Imprimerie Nationale (1848-1851)

First edition, comprising only the introductory sections, without the translation itself, which required considerable labour on Biot's part, the text being renowned for its extreme obscurity.

Some foxing.

The Zhouli (Rites of Zhou) was known until the Tang dynasty as the Zhouguan (Offices of Zhou), since it is in fact a list of official functions divided into six categories, which later inspired the six ministries of the imperial administration.

The engineer Édouard-Constant Biot (1803-1850), son of the mathematician Jean-Baptiste Biot, was also a pupil of Stanislas Julien and rapidly became an outstanding sinologist, whose work remains in use to this day.

First edition illustrated with a folding map at the end of the volume (cf. Nipponalia, I, 2061; Innocencio, IX, 208; lacking from Cordier Japonica, Hill and Palau).

Only two copies recorded in the CCFr (Sorbonne and BULAC).

Rare edition of this account of one of the earliest European voyages undertaken to establish commercial relations with Japan, following the success of the American Commodore Perry in 1853.

Spine cracked with loss at foot, traces of adhesive paper at the head and tail of the endpapers, modern bookplate pasted on the verso of the front cover.

First edition of the second orientalist bibliography compiled by Henri Cordier (1849–1925), following his Sinica (1878–1895).

The first four volumes are bound in full red cloth, smooth spines (spine of the first volume slightly faded), marbled endpapers and pastedowns, modern bindings.

The fifth and final volume, published in 1932, is in original wrappers.

Copy from the library of the Indologist Émile Sénart (1847–1928), with his printed ownership stamps on the title pages of volumes three and four.

Rare complete set in five volumes.

First edition, printed in a small number of copies, of this offprint from the Journal asiatique.

Minor foxing, light discoloration spots to the margins, at the beginning and end of the volume.

Bradel binding in blue cloth-backed marbled boards with corners, smooth spine slightly darkened, cherry red shagreen title label, gilt initials at foot, marbled paper-covered boards.

A pupil of Silvestre de Sacy like so many others, Joseph-Toussaint Reinaud (1795–1867) succeeded him in 1838 at the chair of living Oriental languages; his primary scholarly interest was directed toward the Arab world. Copy from the library of agronomist Adrien de Gasparin (1783–1862), father...

First edition, printed in small numbers as an offprint of the preface only: the full catalogue was later published between 1887 and 1896 in three large volumes.

Henri Michel Lavoix (1820–1892) was curator in the Department of Medals and Antiquities at the Bibliothèque Nationale.

A rare and appealing copy.

Inscribed and signed by Henri Michel Lavoix to the archaeologist Melchior de Vogüé (1829–1916).

First edition of José Vicente Barbosa du Bocage's Ornithologie d'Angola, published in Lisbon by the Imprimerie Nationale under the auspices of the Ministry of Marine and Colonies, in two successive parts, in 1877 and 1881. The title-page to the first part has been retained in this copy and bound before the second title-page, dated 1881 and bearing the final date of publication.

Illustrated with ten coloured plates by John Gerrard Keulemans, lithographed, hand-coloured and finished with gum arabic, and printed in London by Mintern Bros. "Pas dans Gay. Nissen, Illustrierten Vogelbücher, 74. Anker, Bird books...

First edition of the French translation, illustrated with an out-of-text chart presenting the numerical results of the preceding comparative survey of flour imports to the Island of Cuba" (cf. Sabin, 67081 (does not the plate), Brunet, 28642.)

Light dampstaining to the edges not affecting the text, occasional foxing, a pleasant copy.

Bradel binding in full paper-covered boards with pebble-grain paper, smooth spine, burgundy oasis morocco title-piece, red top edge and edges, modern signed binding by Boichot.

The first edition appeared in Madrid in 1845, under the title: "Informe fiscal sobre fomento de la poblacion blanca en la isla de Cuba y emancipacion...

First edition issued as offprint no. 13 for the year 1849 from the "Journal Asiatique".

Not recorded by Lorenz.

Our copy is preserved in the original plain blue wrappers, title pencilled on the upper cover.

Some foxing.

Rare and important first edition, printed in a small number of copies, of this offprint from the Journal asiatique for the year 1849.

Heavy foxing throughout.

Original wrappers, illustrated with a folding plate inserted at the end of the volume.

In the mid-nineteenth century, this traditional alphabet used for the Tamazight languages attracted very little interest among Orientalist scholars.