and construction of armour, helmet, shield, breast and back armour and other armour elements. xiv, 204 pp. with 453 figs in text, plus 56 pp. illustrations incl. 115 b&w and 7 col. plates. The volume is in fine condition throughout, apparently never read.. First Edition. Hardbound. Fine/Fine. 33 x 23 cm.

New Delhi: Army Educational Stores, 1982. This book is a supplement to the coverage of armour that the author provided in Volume III of his masterful series 'Indian Arms and Armour'. In the present volume he describes the Indian warrior's shield in greater depth, exploring the origins, development, varieties and use of the shield since ancient times, archaeological evidence, materials used, measurements and decorations employed. He concludes with a section on the use of shields in modern times among India's aboriginal/tribal minorities. x, 219 pp. with 115 figs, 71 b&w and 5 col. plates in text. The volume is in fine condition throughout, apparently never read.. First Edition. Hardbound. Fine/Fine. 29 x 23 cm.

New Delhi: Army Educational Stores This series is a magisterial study of the design, construction, use, ornamentation of the Indian warriors' arms and armour spanning from prehistory to the dawn of modern times. In the breadth and detail of the material presented and the richness of illustration, it is likely to remain the definitive work on the subject. Volume I (1978 / 35 x 28 cm.) deals with very early weaponry of South Asia. Chapters address stone age tools and weaponry; weapons of the Harappan Culture; copper weaponry; literary and archaeological evidence of archery; arrow; bow; quiver; modes of shooting. xxiv, tipped in col. frontispiece, 184 pp. with 254 figs in text, plus 52 pp. illustrations, incl. 89 b&w and 2 tipped in col. plates. Volume II (1980 / 35 x 28 cm.) presents the medieval weaponry of South Asia. Chapters address the sword - origin, development and classification; details of blade, hilt, sheath, belt, strap, etc.; daggers; decoration of weaponry, with appendices dealing… Read More

New Delhi: Army Educational Stores, 1980. Volume II of a definitive series on the ancient weaponry of India, the present volume deals with medieval weaponry of South Asia. Chapters address the sword - origin, development and classification; details of blade, hilt, sheath, belt, strap, etc.; daggers; decoration of weaponry, with appendices dealing with the various materials and techniques of manufacture. xxiv, tipped in col. frontispiece, 255 pp. with 621 figs in text, plus 40 pp. illustrations, incl. 232 b&w and 14 col. plates. The volume is in fine condition throughout, apparently never read.. First Edition. Hardbound. Fine/Fine. 35 x 28 cm..

Bangkok: TMC, 1995. The eternal love triangle: a drunkard, his son and an elephant. When Prince Suriya, "the number-one drunkard in Bangkok", accidentally finds himself in a forestry concession, he befriends its prized white elephant, the mischievous Maliwan, who shares his taste for rice wine and loves him obsessively. Meanwhile, the prince is believed to have died at sea. Two years later, as he is seriously ill with malaria, his "widow" is about to remarry. Will he come round in time to stop the wedding? How is Maliwan involved in this? And the prince's son? This gem of a novel, written during the Second World War, is an amazingly realistic tale of sacrifice in the name of love, at once humorous and tragic. First published in Thai, 1946. Printing limited to 3,200 copies. No dust jacket. 88 pp.. First English Edition. Hard bound. New/n/a. 20 x 13 cm..

Bangkok: Sarakadee Press, 2003. This volume illustrates and describes all 138 species of large mammals extant in Thailand. Each mammal species described by size and detailed description, behaviour, habitat (with thumbnail range map) and status if endangered. Introduction includes history of mammalogy in Thailand, descriptions of physiography, climate, habitat, zoogeography and conservation plans and implementations. 206 pp., 39 col. pl. ill. 138 mammal species, 14 b&w plates illustrating tracks (footprints) of various classes of mammals, glossary, indices of common and scientific names.. First Edition. Softbound. New. 21 x 14 cm..

Budapest: Editions Corvina, 1967. A survey of the arts of Vietnam from the bronze age to the present century, resulting from the authors' extensive travels in northern Vietnam when only visitors from other members of the Communist Bloc were permitted entry. Particular emphasis was placed on Buddhist sculpture and architecture, although ceramics, bronzes and painting are also surveyed. A number of the objects beautifully illustrated in this study have not appeared in publications before or since. An important survey now very difficult to find. 236 pp., 26 colour and 172 b&w plates, text in French. Cloth. Very Good/No Jacket. 23.5 x 20 cm.

Kuala Lumpur: Oxford University Press, 1997. Buddhism has influenced many aspects of Thai life for over a thousand years. Evidence of the change and development of Buddhist ideas and practices in different regions and cultural periods can be found in the archaeological remains of temples, stupas, sculptures, paintings, and votive tablets. This book focuses on the origin, development of styles, and uses of votive tablets in Thailand from their introduction in the sixth century to their present role, in the almost universal Thai practice of wearing amulets. The book first elaborates on the introduction of Buddhism to Thailand and the practice of making votive tablets during the pre-Thai periods of the Mon, the Khmer, and the residents of the Peninsula (sixth to thirteenth centuries). It then presents votive tablets produced during the Thai periods of Sukhothai, Haripunjaya, Ayutthaya, Lanna, and Ratanakosin from the fourteenth century to the present. Lastly, it addresses the cult of amulets and the… Read More

Bangkok: White Lotus, 1999. This volume includes Auguste Pavie's reports on his work in Upper Laos to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, his vivid account of the destruction of Luang Prabang and parts of his diaries on the 1893 Paknam Gunboat Incident which was the pretext the French needed to detach the Laotian territories from Siam. An overview of exploration work and Pavie's political dealings with the Black Flag irregulars in respect to their submission and the turning over of suzerainty to France is given. The ultimate goal--making a link suitable for use by traders between Hanoi and Luang-Prabang as well as other trade outlets on the Mekong--is also documented. Reports on Laos cover the areas inhabited by the Puan and various Thai, Meo, and Kha tribes as well as insights into the politics of local warlords and functionaries appointed by the various suzerains of these valleys which are today part of Burma, Laos, and Yunnan in southern China. Volume 2 of this series, Atlas of the… Read More

Bangkok: White Lotus, 1999. This volume provides an overview of exploration work done in Cambodia, Siam, Laos and Vietnam by means of maps produced by the explorers and numerous itineraries of staff members of the mission. The various French expeditions, carried out by a score of prominent researchers under the name Mission Pavie, not only compiled a wealth of new scientific and historical information and details on natural history they also drew up accurate maps for areas where no western mapping work had previously been undertaken--especially in disputed border areas between Laos, Siam, Cambodia, Yunnan and Vietnam. This atlas also contains a number of color plates, masterpieces of the art of the time that were incorporated in various research reports of the mission. Short descriptions place these in the context of the work of the Pavie Mission as documented in the other volumes in this series. However, this Atlas should be used together with Volume 1 of the series: Auguste Pavie, Pavie Mission… Read More

Bangkok: White Lotus, 1998. This account was written by the wife of an oil-boat captain plying the trade on the Irrawaddy River in Burma. It is the unassuming tale of the hard lives of sailors and shore men alike. The turn of the century, when this wife took the unusual step of following her husband on board for most of her time in Burma, saw many changes in the daily life on the river: not least those caused by a small boom in trading and in the exploitation of primary resources by British companies. The many anecdotes in this account make for a colorful and insightful picture of the life of those who were living outside the colonial circles and high officialdom that are usually the subjects of expatriates' reports of a tour of duty in the colony. Today's travelers to Burma may find this book interesting and useful comparative material and will, no doubt, notice how little has changed in the lives of the common people with the passing of regimes and doctrines. Reprint of the 1911 edition. 150… Read More