Mayers, William Frederick / N. B. Dennys / Charles King. The Treaty Ports of China and Japan. A Complete Guide to the Open Ports of Those Countries, Together with Peking, Yedo, Hongkong and Macao. Forming a Guide Book & Vade Mecum for Travellers, Merchants, and Residents in General.

London & Hong Kong, Trübner and Co. / Shortrede and Co., 1867.

8vo. VIII, (2), 668, (2), XLVIII, (2), 26, (2) pp. With 29 mostly folded maps and charts, block-printed in colour. Recent half morocco with gilt lettering on spine.

 9.500,00

First edition; the scarce original printing.

As trade between the East and the West grew in the mid-19th century, increasing numbers of Westerners travelled to China and Japan, and in 1867 this guide to the key port cities such as Hong Kong and Nagasaki was published in both Hong Kong and London. Its editor, Nicholas Belfield Dennys (ca 1813-99), claimed it was the first such comprehensive handbook printed for public distribution. Intended for visitors and new residents, the guide was originally typeset in China, allowing place names and other words to be printed in Chinese characters. The specially commissioned maps were also engraved in China. The book includes physical descriptions and brief histories of over twenty cities, details of schools and libraries, population statistics and much practical information, as well as a list of other publications on China and Japan. It is a valuable historical source on East Asia during a period of rapid change.

Includes appendices, folding maps, a folding illustration of "Japanese Coinage", and one page "Reference to Map of Peking" (complete as called for in the Table of Contents, "List of Maps, &c". Stamp of the Danish Royal Navy Library ("Marinens Bibliothek") and Officers' School on title-page. Internally clean and fine.

Art.-Nr.: BN#48426 Schlagwörter: , , ,