L'ecumoire, Histoire japonoise. [Tansaï et Neadarné]

Dutch counterfeit of the illustrated 1743 edition with the Peking imprint, the first edition of the text alone dating back to 1734. A frontispiece repeated in both volumes (the emperor of China and his court with monkeys in the trees). Title pages in red and black. Curiously, the publisher retained the title of l'Ecumoire while all other editions are titled Tanzaï et Néardané.
Contemporary full speckled brown sheep binding. Decorated spine with raised bands. Red morocco title label. Small lack to upper joint at head, and one at foot. Handsome copy, fresh.
This licentious and erotic tale, which sailed on the fashion for marvelous orientalism, achieved immediate success upon its publication, although it caused scandal and the author was accused of obscenity and irreligion; some even saw in it a criticism of the bull Unigenitus (against Jansenism) and Cardinal de Rohan, and Crébillon was imprisoned following these accusations. Tanzaï is a fairy tale and political tale, whose strange plot always surprises the reader, the entire story revolving around a golden skimming ladle with an enormous handle... Indeed, fictional inventiveness is exhibited without restraint in this work by Crébillon fils, it made Voltaire write in 1735: "I know nothing so mad as this book. If I had written it I would be burned." The book is presented in the preface as a classic of Chinese literature.