Two full-page woodcuts serving as frontispieces & a full-page woodcut on final leaf. 1 p.l., 38, 38, 29 folding leaves. Three parts in one vol. 8vo, orig. blue wrappers, manuscript title label on upper cover, new stitching. [Guangzhou]: Yao Shi, [1679].

One of the earliest printings — if not the earliest printing — of the translation by Kumarajiva, of the Vimalakirti Sutra, one of the fundamental texts of Chinese Buddhism. Kumarajiva (344-413), Buddhist monk, scholar, missionary, and translator, who came from the Silk Road kingdom of Kucha, was famous for his encyclopaedic knowledge of Indian and Vendantic learning. He was the greatest translator of Buddhist... More about Wei mo jie suo shuo jing [The Vimalakirti Sutra

Eight vertical lines of text per page. 98 folding leaves. Oblong 8vo (144 x 206 mm.), orig. (or very early) dark thick wrappers, new stitching. [Nara?: Manjuya Hayashi Soji, ca. 1532-73].

One of the earliest surviving setsuyoshu, the essential Japanese dictionary, “one of the mainstays of the publishing industry and…probably the most likely book to be found in a house of few books.”–Kornicki, The Book in Japan, p. 248. Widely used from the 15th century through the early Meiji period; there were more than 500 editions in many styles, additions, and formats. All early editions are extremely rare, as they were used to... More about Setsuyoshu [Convenient & Useful Dictionary, a Vade Mecum by Manjuya Hayashi Soji]. Edited by...

Ten vertical lines per page, 19 characters per line. 44; 60; 53 folding leaves & 57; 62; 64 folding leaves. Three vols. of Hogen Monogatari & three vols. of Heiji Monogatari, issued together. Large 8vo (283 x 208), orig. dark wrappers dyed with persimmon juice (shibubiki), new stitching. [Japan: privately printed with movable type, mid-Keicho, ca. 1607-08].

There are several movable type editions of these famous war tales; ours is of the earliest printing but is an apparently unknown variant. Kawase states that there are two variants of the mid-Keicho “ten line” edition of these two tales. The first listed — but with no priority — has 18 characters per line... More about The Tale of Hogen, the Tale of Heiji

Eight engraved plates (three folding, four are colored). xii, [9]- 277 pp., [3] pp. of ads, 36-page catalogue of Harding publications. 8vo, cont. half-calf & marbled boards (minor foxing), flat spine gilt, red leather lettering piece on spine. London: J. Harding, 1810.

“The Third Edition.” Pontey (fl. 1780-1831), was a member of a Yorkshire family of nurserymen. During the early 1780s he spent some time as head gardener to the Grimston family at Kilnwick, near Beverley. He later served as “Planter and Forest Pruner” to the Dukes of Bedford.

This was one of the most important British books on forestry of the period. The... More about The Forest Pruner; or, Timber Owner’s Assistant: a Treatise on the Training or Management of...

Engraved vignette on title, 19 finely engraved plates (some folding), one engraved headpiece & several woodcut diagrams in the text. 12, 116, 120, [2] pp. Large 4to (245 x 210 mm.), cont. paste-paper boards (slightly worn), red morocco lettering-piece on spine. Frankenthal & Mannheim: C.F. Schwan, 1779.

First edition of an uncommon history and examination of ancient warfare with a series of illustrations of formations, famous battles, and many types of siege craft. Baumgärtner (1743-1809), historian of classical Greece and Rome and civil servant, wrote several works on ancient art in addition to military history.

In this book, he expounds on and compares the military traditions of the Greeks and Romans. He exhaustively describes their tactics, formations, uniforms and their iconography, weapons, siege techniques, siege weapons, etc. There is also in-depth discussion of military leaders and what made them successful. The illustrations of battles, such as the one showing a phalanx (pl. XI), are quite dramatic. More about Vollständige Sammlung aller Kriegsschriftsteller der Griechen, sowohl strategischen als...

2 p.l., 32 pp. 8vo (215 x 135 mm.), modern paper wrappers, new stitching. Paris: Regnault & Thierry, 1808.

A very rare sale catalogue; we locate no copy in North America. Contemporary inscriptions on this copy’s title-page agree with the provenance listed by Lugt: “Pasquier” and “Demarteau.” This catalogue describes 199 lots of prints and drawings.

Nice copy. The Getty has only a photocopy. More about Catalogue d’Estampes, la plupart richement encadrées, autres en feuilles…Provenant des...

126 pp. 8vo (195 x 130 mm.), late 19th-cent. blue sheep-backed marbled boards, spine gilt. Paris: Lebrun, 1788.

A rare auction catalogue, priced throughout in a contemporary hand, of a formidable collection of paintings. Although Lugt attributes this to Montesquiou (1739-98), it seems that most of the lots did not belong to him. Jean Baptiste Pierre Lebrun (1748-1813), this sale’s expert, was known to add his inventory and lesser consignments to prestigious sales for which he was responsible. Montesquiou, member of the Académie Française and a general, was close to many of the physiocrats.

The present catalogue describes 276 lots of paintings by artists such as Giulio Romano, Guercino, Tintoretto, Veronese, Albani, Velazquez, Panini, J. Brueghel the Elder, Bril, Rembrandt, Brauwer, Hals, Teniers, Rubens, A. van Dyck, J. Ruysdael, Potter, Jordaens, A. & I. van Ostade, Metsu, Wynants, Wouwerman, C. Netscher, Miel, N. Berghem, Lairesse, Maes, J. Steen, Lancret, Weenix, Bega, Le Nain, Vouet, G. Poussin, S. Bourdon, Watteau, Coypel, C. Vanloo, F. Boucher, Natoire, Lagrenée aîné & jeune, H. Robert, Greuze, Fragonard, Norblin, etc., etc. The remaining lots consist of ceramics, sculpture, Japanese lacquer and porcelain, ornate pieces of furniture, chandeliers, clocks, and girandoles (for a grand total of 417 lots). The Dutch and Flemish paintings sold for extremely high prices. The annotations also show which lots were bought-in. More about Catalogue d’une très-belle Collection de Tableaux, d’Italie, de Flandres, de Hollande, et de...

48 pp. 8vo (180 x 130 mm.), late 19th-cent. brown morocco-backed marbled boards, spine gilt. Paris: Delaville & Paillet, 1781.

The auction catalogue of 114 paintings belonging to the Duc de la Vallière (1708-80), the greatest bibliophile of the 18th century. This copy is fully priced, with many buyers’ names added in a contemporary hand. In addition to his fervent book collecting, La Vallière amassed an impressive collection of Italian and Northern school paintings, described here.

The present catalogue details 114 lots of paintings and a lot of two porcelain candle-stands. The paintings include the work of Raphael, Veronese, Tintoretto, Jordaens, Teniers, Rembrandt, Dou... More about Catalogue des Tableaux précieux, des plus grands Maîtres des Ecoles Flamande & Hollandoise;...

44 pp. Small 4to (185 x 130 mm.), late 19th-cent. brown half-morocco signed “Knecht,” spine gilt. Paris: Lebrun, 1782.

An important and rare sale catalogue, fully priced throughout and with nearly all buyers’ names in a contemporary hand. This was the third and final portion of Nogaret’s collection to be sold during his lifetime (1st: Lugt 2791; 2nd: 3153); his estate sale in 1807 (Lugt 7210) offered the inferior leftovers. In the avertissement, Lebrun, this auction’s expert, declares that this catalogue offers an unparalleled selection of Italian paintings.

“[Joseph Hyacinthe François de Paule de Rigaud, comte de] Vaudreuil, whom Alexandre de Tilly remembered as the most... More about Catalogue d’une belle Collection de Tableaux, des Ecoles d’Italie, de Flandre, de Hollande,...

One scroll measuring 277 x 3830 mm. Ink, brush, & wash in red, blue, black, and brown, on paper newly & expertly backed. Japan: after 1853.

A contemporary copy of an official report concerning Commodore Perry’s first expedition, when he attempted to land on Japanese shores in 1853. Much of the scroll is wonderfully illustrated and contains a map tracking the American squadron’s path through Uraga Channel on its way to Edo. The scroll dramatically depicts two American steamships and concludes with the text of four internal government documents concerning the arrival of these foreign ships that contain the contents of high-level discussions on the... More about Ikokusen toraiki keibi haichi zumaki [Information on the Arrival of Foreign Ships, Illustrated...

8vo, cont. half-sheep, flat spine gilt, papier dominoté endpapers. Dresden: Walther, 1783-99.

First edition of an important military bibliography, complete with the rare supplement published 16 years later. It was “at that time the most comprehensive and best classified work ever published.”–Sloos, ed., Warfare and the Age of Printing: A Catalogue of Early Printed Books from before 1801 in Dutch Military Collections, p. 30.

The present work lists about 5000 items, arranged by subject, including tactics, artillery, engineering (in its widest sense), cavalry, the law of war, military history, etc., etc. The author has furnished, at the end of both works, most... More about Versuch einer vollständigen Militair-Bibliothek [bound with]: …Zweiter Theil. Finely engraved...

Numerous text illus. 2 p.l., xlvi, [2], 459, [1] pp.; 2 p.l., 274 pp., one leaf; 2 p.l., 309, [3] pp. Three vols. in two. Large 8vo, orig. printed wrappers bound in cont. blue morocco-backed marbled boards, signed “Petitot Rel.,” t.e.g. Paris: Techener, 1897-98-98. [with]: (—). Catalogue de la Collection de Dessins et Estampes de l’Ecole française du XVIIe et du XVIIIe Siècle de feu M. le Baron Jérôme Pichon. 2 p.l., 124 pp. Large 8vo, binding as above. Paris: A. Danlos, 1897.

The posthumous sale of Baron Pichon’s second library (more than 6000 lots) of illuminated manuscripts, illustrated books, and... More about Catalogue de la Bibliothèque de feu M. le Baron Jérôme Pichon