‎HUBRECHT, Alphonse :‎
‎Grandeur et suprématie de Péking. Copy 8 of 50 de Luxe copies, kept in a silk covered box with enbroidered gilt dragon.‎

‎" Peking ( Beijing ), Imprimerie des Lazaristes, 1928, large in-4°, 32,5 x 25 cm, 607 pp, sewn, with original illustrated printed wrapper. Fine copy of the ''Deluxe edition'' limited to 100 copies, this is copy number 8 of the first 50 copies printed on Imperial Japanese vellum, illustrated with 10 handcoloured plates and 30 ornamented painted initials heightened with gold. The book This copy is kept in a beautiful Chinese made box. The box is entirely covered with orange coloured silk, on the frontcover a large gilt embroidery representing the Imperial dragon amidst silky multi coloured flower petals or small clouds, and two small swastikas. The box has elaborate overlapping flaps and is closed (in Asian style) with two ivory pegs. (one of the pegs is missing). The silk is slightly soiled at the extremities. The two outer joints of the spine are split; but this beautiful and remarkable box is still an attractive item. The finely illustrated book is divided in 2 parts. It describes the history of Peking from the Yuan Dynasty to the early years of Republican China, including the Boxer Rebellion, with chapters on Christianity (Lazarists and Protestant missionaries), art, culture and customs including palaces and temples, trade, wedding customs, religious beliefs etc.."‎

Reference : 53701

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