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STAUNTON, George Leonard (1737-1801). An Authentic Account of an Embassy from the King of Great Britain to the Emperor of China... taken chiefly from the papers of his Excellency the Earl of Macartney. London: by W. Bulmer and Co. for G. Nicol, 1797.
3 volumes: comprising 2 volumes text, 4o (314 x 255 mm) and atlas 2o (563 x 410 mm). Text volumes: 2 engraved portrait frontispieces, 26 engravings in text (including one full-page of a tea plant). (Some light browning and staining.) Atlas: 44 engraved maps and plates, including 8 double-page or folding (Some scattered light foxing, large folding map with a few reinforcements on verso to corners of folds.) Text in contemporary diced russia, spines elaborately gilt, edges gilt (rebacked preserving original spines); atlas in contemporary half russia and marbled boards, spine in a matching design elaborately gilt, edges gilt (some rubbing). Provenance: "CH" (gilt initials on spine).
FIRST EDITION of Staunton's account of this important mission, conceived on a grand scale, whereby Britain sought to improve diplomatic and commercial relations with China. The narrative takes in numerous places visited en route: Madeira, Tenerife, Rio de Janeiro, Java, Sumatra, Cochin-China, etc. "A most interesting account of Chinese manners and customs at the close of the eighteenth century" (Cox). Brunet V:525; Cox I:344; Cordier Sinica 2382.
[First text volume bound with:]
ALEXANDER, William (1767-1816). The Costume of China. London: William Miller, 1805.
4o. Engraved title, 48 hand-colored aquatint plates by William Alexander. (Some light offsetting.)
FIRST EDITION (plates dated 1797-1804) of this beautifully-illustrated English color-plate book with excellent contemporary images of China at the end of the 18th century.
William Alexander, a student at the Royal Academy, was a draughtsman in the entourage of Earl Macartney, during his embassy to China in 1792. Alexander made all of the official drawings of the expedition. A number of his drawings were used to produce uncolored plates for Staunton's official account of the journey. Abbey Travel 534; Brunet II:324; Colas 74; Cordier Sinica 1858-9; Tooley 18. See Lipperheide Lf20 (1814 edition). (3)
3 volumes: comprising 2 volumes text, 4
FIRST EDITION of Staunton's account of this important mission, conceived on a grand scale, whereby Britain sought to improve diplomatic and commercial relations with China. The narrative takes in numerous places visited en route: Madeira, Tenerife, Rio de Janeiro, Java, Sumatra, Cochin-China, etc. "A most interesting account of Chinese manners and customs at the close of the eighteenth century" (Cox). Brunet V:525; Cox I:344; Cordier Sinica 2382.
[First text volume bound with:]
ALEXANDER, William (1767-1816). The Costume of China. London: William Miller, 1805.
4
FIRST EDITION (plates dated 1797-1804) of this beautifully-illustrated English color-plate book with excellent contemporary images of China at the end of the 18th century.
William Alexander, a student at the Royal Academy, was a draughtsman in the entourage of Earl Macartney, during his embassy to China in 1792. Alexander made all of the official drawings of the expedition. A number of his drawings were used to produce uncolored plates for Staunton's official account of the journey. Abbey Travel 534; Brunet II:324; Colas 74; Cordier Sinica 1858-9; Tooley 18. See Lipperheide Lf20 (1814 edition). (3)