China. DU HALDE. Description geographique historique,... Lot 206
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China. DU HALDE. Description geographique historique, chronologique, politique, et physique de l'empire de la Chine et de la Tartarie chinoise.
4 volumes in-folio, 432x275 mm. Contemporary full marbled brown leather binding, gilt spines, fawn and green morocco lettering-pieces with title and volume number, marbled endpapers, red edges. Vol. 1: Pages [4], VIII, LII, III, [1], 592, 25 Plates out of text. Vol. 2: Pages [4], IV, 725, [1], 10 Plates out of text. Vol. 3: Pages [4], IV, 564, [3], 1 blank, 5 Plates out of text. Vol. 4: Pages [4], II, 520, 25 Plates out of text. With 4 title-pages printed in red and black with title-vignettes, 5 engraved vignettes, 15 engraved plates, many of which on double page, 50 geographical maps on double page or folded, of which 4 folded several times, all engraved in copper. In total 65 Plates out of text s engraved in copper. Some rubbed binding, little loss, half titles and titlepages with slight brownings, some yellowings and browning in some leaves. Traces of wear. Specime with wide margins.
Rare first edition. Monumental work accompanied by an imposing iconographic apparatus. Hill: "the first definitive European work on the Chinese empire." Tooley: "the principal cartographic authority on China during the 18th century." The work contains an impressive amount and variety of details on Chinese political institutions, history, education, language, medicine, science, customs, and the artifacts. The plates include maps, city plans, views, life and costume scenes, and portraits. The plates are engraved by Delahays, Leparmentier, Desbruslin, Bailleuil. The important maps are by Royal geographer Jean Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville (1697-1782), considered the best cartographer of his time. Based on surveys conducted by French Jesuits at the behest of Emperor Kang Hsiand, the work constitutes the first scientific mapping of China and forms the most important cartographic record of the region since the eighteenth century. The work also contains the first separate printed map of Korea and the first detailed survey of Tibet. The first volume of Du Halde's history comprises a general description of China, describing each province as well as each historical dynasty; the second volume encompasses government, law, commerce, art, literature, etc.; the third volume treats religion and science; the final volume expands the work to include neighboring regions (Mongolia, Tibet, Korea, etc,) and with accounts of late 17th- century expeditions. Within the final volume (pp.452-458) appears "Relation succinte du voyage du capitaine Beering dans la Sibérie" - the first published account of Bering's first expedition through the straits that now bear his name. The text is accompanied by an attractive map, titled "Carte des pays traversees par le Capne. Beering depuis la ville de Tobolsk jusqu' Kamtschatka," considered the first printed map of any portion of present-day Alaska (i.e. St. Lawrence Island).
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