[Rarebooks] FS: Kaempfer. History Japan 1727

[Clare Murphy]

KAEMPFER, ENGELBERT, 1651-1716.  THE HISTORY OF 
JAPAN, GIVING AN ACCOUNT OF THE ANCIENT AND 
PRESENT STATE AND GOVERNMENT OF THAT EMPIRE; OF 
ITS TEMPLES, PALACES, CASTLES AND OTHER 
BUILDINGS; OF ITS METALS, MINERALS, TREES, 
PLANTS, ANIMALS, BIRDS AND FISHES; OF THE 
CHRONOLOGY AND SUCCESSION OF THE EMPERORS, 
ECCLESIASTICAL AND SECULAR; OF THE ORIGINAL 
DESCENT, RELIGIONS, CUSTOMS, AND MANUFACTURES OF 
THE NATIVES, AND OF THEIR TRADE AND COMMERCE WITH 
THE DUTCH AND CHINESE. TOGETHER WITH A 
DESCRIPTION OF THE KINGDOM OF SIAM. WRITTEN IN 
HIGH-DUTCH BY ENGELBERTUS KÃEMPFER ... AND 
TRANSLATED FROM HIS ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT, NEVER 
BEFORE PRINTED, BY J. G. SCHEUCHZER ... WITH THE 
LIFE OF THE AUTHOR, AND AN INTRODUCTION. London: 
For the translator, 1727. Translated by J. G. 
Scheuchzer into English. Illustrated by engraved 
title and 45 plates (part fold.; incl. folding 
maps, plans). Complete, all plates called for are 
present. First edition. 2 volumes. Recent half 
calf with marbled boards. Fine uncut rag paper. 
Inscribed by former owner, George Pearson , 1797 
and T. Romeyn Beck, 1815. Pearson was a physician 
pioneer in the development of the smallpox 
vaccine. Dr. T. Romeyn Beck was appointed 
lecturer on medical jurisprudence at Western 
Medical College in New York state. In 1823, Beck 
published the Elements of Medical-Jurisprudence. 
Folio. [[8], lii, 391, [5]; [4], 393-612, 75, [1 
(blank)], [2], 11, [13 (last 2 blank) pgs] Folio 
(38 cm).

Vol. 1 has second title page in Latin: Historia 
imperii Japonici ... Londini, 1727. On the 
reverse of the English title page in both 
volumes, is printed: April 27, 1727. Imprimatur, 
Hans Sloane. Has list of subscribers, appendix 
and index. Continuous pagination of 612 pages 
plus appendix, index, contents, list of plates 
etc. Dedication pages "To the King" etc. 
Handwritten comments, in the original owner's 
hand on the verso of dedication, comparing this 
English edition to the the original manuscript in 
German by Kaempfer.

Kaempfer was a German physician and diplomat. He 
visited Japan in 1690-92 as part of the Dutch 
East India Company and was twice allowed to visit 
Edo. Kaempfer performed the difficult feat of 
winning complete trust from the Japanese 
government and was allowed to travel when and 
where he would. His work was the most 
authoritative to appear on Japan up to that time. 
The plates include maps and plans, tables of 
characters and the syllabic system, animals and 
natural objects identified by character, and 
figures of artifacts. Kaempfer wrote this work in 
High Dutch, but a published German-language 
edition did not appear until 1777.

Two expert repairs on printed title page of vol. 
I, where someone had cut out an owner's 
signature. Some professional repairs to a few 
plates and pages but one plate has a rather major 
repair to a long tear. Beautifully rebound in 
half leather with marbled boards. Some old 
staining to edges of some pages.  Cordier, 
Japonica 414-415; Wellcome III, 376.  $12,500.00

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Clare Murphy
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