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JAN NIEUHOFF (1618-1672)

Details
JAN NIEUHOFF (1618-1672)

Het gezandtschap der Neerlandtsche Oost-Indische Compagnie. Amsterdam: Wolfgang and others, 1693. 2 parts in one volume, 2° (325 x 200mm). Title printed in red and black. Engraved frontispiece of the Emperor of China, engraved portrait of the author, folding map, 34 double-page engraved views, and 108 half-page engraved views in the text. (One plate of Nanking misbound, lacking plate titled Paolinxi called for in list of plates, some light browning, affecting a few plates only, short tear to lower corner of F1.) Contemporary calf gilt (rebacked, retaining original spine, corners repaired).

R.H. VAN GULIK'S COPY OF NIEUHOFF'S ACCOUNT OF THE EMBASSY MADE BY THE DUTCH EAST INDIA COMPANY TO THE CHINESE COURT IN 1665-67. The Company was keen to open up the Chinese ports to the Dutch and Nieuhoff joined Pieter van Goyer and Jacob de Keyser on the mission to visit the Emperor Chun-Chi. The work includes many incidental remarks on the manners and customs of the Chinese, together with a second part comprising a general description of the Chinese Empire. The fine plates and illustrations show town views in China, Tibet and Tartary, together with subjects such as costume and natural history. The present copy is from the library of R.H. van Gulik, the highly-accomplished Dutch sinologist, diplomat and writer. In addition to his career in the Netherlands Foreign Service (becoming Ambassador to Japan in 1965), Gulik was an authority on oriental literature, art and history, a skilled calligrapher, and a prolific author of detective stories with Chinese settings. Cordier III 2345.
Provenance
Robert Hans van Gulik (1910-1967, inscribed in ink on title; van Gulik's seal stamped in red on title).
Dr Anton C.R. Dreesmann (inventory no. Y-60).
Special notice
Christie's charges a Buyer's premium calculated at 20.825% of the hammer price for each lot with a value up to €90,000. If the hammer price of a lot exceeds €90,000 then the premium for the lot is calculated at 20.825% of the first €90,000 plus 11.9% of any amount in excess of €90,000. Buyer's Premium is calculated on this basis for each lot individually.

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