Gedenkwürdige Verrichtung der Niederländischen Ost-Indischen Gesellschaft in dem Kaiserreich Taising oder Sina, durch ihr Zweyte Gesandtschaft […] als auch die Dritte Gesandtschaft. Beschreibung des Keyserthums Sina oder Taising.

Jacob von Meurs, Amsterdam, 1674–1676

First German edition with 39 superb engravings in vigorous impressions - scarce.

Description: 3 parts in 1 vol. Contemporary vellum, spine lettered in ink. Quarto: 31 × 20 cm; pp. [4] ll; 206, [1] ll; 209–336; 76, [2] ll; 164, [4] ll. Internally illustrated with a engraved titel page, 39 engravings on 38 plates of which 27 double-page and 5 fold-outs. Additionally 55 text engravings.

Ref.: VD17 7:692863P; SUB Göttingen PPN615812651

Condition: Binding lightly soiled, endpapers lightly worn and text block occasionally lightly stained. Missing the plates ‘Keyserthums Sinae Land-Karte’, ‘Abgötts Vitek oder Ninifo’ and ‘Der Grund-Rissen von der Mandarynen hoch- und niedrigen Standes Wohnungen und Pallästen’. Else a very good copy.

Notes: Between 1656 and 1664, the Dutch East India Company sent three legations to the imperial court in Beijing. Their economic success was modest, but the travel reports of Jan Nieuhof (Het Gezandtschap, 1665) and Olfert Dapper (1636–1689) from the second and third voyages, left a lasting impression on the image of China in Europe. Olfert Dapper was a Flemish physician and scholar, particularly an expert in classical Greek and Latin literature. He was born in Amsterdam and educated in Utrecht. Dapper never travelled, instead devoting himself to geographical studies. The numerous sources he cites in his texts testify to his wealth of knowledge. Thorough and systematic, he led a team of colleagues in an exemplary manner. With remarkable frequency, Dapper published extensive historical and geographical works on China, Asia, Africa, America and Amsterdam, as well as on the islands of the eastern Mediterranean. This is the first German edition of the "Gedenkwaerdig bedryf der Nederlandsche Oost-Indische Maetschappye..." (1670). It depicts city views, religious ceremonies and temple scenes, scenes of daily life, traditional costumes, weapons, armour, but also fauna and flora, etc.