1. Payne, John / Hardie, James / Provenance I: Signature of J.J. Westervelt [Jacobus James Westervelt (1755 – 1826) – Schraalenberg and Provenance II: Charles Sydney Clark (1925) presented this set to Johnson Free Public Library at Hackensack, New Jersey].

A New and Complete System of Universal Geography [Complete with all 20 maps / illustrations] ; Describing Asia, Africa, Europe and America; with their Subdivisions of Republics, States, Empires and Kingdoms : The Extent, Boundaries and Remarkable Appearances of each Country; Cities, Towns and Curiosities of Nature and Art. Also giving a general account of The Fossil and Vegetable Productions [with hand-coloured plates] of the Earth. The History of Man, In all Climates, Regions and Conditions; Customs, Manners, Laws, Governments and Religions: The State of Arts, Sciences, Commerce, Manufactures and Knowledge. Sketches of the Ancient and Modern History of each Nation and People to the present time. To which is added, A View of Astronomy, As connected with Geography; Of the Planetary System to which the Earth belongs; And of the Universe in General. With a copious Index annexed to each Volume. Being a Large and Comprehensive Abridgement of Universal Geography. By John Payne. With additions, corrections and Improvements from the latest and best authors by James Hardie – Author of “The Principles of Latin Grammar”, “The American Remembrancer” and “Universal Tablet of Memory” &c. In Four Volumes.

First Abridged Edition. Volumes I [Asia] and II [Africa] (of IV). New York, Printed for and Sold by John Low, Book-Seller at The Shakespeare – Head, No.332 Water-Street, 1798 – 1799. Octavo – Edition. Pagination: Volume I [Asia]: Folded Frontispiece (Map of the World), XLVIII, 518 pages plus 10 unnumbered pages of an Index and one additional page with Directions for the Bookbinder for placing the maps and illustrations as well as Errata. Volume I includes all 10 Maps / Engravings as called for / Volume II [Africa]: Folded Frontispiece (Map of Africa), 578 pages plus 12 unnumbered pages of an Index plus one additional page with Directions for the Bookbinder for placing the maps and illustrations as well as Errata. Volume II includes all 10 Maps / Engravings as called for. Hardcover / Modern Library – Binding with the original 18th century – work bound in. Former library copy of Bergen County Historical Society (cancelled) and Johnson Free Public Library in Hackensack, New Jersey, with a very boring, modern library binding and library cards applied to the endpapers only, leaving the bookblock with text and maps and illustrations entirely untouched from any library-signs. Very good condition with some signs of external wear.

2. Staunton, Sir George / Lord Macartney.

An Authentic Account of an Embassy from the King of Great Britain to the Emperor of China [First Dublin Edition with 34 full-page-plates]; Including Cursory Observations Made, and Information Obtained, in Travelling Through That Ancient Empire, and a Small Part of Chinese Tartary. Together with a Relation of the Voyage undertaken on the Occasion by his Majesty’s Ship ‘The Lion’, and the Ship ‘Hindestan’ in the East India Company’s Service, to the Yellow Sea, and Gulf of Pekin [sic]; as well as of their return to Europe. With Notices of the several places where they stopped in their way out and home: being the Islands of Madeira, Teneriffe and St.Jago, the Port of Rio de Janeiro in South America; the Islands of St.Helena, Tristan da Cunha and Amsterdam, the Coast of Java and Sumatra, the Nanka Isles, Pulo-Condore and Cochin-China. Taken chiefly from the Papers of his Excellency, the Earl of Macartney, Knight of the Bath, his Majesty’s Embassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Emperor of China; Sir Erasmus Gower, Commander of the Expedition and other Gentlemen in the several Departments of the Embassy.

Two Volumes (complete set). Dublin, Printed for P.Wogan, R.Cross, P.Byrne and others, 1798. Octavo. Volume I: XV, 449 pages with 8 full-page plates / Volume II: XVIII, 430 pages, with 26 full-page-plates and including an Appendix. Hardcover / Original, early 19th century half leather with original spinelabels. Bindings firm and strong but rather worn. Bookplate of Richard Meade, Ballymartle, to the pastedown of Volume I. Overall in very good condition with some stronger signs of wear but with all the illustrations / engravings, called for in the Dublin Edition.

3. Asia – Tallis, John / Rapkin, John. (1817 – 1876).

Asia – With Vignettes of Petra, Tartars, Russian Peasants, The Walrus, Sun-Birds of India and the Philippine Isles.

Original steel engraving / Vintage map. Drawn and engraved by John Rapkin. Partly hand-coloured. Illustrations by J. Marchant and Engraved by J.B. Allen. London, Edinburgh & Dublin, J & F. Tallis, 1851. Plate Size: 31.8 cm x 25.5 cm. Sheet Size: 37.2 cm x 27.2 cm. Vintage 19th century map in very good condition.

4. Guinness, Géraldine.

Dans l’Orient lointain – Lettres de Géraldine Guinness Missionnaire en Chine (1888-1889). Traduites de l’anglais par Mlle Laure Armand et par le Traducteur-Editeur.

2 me Mille. Genève, chez le Traducteur-Editeur, 1893. Octavo. 218 pages. [Illustrated]. Hardcover / Original, publisher’s illustrated Hardcover. Very good condition with only minor signs of wear.

5. Barneby, W. Henry.

The New Far West and The Old Far East – Being Notes of a Tour in North America, Japan, China, Ceylon, Etc. With Maps and Illustrations. [Including an Appendix on the Supplementary Treaty of Commerce between the United States and Japan].

London, Edward Stanford, 1889. Quarto. Frontispiece, X, 316 pages with three large fold-out-maps in colour and eight illustrations in black-and-white. Hardcover / Stunning 19th century prize-binding in beautiful full tan calf bearing the Arms of Monmouth Grammar School [with their Motto “Serve and Obey”]. Inscription and embossed stamp of Monmouth – Grammar School to endpaper. Dedicated by Headmaster C.M.Roberts to former pupil W.A.Lamb in July 1890. Excellent condition with only minor signs of wear.