THE TRAVELS OF SIR JOHN CHARDIN INTO PERSIA AND THE EAST INDIES. THE FIRST VOLUME, CONTAINING THE AUTHOR'S VOYAGE FROM PARIS TO ISPAHAN : TO WHICH IS ADDED THE CORONATION OF THIS PRESENT KING OF PERSIA, SOLYMAN THE THIRD
London. Printed for Moses Pitt in Duke Street, Westminster, 1686. First Edition in English. Leather-bound. Quarto. Contemporary English panel calf boards 417 + 5 pp. index. (11 7/8" x 7 1/2"), sympathetically rebacked in mottled calf, on hempen cords. Contrasting spine label of gilt on maroon Rubbing to extremities. Marbled endpapers and edges. 12' x 20' elaborate foldout frontis map of the Black Sea. Handwritten in two places: "Marshall Lister's Book 1785", once on the verso of the (mounted) title page, bordered by elaborate doodles, followed by a line of what appears to be shorthand; the second inscription at the top of the first page. Most curiously, opposite the "Epistle Dedicatory" are printed the words: "Let this BOOK be Printed".
The dedicatory itself, rather over the top adulatory, addressed to the King, concludes: "I might advance in this parallel, where. Your Majesty has so much the advantage, if I did not find my Eyes dazled, when I attempt to fix them upon Your Majesty." LARGE foldout engravings by Paul Bouche, mounted on stiff card stock, SOME of which are: Teflis, a five-fold panorama extending to nearly 30" in length; a Nuptial Feast at Tefles; Irivan (Erivan); Sultani; The Tombs of the two last kings of Persia; Kom; Sefy Premier; Kachan; The Great Inn in Cashan;. Good. Item #80746
Chardin [1643-1713] was a French traveler and merchant who spent many years in England and and travelled in Persia and India from 1665-1667. There was only one volume published. It was originally published in French. Chardin was knighted by Charles II and appointed jeweller to the court. [Howgego C -102].
Price: $4,000.00