Rare books from John Randall (Books of Asia)

Rome : Propaganda Fide, 1694. First edition Two parts in one volume, folio, pp. [xv (including half-title)], 549, 277, [iv], engraved portrait of the author by Hub. Vincent after Franc. Andreonus Contemporary vellum, rather soiled, over card boards. Some leaves spotted, a few browned. A very good copy. Carlo Giuseppe Imbonati, Cistercian, orientalist, biographer, theologian, born at Milan, flourished in the latter half of the seventeenth century. He occupied the chairs of theology and Hebrew in Rome and was raised to the dignity of abbot. A pupil of Giulio Bartolocci, member of the same order and projector of the "Bibliotheca magna rabbinica", the earliest account of Hebrew literature in its rabbinic phase, Imbonati eventually became his master's collaborator and on his demise he completed and edited the fourth volume (Rome 1693) of this monumental work, which, laid the foundation for Wolf's "Bibliotheca hebraica" and similar works. This, the supplementary fifth… Read More

London, 1955-1965. First edition A complete run from Volume I, Number 1, 1955, to Volume X, No.2, 1965, in thirty-eight issues. A very good set in original wrappers. The first volume, which is dedicated to the eminent Mongolist Antoine Mostaert, is devoted exclusively to subjects Mongolian, with much on linguistics. Part 1 has a biographical sketch of Mostaert and a bibliography of his work by Robert A. Rupen, as well as the following articles: 'On the Altaic Initial p-', by Pentti Alto; 'Qan-Qayan and the Beginnings of Mongol Kinship', by Lawrence Krader; 'The Turkic Loan Words in Middle Mongolian', by N. Poppe; 'Sogdiana and the Hsiung-nu', by K. Enoki; Mongolische Miszellen, I', by Pavel Poucha. Part 2: 'Zur Orthographie und Transkription des Burjatischen', by Udo Posch; 'Pseudo-Huns', by O. Maenchen-Helfen; 'The South Siberian Turkic Languages, I', by Karl H. Menges; 'Notes on the Renaissance of the 10th and 11th centuries in… Read More

London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1859. First edition, 8vo (21.5 x 14.5 cm), pp.[viii], 434, [4, music], 8 plates, illustrations. Bound in contemporary calf, gilt, spine rubbed. Gilt monogram of W. Lee to upper board. Some plates rather foxed, offsetting onto title and text. Sir John Bowring (1792–1872) was an English politician, economist, traveller, writer, and the fourth Governor of Hong Kong from 1854. In 1855 he negotiated a treaty with King Mongkut of Siam. His visit to the Philippines was brief; his book is particularly strong on commerce and finance.

Paris: la Veuve de Damien Foucault, 1678. 4to, pp.[xxiv], 933, engraved headpiece by F. Chauneau to text. Contemporary calf, expertly rebacked with original gilt spine, with raised bands. Title inscribed 'ex libris Nicolai de la Houssaye (1634-1706, historian and publicist). First translation into French 'Traduction dont les exempl. sont peu communs' (Brunet) Brunet V, 1504; Graesse 2, 288

Paris: Jean Petit-Pas, 1620. First edition, 8vo, pp.[20], 516, [12]. A very good copy bound in contemporary red morocco, raised bands, spines decorated gilt in compartments. Spine a little rubbed. Renard bookplate on front pastedown, old book sellers description pasted on front free endpaper.

London: Ernest Benn Limited, 1930. First edition xv, 75, 128 plates. A very good copy in original cloth.

Peking, 1955. First edition Folio, pp.[136], 64 plates, 1 large folding, 1 in colour. Chinese text. With small booklet giving English translation of captions. Original Chinese binding and cloth slip-case. A very good copy. A study of bronze drums from private and public collections in China.

Paris: Chez Nyon, 1789. First edition, 4to, pp.xvi, 561, [1]. Fourteenth volume only. Bound in rather scuffed and worn contemporary calf. Contents in very good condition, with occasional spotting. Underlining and marginal marks in coloured crayon affecting around 10 pages. The fourteenth volume of this massive encyclopaedic compendium of material on Chinese civilisation. The text includes Amiot's Introduction a la Connoissance des Peuples... tributaires de la Chine, a selection of letters and addresses to Chinese emperors, translated by Amiot, with his notes, and a comparison between the customs of the Chinese and those described in the Old Testament Book of Esther by Pierre-Martial Cibot. Cordier BS 54 (giving a synopsis of each volume); Löwendahl 667 (giving the contents in detail); Morrison II, p.175

Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, 1954. First edition, 4to, pp.32, text in wrappers, with facsimile of manuscript. Mission Pelliot en Asie Centrale, Serie in-Quarto, V. A very good copy in original linen-backed portfolio as issued. An attractive facsimile (of over 5 metres in length) of a scroll found at Tun-Huang by Pelliot, now in the Bibliotheque Nationale.

Taipei: The Commercial Press, [1971]. [Second edition] Ten chapters, 4to, each with index and plate list, total pp.132, 222 illustrations. Each in original wrappers. The whole in Chinese silk box. Label on box torn. Otherwise a very good copy. Bronzes; Stone Monuments; Calligraphy; Painting; Jades; Ceramics; Architecture; Furniture; Textiles; Miscellaneous Arts. Weight:2.3 kg.

Honolulu: Honolulu Academy of Arts, 1965. First edition. Three volumes, one text and two portfolios of loose plates, 4to (31.5 x, ), pp.xvii, [1, blank], 406, 40 plates, some mounted and in colour, 100 figures, many folding. No.418 of 550 copies only. Bound in original linen, with slipcase. Slipcase cracked along one edge. Contents leaf of second portfolio with a single tear, text unaffected. Bindings, text, and plates otherwise in fine condition. A superbly produced record of the collection assembled by the German art historian Gustav Ecke (1896-1971) for the Honolulu Academy; his final published work and an effective introduction to the range of Chinese paintings. In the words of James Cahill's review: "among the finest reproductions that have ever been made from Chinese paintings" (Archives of Asian Art XXI).

Leiden: Ludovici Bilein, 1680. pp.[8], 247, device on title page, diagrams in text. Latin text. A very good copy bound in contemporary half calf, gilt. Small tear to head of spine. Andrea Argoli, 1570–1657, was an Italian scholar, astronomer and astrologer.

Tokyo: [The author?], 1897. Oblong 4to, 23 x 31 cm., pictorial title, 18 leaves, 16 of which are illustration, 2 text. A very good copy stitched in the Japanese style in original pictorial wrappers. Stain to edge of front wrapper. Cartoons in Bigot's inimitable style on the subject of Japanese attacks on foreigners, in particular "Heaving a foreigner over a cliff for fun, Kobe" and "L'Affaire de Nikko" in August 1897. Georges Ferdinand Bigot (1860-1927) studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris from the age of 12. Enthralled by the Japanese pavilion at the Exposition Universelle of 1878, he went to Japan where he was employed illustrating newspapers and teaching French and watercolour painting. He learnt Japanese, travelled extensively, married a Japanese woman, and returned to France in 1899. Héléne Conevin, De la gravure à la caricature: Le Japon de Meiji vu par G. Bigot, 1990; Worldcat shows one copy only at the National Diet Library

London: printed for W. Barrett, 1621. Second edition Folio, pp.[iv, including engraved title], 309, [i, errata], double-page engraved map of the eastern Mediterranean, folding view of the Seraglio, 47 engraved illustrations in the text. A very good copy rebound in modern half calf, gilt ornaments with mauve lettering piece in compartments on spine. Title page discoloured, with centre piece repaired. Small wormholes in latter half affecting some letters. Panorama, map and plates clean. George Sandys (1578-1644) spent a year in Turkey, Palestine and Egypt. He first published this account in 1615. Many of the illustrations in the text are after Natale Bonifacio. STC 21727; Blackmer 1484

Hong Kong: Visual Dharma Publications, 1981. First edition, folio, pp.576, 18 colour plates, numerous illustrations. Copy number 11 of the first edition of only 500 copies. A very good copy in the original leatherette binding, slip-case. An important reference on Himalayan sculpture from the earliest bronzes to the 20th century, with chapters on technique, style and influences.