Asher Rare Books

The state of all missionary activity around the world ca. 1820

[GAUSSEN, Francois Samuel Robert Louis?]. Exposé de l'état actuel des missions évangéliques chez les peuples infidèles, cel qu'on le connoissoit au commencement de l'année 1820.
Genève, [back of the title page: printing office of Guillaume Fick], 1821. 2 parts in 1 volume. 8vo. With a folding leaf (54 x 34.5 cm) containing a small coloured map of the world, engraved by Bovet, surrounded by letterpress tables of the principle mission stations around the world. Contemporary half brown sheepskin, decorated paper sides, gold-tooled spine, marbled edges. XII, LXXXII, IV, 408, [4] pp. Full description

€ 2,950

Australia Canada & Greenland Central Africa Ceylon China Church History & Missions East Africa India & Sri Lanka Japan & Far East Latin America Middle America New Zealand North America Pacific Islands South America Southeast Asia Southern Africa Turkey & Ottoman Empire West Africa West Indies

First edition of an early Reformation pamphlet: Johann Eberlin von Günzburgs Bundesgenossen VI, referencing Erasmus

[EBERLIN VON GÜNZBURG, Johann]. Erasmus von Rotherodam ein fürst aller gelerten zu unseren zyte[n], schreibt im buch gena[nn]t Encomion morias, vom predigen der ba[e]ttel münch. Ein jeden ich hie früntlich bit, Das er mich la[e]ss und lach nit. Der. VI. bundtsgnosz.
[Basel, Pamphilus Gengenbach, 1521]. 4to. With 1 large woodcut portrait of Erasmus on the title page, 2 decorated woodcut initials, and a woodcut tailpiece below the end of the text. Modern marbled calf. [5] [1 blank] ll. Full description

€ 4,500

Church History & Missions Early Printing - 16th century Erasmus Humanism & Reformation Philosophy & Humanism Religion (16th Century)

Description and illustrations of a sundial with a rotating magnetic needle,
bound in a fragment of an early Acta sanctorum manuscript

GEORGES, Pierre. Horologe magnetique elliptique ou ovale nouveau, de facile usage, et tres-commode, pour trouver les heures du jour & de la nuict, . . .
Toul (Lorraine), Simon Belgrand, G. Perin and I. Laurent, 1660. 8vo. With 8 engraved plates (1-7 numbered) with 46 numbered figures, and a letterpress folding table after page 196. Contemporary parchment made from the lower part of a leaf from a Jesuit manuscript (Acta sanctorum, for 25 July, this part not published until 1729). [12], ''296'' [= 298], [2 blank] pp. Full description

€ 11,500

Instruments & Microscopy Jesuits Technology

First edition of a collection of patristic writings, including Eucherius, Basil, and Jerome, with annotations by Erasmus

EUCHERIUS; Desiderius ERASMUS; Basil of CAESAREA; Petrus GERARDUS (editor). In hoc libello haec in sunt ... Intelligentiae spiritalis formulae: Instructionum libri duo ... epistola paraenetica, ad Valerianum suum ...
(Colophon:) Paris, Claude Chevallon, [ca. 1523]. 8vo. With Cevallons woodcut device on the verso of the final leaf, the title is printed in red and black, and 10 woodcut decorated initials. Modern half vellum and beige paper sides, blue sprinkled head- and fore-edge, manuscript author and title on the spine in brown ink. [6], CVII, [1] ll. Full description

€ 2,950

Church History & Missions Early Printing - 16th century Erasmus Humanism & Reformation Philosophy & Humanism Religion (16th Century)

Defending Erasmus against the accusations of Archbishop Edward Lee

GERTOPHIUS, Johannes and Hermann von dem BUSCHE. Recriminatio ... adversus furiosissimum Sycophantam Edoardum Leum Anglum, qui ausus est primus Erasmum candidissimum luto aspergere. Epigramma extemporale sed felicissimu[m], Hermanni Buschii, in eundem Leum.
[Basel], (colophon:) Andreas Cratander, June 1520. 4to. With an elaborate woodcut title border, a decorated woodcut initial, and a woodcut printer's device on the final page. Modern quarter vellum in older style. 25, [3] pp. Full description

€ 2,500

Catholicism & Eastern Orthodox Church Church History & Missions Early Printing - 16th century Humanism & Reformation Philosophy & Humanism Religion (16th Century)

The first Chinese grammar book in Portuguese, printed by and for missionaries in Macao

GONÇALVES, Joaquim Affonso. Arte China constante de alphabeto e grammatica comprehendo modelos das differentes composiçoens.
Macao, Real collegio de S. José, 1829. 4to. The text is set in roman type and Chinese characters. Half blue cloth, marbled paper sides and pink paste paper endpapers. [1], [3 blank], VIII, "502" [= 503], [1 blank], 46, [2] pp. Full description

€ 7,500

China Church History & Missions Language & Linguistics Literature

Illustrated travel account of the "sights" and sacred places in the Holy Land

GOUJON, Jacques. Histoire et voyage de la Terre-Sainte, où tout ce qu'il y a de plus remarquable dans les saints lieux, est tres exactement descrit.
Lyon, Pierre Compagnon & Robert Taillandier, 1671. 4to. With a woodcut vignette on the title-page and 17 folding engraved plates showing maps, views, and plans of regions, mountains and buildings in the Holy Land, further with woodcut decorated initials, and woodcut head- and tailpieces. Contemporary calf. [1], [1 blank], [10], 358, [9], [1 blank] pp. Full description

€ 11,500

Church History & Missions City Plans, Topography & Views Travel & Voyages Asia Travel & Voyages Middle East West Asia

The Thomas Christians on the Malabar coast

GOUVEA (or GOVEA), Antonio and Aleixo de MENEZES. Histoire orientale des grans progres de l'eglise Cathol. Apost. & Rom. en la reduction des anciens Chrestiens ...
Brussels, Rutger Velpius, 1609.
With:
(2) GLEN, Jean Baptise de and Aleixo de MENEZES. La messe des anciens Chrestiens, dicts de S. Thomas, en l' évesché d' Angamal és Indes Orientales ...
Brussels, Rutger Velpius, 1609.
2 works in 1 volume, the 2nd in 2 parts. 8vo. With a small woodcut vignette on both title-pages, some woodcut head- and tail-pieces, and woodcut decorated initials. Ad 1 with an engraved illustration depicting a Biblical scene mounted as a frontispiece on the verso of the second free flyleaf. Contemporary brown calf, sewn on 4 supports with corresponding raised bands on the spine, gold-tooled spine with the title lettered in gold in the second compartment, red sprinkled edges. [1], [1 blank], [42], 748; [1], [1 blank], [10], 123, [1] pp. Full description

€ 9,500

Catholicism & Eastern Orthodox Church India & Sri Lanka Jesuits Portugal

Portuguese Catholic subjugation of ancient Christians in India's Malabar Coast

GOUVEIA, António de. Jornada do Arcebispo de Goa Dom Frey Aleixo de Menezes primaz da India Oriental, ...
With: (2) MENESES, Aleixo de. Synodo diocesano da Igreia Bispado de Angamaledo dos antigos Christaõs de Sam Thome das Serras do Malavar das partes da India Oriental.Coimbra, Diego Gomez de Loureyro, 1606. 2 complementary works in 1 volume. Folio. The first work with the large woodcut coat of arms of the Archbishop of Braga on the title page of ad 1. 18th century calf. [6], 152; [2], 62 ll. Full description

€ 6,500

Catholicism & Eastern Orthodox Church Church History & Missions India & Sri Lanka Iran / Persia Portugal Travel & Voyages Asia Travel & Voyages Europe Travel & Voyages Southern Asia

Marking the brief golden age of Christianity in the Arabian peninsula

GREGENTIUS, Saint. [Title in Greek followed by:] Disputatio cum Herbano Iudaeo: nunc primùm Graecè edita, cum interpretatione Nic. Gulonii, Carnutis, literarum Graecarum professoris regii, notis illustrata. Hoc dialogo sides Christiana tum divinorum oraculorum exposition, tum miraculorum effectu confirmatur.
Paris, Fédéric Morel, 1586. 8vo. With text in Latin and Greek on facing pages. Contemporary sheepskin parchment. [8], 204 ll. Full description