Asher Rare Books

Account of a scientific expedition through Central America

MORELET, Arthur. Voyage dans l'Amérique centrale, l'île de Cuba et le Yucatan.
Paris, Gide & J. Baudry, 1857. 2 volumes. 8vo. With 2 pages of letterpress music, a folding lithographed map of Yucatan, Guatemala and Cuba, and 22 wood-engraved illustrations, after drawings by the author, heading each chapter. Original publisher's printed paper wrappers, preserved in modern chemises and slipcase. [4], 337, [3]; [4], 323, [3] pp. Full description

€ 4,500

Archaeology Caribbean Islands Geography Middle America Shells & other Invertebrates

The VOC in 17th-century China

NIEUHOF, Johan. Het gezantschap der Neêrlandtsche Oost-Indische Compagnie, aan den grooten Tartarischen Cham, den tegenwoordigen keizer van China...
Amsterdam, Jacob van Meurs, 1670. Folio. With engraved title-page, letterpress title-page printed in red and black, full-page engraved portrait of the author, 1 large folding engraved map of China, 34 double-page engraved plates and views, 110 half-page engraved illustrations in text. Contemporary blind-tooled vellum. [8], 208, 258, [10] pp. Full description

€ 12,500

Anthropology & Ethnography Charts & Maps China Formosa / Taiwan Southeast Asia Travel & Voyages Asia Travel & Voyages East Asia Travel & Voyages Southeast Asia VOC

Beautifully bound set of Pallas' famous description of Russia

PALLAS, Peter Simon (M. GAUTHIER DE LA PEYRONIE, transl.). Voyages de M. P.S. Pallas en differentes provinces de l'Empire de Russie, et dans l'Asie septentrionale.
Paris, Lagrange (vol. 1), Maradan (vol. 2-5; colophon of vol. 5: printed by Demonville), 1788-1793. 5 text volumes (4to) and 1 atlas volume (Imperial 4to: 33.5 x 25 cm). With 123 engraved plates and maps (27 folding), including a large folding map of the Russian Empire. Uniform gold-tooled tree calf, gilt edges. [3], [1 blank], XXXII, 773, [5]; [4], 550, [1], [1 blank]; [3], [1 blank], 492; [3], [1 blank], 722, [2]; [3], [1 blank], 559, [1] pp; atlas volume with 123 plates on 108 leaves. Full description

€ 12,500

Birds - Ornithology Earth Sciences Eastern Europe Faunas & General Zoology Geology Russia (incl. Siberia) Travel & Voyages Asia Travel & Voyages Europe

French edition of Pallas's travels through Russia

PALLAS, Peter Simon. Voyages du professeur Pallas, dans plusieurs provinces de l'empire de Russie et dans l'Asie septentrionale; Traduits de l'allemand par le C. Gauthier de la Peyronie. Nouvelle Édition, Revue et enrichie de Notes par CC. Lamarck ... et Langlès...
Paris, Maradan, an II [1794]. 8 text-volumes and 1 atlas-volume. 8vo (text) and large 4to (atlas). With 8 title-pages and 8 half-titles, 108 engraved plates and maps, of which 22 folding and 2 double-page. Uniform contemporary mottled calf, richly gold-tooled spines. [8], 422, [2]; [4], 490; [4], 492; [4], 499; 448; 455; 448; [4], VIII, 463 pp. Full description

€ 2,950

Eastern Europe Faunas & General Zoology Floras & General Botany France Russia (incl. Siberia) Travel & Voyages Europe

Very rare French translation of Pallas' second expedition to South Russia,
the Black Sea and the Crimea in 1793 and 1794

PALLAS, Peter Simon. Observations faites dans un voyage entrepris dans les gouvernements méridionaux de l'Empire de Russie dans les années 1793 et 1794.
Paris, Strasbourg, Amand Koening; Leipzig, Godefroi Martini, 1799-1802. 2 text volumes and 1 atlas volume. 4to (text) and oblong folio (atlas: 24 x 40 cm). With 28 engravings in the text and 1 woodcut in each text volumes (23 hand-coloured), and 55 engraved plates and maps (43 hand-coloured) in the atlas volume. Text volumes in contemporary and uniform gold-tooled mottled calf. Atlas in matching contemporary mottled half calf. XXXII, 438; XVI, 452 pp. ; 55 ll. Full description

€ 8,500

City Plans, Topography & Views Eastern Europe Expeditions & General Natural History Russia (incl. Siberia) Travel & Voyages Europe

First edition of a well-illustrated account of Phipps's arctic expedition

PHIPPS, Constantine John. A voyage towards the North Pole undertaken by His Majesty's command 1773.
London, William Bowyer and John Nichols for J. Nourse, 1774. Large 4to. With 15 large double-page and larger folding engraved plates, and many letterpress tables in the text. Contemporary tree calf, gold-tooled board edges, rebacked soon after with a richly gold-tooled spine with globes and numerous floral stamps, red morocco spine-label. VIII, 253 pp. Full description

€ 4,000

Arctic & Antarctic Book History, Printing & Typography Charts & Maps Faunas & General Zoology Instruments & Microscopy Navigation Scandinavia Travel & Voyages Europe

The second edition in English, by the greatest translator of the Elizabethan age

PLINIUS Secundus, Gaius (Pliny the Elder) The Historie of the World, commonly called the Naturall Historie.
London, Adam Islip, 1634. 2 parts in one volume. Folio (23.5 x 32 cm). Elaborate woodcut device on title-page; woodcut initials, head- and tailpieces. Contemporary calf, spine in six compartments, tooled and lettered in gilt. (58), 614, (42) pp. (12), 632, (86) pp. Full description

€ 15,000

Arabian Peninsula & Gulf States Classical Antiquity Dictionaries & Encyclopedias Faunas & General Zoology Geology Iran / Persia

Praised edition of Pliny's "Natural history", with sections on pearl fishery in the Middle East

PLINIUS SECUNDUS, Gaius (PLINY the Elder). Historiarum naturae libri XXXVII, post omnes omnium editiones, ...
Paris, Jean Parvum (index: Jean Petit), 1532. Folio. 18th-century cat's paw calf, richly gold-tooled spine. [36], 671, [188] pp. Full description

€ 4,500

Earth Sciences Expeditions & General Natural History Geology Iran / Persia Mineralogy & Gems

The complete scientific reports from the private German expedition to the Arctic Ocean in 1898

RÖMER, Fritz & Fritz SCHAUDINN (editors). FAUNA ARCTICA. Eine Zusammenstellung der arktischen Tierformen, mit besonderer Berücksichtigung des Spitzbergen-Gebietes auf Grund der Ergebnisse der Deutschen Expedition in das Nördliche Eismeer im Jahre 1898. Herausgegeben von F. Römer und F. Schaudinn..
Jena, G. Fischer, 1902-1933. 6 volumes. Large-4to (360 x 280mm). With 2 photogravure portraits (of both editors), 8 lithographed maps, 49 (a few chromo-) lithographed plates and 609 figures in the text. Contemporary half cloth (volumes II-IV & VI) & wrappers (remainder). Full description

€ 1,350

Arctic & Antarctic Faunas & General Zoology Marine Biology & Oceanography Shells & other Invertebrates

Mexico's industry and commerce, dedication copy by the author

ROUTIER, Gaston. Le Mexique[.] Limites géographiques. Orographie. Hydrographie. L' agriculture, la flore, la faune et les mines. L' industrie et le commerce.
Paris, H. Le Soudier, 1891. 8vo. With a lithographed folding map of Mexico (34.5 x 46 cm). Contemporary half red morocco, gold-tooled spine. XVII, 110 pp. Full description