PFYFFER ZU NEUECK, Joseph Jacob Xaver.
Esquisses de l'ile de Java et de ses divers habitants, recueillies pendant un séjour de huit années fait dans cette île; ... traduit de l'Allemand par Girodz du Villard, revu et mis en ordre par G. Guénot Lecointe.
Brussels, P.J. Voglet for Société Belge de Librairie, Hauman, Cattoir and company, 1837. 12mo. Modern grained brown half calf preserving the original lithographed wrappers, partly uncut. [4], III, [1 blank], XV, [1 blank], 239, [1 blank] pp.
€ 2,950
Very rare first edition of the French translation of a work on Java by Joseph Jacob Xaver Pfyffer zu Neueck (1798-1853), a German in military service of the Dutch East India Company. The work covers Java's topography, natural history, ethnography, customs, religion, local inhabitants, government, etc., and also discusses the Europeans, their habits and customs. Included is a short extract with a vocabulary of the Malay language. The original German edition was published in parts between 1829-1832 and contained 15 plates (Skizzen von der Insel Java und derselben verschiedenen Bewohnern). A second edition of the French translation appeared in 1854 (Description de Java) and it was also translated in Dutch as Schetsen van het eiland Java in 1838.
Wrappers soiled; trivial spotting inside. Interesting work on Java in good condition. Bastin & Brommer 197; cf. Haks and Maris, p. 236; Tiele, Bibl. 858.
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