Page 45 - Bonhams Chinese Scholar's Art March 2014
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8071
8071 Provenance:
Seventeen nineteenth century reference books about China John R. Peters Jr.
From the library of John R. Peters, Jr. including: Peters, John R. Jr. Thence by Descent
Miscellaneous Remarks Upon Government, History, Religions, Literature On long term loan to the Old Economy Museum, Ambridge, PA 1963-2010
and Customs of the Chinese, Philadelphia, 1847; Williams, S. Wells The
Middle Kingdom, a survey of the Chinese empire and its inhabitants, with a The present collection of texts represents an embodiment of English
new map of the empire, and illustrations, principally engraved by T. W. Orr language writing on China in the first half of the 19th century. Along with
New York, 1848 (vol. 1 only); Langdon, William, B. “Ten thousand Chinese John R. Peters jr., the owner of the books, the authors are all key names
things.” Descriptive catalogue of the Chinese collection, now exhibiting at St. in the transmission of knowledge about China and Chinese culture to the
George’s place, Hyde Park corner; with condensed accounts of the genius, West. Whereas some were missionaries, Bridgman being the first American
government, history, literature, agriculture, arts, trade, manners, customs, missionary in China, others were diplomats, with John F. Davis a member of
and social life of the people of the Celestial empire, London, 1844; Davis, the 1816 Lord Amherst embassy to Beijing. Many of the books are inscribed
John Francis, The Chinese: a general description of the empire of China and in with Peter’s name, and The Chinese Repository volumes, and the Gutzlaff
its inhabitants, New York, 1843 (vols 1 and 2); Abeel, David Journal of a also bear the stamp and written name of Joseph Harvey Weed (died 1848)
residence in China, and the neighboring countries, from 1829-1833, New a silk merchant and acting US consul at Singapore. The 1842 edition of
York, 1834; Gützlaff, Karl Friedrich August, A Sketch of Chinese History: Langdon’s “Ten Thousand Things” bears a warm inscription from Nathan
Ancient and Modern: Comprising A Retrospect of the Foreign Intercourse and Dunn to Bridgeman dated London January 23, 1843.
Trade with China, New York, 1834 (vols. 1 and 2); Callery, J.-M., and Melchior
Yvan, History of the Insurrection in China: With Notices of the Christianity, Whereas a number of these texts were readily available in the 19th century,
Creed, and Proclamations of the Insurgents, New York, 1853; Bridgman, for example S. Wells Williams The Middle Kingdom, here in the first edition,
Elijah Coleman and S Wells Williams, ed The Chinese Repository (vols 3-7, 9, was enormously popular, being reprinted continuously through the later
11), Canton, 1835-1842; Bridgman, Elijah Coleman, A Chinese chrestomathy 19th and early 20th centuries, several volumes, such as Bridgeman’s Chinese
in the Canton dialect, Macao, 1841: Langdon, William B. Ten thousand things Crestomathy--one of the earliest English/Cantonese dictionary--are quite
relating to China and the Chinese : an epitome of the genius, government, unusual and rare to the market. Bridgman and Williams collaboration on
history, literature, agriculture, arts, trade, manners, customs, and social life of the monthly issued Chinese Repository was the principal source of reliable
the people of the Celestial Empire: together with a synopsis of the Chinese scholarship on China--for both missionaries and merchants--prior to 1850.
collection, London, 1842. [17]
$3,000 - 5,000
Chinese Art from the Scholars Studio | 43
