This attractive scroll begins with three large figures of the human body — front, rear, and side views — with locations of acupuncture points (red dots) and moxibustion locations (black dots). Each of the acupuncture pressure points are labeled in manuscript with their names. The moxibustion points are also labelled but with notes giving their locations. The three images are delicately painted with flesh colors and black hair. The anterior view depicts the 21 bones of the spine. Many of these are numbered with references to specific organs. Again, pressure points are displayed.

These illustrations are derived from the Ling-shu [the “Vital Axis”], a rare collection of dissertations on moxibustion and acupuncture, written in about the second century BCE, which “formed [along with the Su Wen] the theoretical basis of classical Chinese medicine…the Ling-shu…discusses mainly therapy — mostly centered on medicinal prescriptions, but also including physical therapies such as bonesetting and breathing exercises, and stimulation treatments such as acupuncture, moxibustion and massage.”–Sugimoto & Swain, Science & Culture in Traditional Japan, p. 85. More

Woodcut diagrams in the text. 4 p.l. (final leaf a blank), 134 pp. Small 4to, cont. vellum over boards. Venice: B. Bruni, 1667. [bound with]: —. Seconde Considerationi sopra la Forza dell’Argomento Fisicomattematico…contra il Moto Diurno della Terra… Woodcut diagrams in the text. 4 p.l., 111 pp. Small 4to. Padua: M. Bolzetta de Cadorini, 1668. [bound with]: —. Terze considerationi sopra Una Lettera del…Gio: Alfonso Borelli…scritta da Questi in replica di alcune Dottrine incidentemente tocche… Woodcut diagrams in the text. 4 p.l., 46 pp. Small 4to. Venice: Heirs of Leni, 1668. [bound with]: —... More

40 pp. 8vo, attractive antique calf (recased with sympathetic new endpapers), spine nicely gilt. Paris: Lebrun, 1781.

A spectacular “illustrated” copy of this important sale catalogue with 21 detailed contemporary ink sketches in a similar style to Gabriel de Saint Aubin (1724-80), who frequently embellished art auction catalogues with original drawings (croquis).

Le Blanc (1707-81), man of letters, translator of David Hume, and a true taste-making collector, was an early exponent of Chardin’s paintings. In 1749, Madame de Pompadour selected Le Blanc as a guide for the future marquis de Marigny’s tour of Italy, on which they were accompanied by Jacques Germain Soufflot... More

Woodcut device on title, two folding printed tables, & one folding woodcut plate. Diagrams in the text. 2 p.l., 306, 35, [1] pp. 4to, cont. speckled sheep (upper joint with short crack, bookplate on blank portion of title patched, minor foxing), spine gilt, red leather lettering piece on spine. Basel: impensis Thurnisiorum, Fratrum, 1713.

[bound with]:

BERNOULLI, Nicolaus I. Dissertatio Inauguralis Mathematico-Juridica. De Usu Artis Conjectandi in Jure. 56 pp. 4to. Basel: J.C. Mechel, 1709. More

Woodcut royal arms on title. 1 p.l., 34 pp. Small folio, cont. French red morocco, panelled in gilt in the style of the “cabinet du Roi,” gilt arms & ciphers [Olivier 2495 fer 2] on covers, with ciphers on spine, a.e.g. Paris: de l’Imprimerie Royale, 1743.

First edition and very uncommon. This catalogue, the splendid Han Fürstenberg — Otto Schäfer — Jacques Bemberg copy, lists the plates made of the collections of the king, including paintings, medals, royal chateaux, fountains, grottoes, statues, busts, tapestries, and jewels, along with records of festivals, entrances, battles, etc., etc.

“Colbert, understanding that engraving was the best means to disseminate and preserve knowledge of the undertakings of Louis XlV, began to assemble a group of outstanding engravers. By 1660 they had achieved the stature of independent artists and by 1670 had become a special group under the protection of the king, joined together at the Gobelins around Charles Le Brun and Sebastien Le Clerc. From 1660 André Félibien was charged with providing descriptions of maisons royales and Adam Van der Meulen and Israel Silvestre were sent to the newly conquered territories to make views of the principal chateaus and fortresses. Other commissions for the Cabinet du Roi included engravings by Chauveau of the king’s paintings at the Tuileries; copies of paintings and sculpture by Claude Mellan, Rousselet, and Audran in the galleries of the king; copies by Ronelet of the king’s collection of medals; and other works of art and architecture by Rousselet, Silvestre, Chauveau, and Le Clerc. At the same time the Académie des Sciences began scholarly works commissioned by Colbert…Illustrators for these works were Abraham Bosse, Sebastien Le Clerc (who often made engravings for Claude Perrault), Nicolas Bailly, and L. de Châtillon… More

xx, 76 pp. 8vo, orig. green cloth, upper cover lettered in gilt. [Manchester: Chas. Sever, Lithographer], 1900.

The rare catalogue describing a vast and storied collection. The collection had its beginnings with the peculiar story of Francis Egerton (not the above), the 3rd Duke of Bridgewater (1736-1803), also known as the “Canal Duke.” “The Duke of Bridgewater was one of the great and eccentric success stories of English history. Like that other ducal oddity, the 5th Duke of Portland, he was rejected in love and remained a bachelor. Bridgewater had one big idea: to construct a canal from Manchester to Liverpool to... More

Finely engraved title, woodcut head- & tailpieces, & 2776 woodcuts in the text. 20 p.l. (incl. initial blank & engraved title), 1630, [48] pp., one blank leaf. Thick folio (350 x 210 mm.), cont. calf (well-rebacked by Trevor Lloyd with the original spine laid-down, a few gouges carefully filled-in, corners bruised), panelled in gilt & blind, large gilt device in center of each cover, with initials “W H” on either side. London: A. Islip for J. Norton & R. Whitakers, 1633.

First edition of Thomas Johnson’s expanded and corrected version of Gerarde’s Herball (1st ed.: 1597), the most famous of all English herbals. “Many errors made by Gerard in his text... More

Full-page woodcut armorial device on verso of title, one woodcut in the text, & woodcut initials & decorations. Largely printed in black letter. 11 p.l. (several preliminary leaves misbound at end), 193, [1] leaves. Small 4to, cont. limp vellum (wrinkled & somewhat soiled, minor & mostly marginal worming to misbound leaves, minor dampstaining), ties gone. London: Printed by R. Watkins, 1577.

First edition in English, translated by Barnabe Googe (1540-94). This work, first published in Latin in Cologne in 1570, was extremely popular. Written in the form of a dialogue, the book takes an imaginary visitor through the countryman’s house, and shows him his farm, stables, garden... More

Four vols. & two related vols. Large 8vo (275 190 mm.), orig. patterned wrappers, manuscript labels on upper covers, stitched. Japan: ca. 1911.

A fine archive of notes and drawings by Ishimoto, a notable interior decorator and fashion historian in Tokyo. The first volume is devoted to women’s court attire and contains 17 highly detailed and fine drawing and paintings, 14 of which are richly colored, of traditional costumes of women of different ranks at court. The artist has included front and back views. These drawings are all executed on graph paper with mica and contain manuscript notes regarding the sources for the illustrations... More

Many finely drawn illustrations in brush, ink, & colors. Scroll (285 x 9310 mm.), 23 joined sheets (some inoffensive worming, carefully repaired). Japan: copied before 1857.

A finely illustrated scroll, created in the witty and refined realistic style of Yamato-e and Ukiyo-e brush work, depicting the route taken — a distance of about 4 km. — by pleasure-seekers from Ryogoku Bridge to Shin Yoshiwara, the center of prostitution in the city of Edo. By the 18th century, it was the home to some 1750 women. This was an extremely busy section with a strong commercial tradition in what is today’s central Tokyo.

Our scroll is an early copy of the original scroll; we do not know if that earlier scroll still exists. It was created by Bunyo Tozaka (1783-1852), a prominent Nanga-style artist who studied with Buncho Tani and specialized in kachoga (pictures of flowers and butterflies). The author of the notes was Hirokata Yashiro (1758-1841), the influential historian of Japan and great book collector (he had more than 50,000 Chinese and Japanese books housed in a series of three buildings in Ueno, known at the Shinobazu Bunko). The beginning of our copied scroll depicts several boats holding men (including samurai) and women making their way along the Sumida River from Ryogoku Bridge to Shin Yoshiwara. They disembark at Kumagatado, adjacent to Asakusa Bridge. From there, the men — clearly samurai — mount rented horses (Daiden Horse Co., with very inadequate saddles) and continue their journey. There are images of high-ranking men with their faces hidden by large hats in order to conceal themselves. Their family crests on their kimono are also hidden. They pass through Raijin Gate (today’s Kaminarimon) which belongs to Tokyo’s oldest temple, Senso-ji. There is a merchant depicted along the side of the road, selling dumplings (the famous Yone manju). Finally, the samurai dismount and board small boats at an embankment to cross some wetlands at the Nihon zutsumi. They arrive at a commercial area called Doromachi (“Mud Town”) where the travellers wash their feet and tidy themselves before entering Shin Yoshiwara and all its pleasures. More

Large engraved vignette on title & another at the head of the first leaf of Part II and 30 fine folding engraved plates (numbered I–XXVIII plus XV* & a second plate numbered XVI). 184 pp. 4 p.l., 183, [1] pp. Small 4to, cont. speckled sheep, contrasting vellum lettering piece on spine. Stockholm: tryckt af P.J. Nyström, 1752.

First edition and very rare; WorldCat locates only one copy in North America. This Introduction to the Mechanics and the Art of Construction, including a Description of Several of the Machines invented by the late…Mr. Polhem is the best early treatise on the mechanical and industrial processes... More

Woodcut vignette on title, one full-page woodcut, & several smaller woodcuts in the text. Black letter. 11 p.l., 88, [10] pp. Small 4to, late 18th cent. calf (upper joint cracked but strong, small paper flaw on blank outer margin of title, fore-edges faintly dampstained), spine lettered in gilt. London: J. Wight, 1575.

The third edition of the first English gardening manual; the first edition appeared in 1569 and all 16th-century printings are rather rare on the market. Mascall took most of his text from David Brossard’s Art et Manière de Semer et Faire Pépinières de Sauvageaux (Paris: 1552) with certain Dutch practices added. “Brossard... More