Asher Rare Books

Confidential letters on the Baltic Sea trade,
written by the Dutch Republic's resident in Copenhagen to the States General

GOES, Robert. [4 confidential letters by Robert Goes to the registrars of the Dutch States General on the Baltic Sea trade].
[The Netherlands, written 1689-1690 and copied then or soon after]. 4 manuscript letters. Folio. Written in one column in three different 17th-century hands (each letter written, signed and dated in a single hand) on 5 bifolia (2 bifolia for the letter dated 5 December 1689). Folded. [3], [1 blank]; [2]; [2]; [2] ll. Full description

€ 3,250

Second, much enlarged edition of the first extensive repertory
of Greco-Roman rings with carved intaglio gems

GORLAEUS, Abraham. Dactyliotheca, seu annulorum sigillarium quorum apud Priscos tam Graecos quam Romanos usus, ex ferro, aere, argento & auro promptuarii … collectis aliunde & ineditis & editis annulorum figuris auctior; cum explicationibus Jacobi Gronovii.
Leiden, Petrus van de Aa, 1695. 2 volumes. 4to. With 2 different engraved allegorical title-pages (reflecting the themes of rings and intaglio-carved gems), 2 letterpress title-pages in red and black with one of Van der Aa's engraved allegorical devices (Minerva/Athena, books, a cock and Hercules/Heracles, with motto "studio et vigilantia"), a portrait of the author by Jacques de Gheyn with a calligraphic verse by Hugo de Groot below, 138 engraved plates: 196 numbered illustrations of ancient rings with carved gems shown at actual size on 101 engraved plates, and 148 numbered illustrations of carved gems alone on 37 engraved plates). Contemporary limp vellum, manuscript title on spine. [22], 28, [16], 16 pp. plus 109 plates; 64, 32 pp. plus 173 plates. Full description

€ 2,950

On the expediency of British rule in the East Indies

GRANT, Robert. The expediency maintained of continuing the system by which the trade and government of India are now regulated.
London, printed for Black, Parry and J. Hatchard (back of title-page: printed by Cox and Baylis), 1813. 8vo. With 2 letterpress folding tables (1 printed in red and black). Contemporary calf, gold-tooled. [1], [1 blank], XIX, [1 blank], 404 pp. Full description

€ 4,500

An impassioned defense of Jay's Treaty translated into Portuguese

HARPER, Robert Goodloe. Reflexoens sobre a questaõ entre os Estados Unidos e a França.
Philadelphia, London, 1798. Small 8vo. Contemporary marbled calf, gold-tooled spine with a red morocco title label lettered in gold, red sprinkled edges. 322 pp. Full description

€ 5,000

The first British trade agreement with Mocha

[HEYNES, Edward]. Scheeps-togt van Mr. Edward Heynes, van Suratte na Mocha, gedaan in het jaar 1618. Verhalende, op wat wijse de Engelsse de koopmanschap, met de inwoonders, aldaar hebben opgerigt, en door schriftelijk verseekeringen (van den Bassa gegeeven) vast-gestelt. Als mede een beschrijving van de stad Mocha, des selfs huysingen, bolwerken en haven-plaats.
Leiden, Pieter van der Aa, [ca. 1707?]. Folio (25.5 × 40 cm). Modern blue-grey paper covers. [5] ll. (text in 2 columns per page, 4 per leaf, 14 cols. in total). Full description

€ 850

Extremely rare Dutch poem celebrating life on the country house Moffenschans
and hinting at the upcoming tulip craze

HONDIUS, Petrus. Dapes inemptae, oft de Mouffe Schans, dat is de soeticheyt des buyten-levens, vergeselschapt met de boecken.
[Netherlands, 1619(?) (not after 1621)]. 12mo. Recased in 17th-century vellum. 64 pp. Full description

€ 8,500

Tulips, poetry, and the pleasures of country life at the Moffenschans

HONDIUS, Petrus. Dapes inemptae, of de moufe-schans, dat is, de soeticheydt des buyten-levens, vergheselschapt met de boucken.
Leiden, for Daniel Roels (colophon: J.A. vander Marsce), 1621. 8vo. With the woodcut printer's device on the title page, the title is set within an ornamental typographical border. Contemporary vellum. 31, [1 blank], 543, [2 blank], [3], [1 blank] pp. Full description

€ 3,500

Ancient Hebrew & other Middle Eastern, Greek, Roman and Arabic numbers, coins, weights and measures

HOST, Matthäus (Matthaeus HOSTUS). Historiae rei nummariae veteris scriptores aliquot insigniores ...
Including:
HOST, Matthäus. Tres libros de veteribus mensuris ...
HOST, Matthäus. Quaedam opuscula variae ...
[SARDI, Alessandro] (misattributed to John SELDEN). Liber de nummis ...
LABBE, Philippe. Bibliotheca nummaria ...
BUDÉ, Guillaume. De asse et partibus ejus libri quinque.
Leiden, Pieter van der Aa, 1695 (colophon at the end of Host's works: Jena, Johann Zacharias Nisius, 1692). 15 works in 5 volumes, paginated as 3 and bound as 2. 4to. With 2 engraved portraits (vol. I) and 3 folding tables. Contemporary or near contemporary vellum. [36], 372, [8]; [26], “637” [= 535], [7], [2 blank], [lacking 1-2], 3-716, [86] pp. Full description

€ 4,500

Trade within Ethiopia

[HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT - ETHIOPIA]. No. 2531 annual series. Diplomatic and consular reports. Abyssinia. Reports for the year 1899-1900 on the trade of Adis Abbaba and Harrar.
London, Harrison and sons, 1900. Folio. With a folding lithographed map with some coloured details. Bound as sewn. 25, [1] pp. Full description

€ 1,250

On the prosperity of Cuba

HUBER, Bertrand. Aperçu statistique de l'île de Cuba, précédé de quelques lettres sur la Havane, et suivi de tableaux synoptiques, d'une carte de l'île, et du tracé des côtes depuis la Havane jusqu'a Matanzas.
Paris, P. Dufart, 1826. 8vo. With 6 folding letterpress tables and 2 engraved maps (1 folding), depicting Cuba and surrounding islands. Contemporary half calf, black- and gold-tooled spine. 331, [1] pp. Full description