‎KIRCHER Athanasius ( 1602 - 1680 ) :‎
‎China Monumentis Qua Sacris quà Profanis, Nec non variis Naturae & Artis Spectaculis, Aliarumque rerum memorabilium Argumentis Illustrata, Auspiciis Leopoldi Primi Roman. Imper. Semper Augusti Munificentissimi Mecaenatis.‎

‎" Amstelodami ( Amsterdam ), Johannes Janssonius, 1667 ( on the engraved title) ; Antwerpiae ( Antwerpen ), Jacob Meursius, 1667 ( on the typographical title), in-folio, 30 x 20 cm, (18)nn pp ( engraved title; typographical title with engraved vignet;dedication;author's portrait) + 237 pp + (11) nn pp (index). Illustrated with 2 folding engraved maps + 23 engraved plates (one folding) + 55 in-text illustrations. The illustration on pp. 157 pasted over existing engraving. (Complete copy). 2 or 3 plates with a small marginal tear; pp. 160 and pp 271 with a tear repaired. In all a very fine copy. Bound in contemporary half sheepskin with the boards covered with Dutch marbled paper (Kievit). Fine copy of the first edition, with the secondary title of the Antwerp publisher-bookdealer Jakob Meurs. Kircher's study on China was the most important to appear in Europe until then. It contains the first reproduction in the West of the Sanscrit alphabet and grammar. Lust n° 37 ''influential description of China''."‎

Reference : 52639

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