Oriental games from Arabia and Persia

Hyde, Thomas. Mandragorias, seu historia shahiludii.

Oxford, Theatro Sheldoniano, 1694.

8vo. 3 parts in one volume. (72), (4), 184, 71, (1), (16), 278 pp. With 12 engravings in the text, 3 folding plates and several woodcuts. Contemporary English calf with red label to gilt spine. All edges red.

 12,500.00

First edition. Important work dedicated to oriental games from Arabia and Persia as well as from India and China, including backgammon, draughts and dice. Also contains the first scholarly account devoted to the history of chess (pp. 53-137), with two folding plates showing chessboards, engravings of a giraffe, and examples of various types of chessmen (English from the time of Caxton; Turkish; and several kins of Indian specimens). The second part explains, inter alia, the "Promotiones Mandarinorum", the history of dice, and many other Chinese games. Contains numerous texts in Hebrew, Chinese, Arabic, Greek and other languages. Hyde was an orientalist and later became Bodleian Librarian. "Ouvrage curieux. Les exemplaires n'en sont pas communs" (Brunet).

Upper spine-end professionally repaired; inner hinges reinforced. Light browning throughout due to paper. From the library of the chess-player and collector James Wilson Rimington Wilson (1822-77) of Broomhead Hall near Sheffield, with his autograph ownership in ink ("J W Rimington Wilson / Chess Library") to pastedown.

References

Graesse III, 403. Von der Linde I, 88-90. Cordier (Sinica) 3142. Wing H3875 & H3877. ESTC R1348.