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KAEMPFER, Engelbert (1651-1716). Amoenitatum exoticarum politico-physico-medicarum fasciculi V. Lemgo: Heinrich Wilhelm Meyer, 1712.
5 parts in 1 volume, 4° (220 x 172mm). Title printed in red and black, half-title to each part, engraved frontispice by J. Gole after D. Marot, showing Neptune crowning a Queen, engraved title vignette of Minerva and Mercury, 16 folding engraved plates including the map of the Persian Gulf by F.W. Brandshagen, 63 engraved and woodcut plates, most plates signed by F.W. Brandshagen, 11 engraved and woodcut text illustrations, woodcut initials, headpieces and tailpieces, without engraved armorial dedication leaf present in Hunt's Copy 2 but usually lacking. (Some light browning, occasional light unobtrusive spotting, short tear to lower margin of one text leaf.) Contemporary panelled speckled calf, tooled in blind with corner fleurons, outer gilt border, spine gilt lettered in the second compartment, speckled edges (joints cracked, small losses of leather at extremities). Provenance: partially-erased signature on titlepage -- Ed. Bonnet (19th-century French bookplate) Kenneth K. Mackenzie (bookplate) bequest to: -- The Horticultural Society (blindstamp).
FIRST EDITION of Kaempfer's wide-ranging work which includes an important botanical catalogue of Japanese flora. Fasciculus V contains descriptions and illustrations of nearly 500 plants listed under their Japanese names, with some, such as the Camellia, presented to Western eyes for the first time.
A Swedish physician and diplomat, Kaempfer visited Persia in 1684 as part of the Swedish embassy to the Shah, and went on to visit Japan in 1690-92 as part of the Dutch East India Company. The Amoenitatum exoticarum shows his keen interest in Japan, Persia and its adjacent countries. His fascinating and curious observations encompass aspects of medicine, natural history and architecture, and include remarks on tobacco, acupunture, coronation ceremonies, ancient monuments and a section devoted to the date-bearing palm. His botanical observations are honoured in the naming of 'Kaemferia Linn., a genus of East Asian tropical plants of the ginger family' (Hunt). Brunet 636; Hunt 427; Nissen BBI 1018; Wellcome III, p.376.
5 parts in 1 volume, 4° (220 x 172mm). Title printed in red and black, half-title to each part, engraved frontispice by J. Gole after D. Marot, showing Neptune crowning a Queen, engraved title vignette of Minerva and Mercury, 16 folding engraved plates including the map of the Persian Gulf by F.W. Brandshagen, 63 engraved and woodcut plates, most plates signed by F.W. Brandshagen, 11 engraved and woodcut text illustrations, woodcut initials, headpieces and tailpieces, without engraved armorial dedication leaf present in Hunt's Copy 2 but usually lacking. (Some light browning, occasional light unobtrusive spotting, short tear to lower margin of one text leaf.) Contemporary panelled speckled calf, tooled in blind with corner fleurons, outer gilt border, spine gilt lettered in the second compartment, speckled edges (joints cracked, small losses of leather at extremities). Provenance: partially-erased signature on titlepage -- Ed. Bonnet (19th-century French bookplate) Kenneth K. Mackenzie (bookplate) bequest to: -- The Horticultural Society (blindstamp).
FIRST EDITION of Kaempfer's wide-ranging work which includes an important botanical catalogue of Japanese flora. Fasciculus V contains descriptions and illustrations of nearly 500 plants listed under their Japanese names, with some, such as the Camellia, presented to Western eyes for the first time.
A Swedish physician and diplomat, Kaempfer visited Persia in 1684 as part of the Swedish embassy to the Shah, and went on to visit Japan in 1690-92 as part of the Dutch East India Company. The Amoenitatum exoticarum shows his keen interest in Japan, Persia and its adjacent countries. His fascinating and curious observations encompass aspects of medicine, natural history and architecture, and include remarks on tobacco, acupunture, coronation ceremonies, ancient monuments and a section devoted to the date-bearing palm. His botanical observations are honoured in the naming of 'Kaemferia Linn., a genus of East Asian tropical plants of the ginger family' (Hunt). Brunet 636; Hunt 427; Nissen BBI 1018; Wellcome III, p.376.
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