Klubbat för:

10000 SEK

Utropspris

15 000-20 000 SEK

Beskrivning

CHINA. Illustrations from "Gujin Tushu Jicheng" (Complete Collection of Illustrations and Writings from the Earliest to Current Times, also known as the Imperial Encyclopaedia). 16 volumes with 540 woodblock printed illustrations, copperplate movable-type printed captions (with handwritten transliteration). Beijng, about 1725, Qing Dynasty.

4:o (about 280x175 mm.). Stitched binding ("xian zhuang"), yellow covers sprinkled with silver, on upper cover a manuscript title-label giving the subject, the volume´s number within the set, and also the volume´s number within the larger set. The labels are headed by the term "neifu" (the Emperor´s ´cabinet"). the institution responsible for the printing of the first edition. The sets is laid in a imitation of the traditional wrap-around case ("tao") of marbled boards (four together), complete with bone fasteners. The spines are in brown leather with somewhat faded gilt ornaments and French title-labels and date to the mid-18th century. Stamped on the covers are the gilt arms of Charles Stuart de Rothesay, Ambassador to Paris from 1815 to 1830.

The inside presents some uncommom features: title pages are absent, as are the usual "fishbone" title and chapter marking, except for the headlines of the illustrations, no text is included. The illustrations are printed of folded sheets, as usual, but the second half of each sheet has been left blank, giving the impression of an "interleaved volume". The illustrations (covering two pages, vol. 10-18) are set opposite one another, and each half is set off by a thick borderline. The printed sheets have been reinforced by a second sheet of paper, folded and bound along with the printbearing sheet. The illustrations to. vol. 40-48 is single-page.
On some of the paper covers, the numbers of the volumes and short, handwritten inscriptions in French, indicating the contents of the volumes, have been added in pen.

The volumes contains:
10-11: Rehetu, illustrations of Rehe (Jehol), 34 double-page illustrations (plates) of the palaces at Rehe. Some minor foxing, one lower wrapper damaged.
14-18: Famous mountains of China, 128 double-page illustrations (plates). 2 upper and one lower wrapper with damages. vol. 17-18 partly dampstained.
40-48: Illustrations of plants, 384 illustrations (plates).

Auktionsnummer:

6135

Datum:

2019-12-11