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STAUNTON, Sir George Leonard (1737--1801) )
An authentic account of an embassy from the King of Great Britain to the Emperor of China; 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 Hindoostan, in the East India Company's service, to the Yellow Sea, and Gulf of Pekin; as well as of their return to Europe; ... Taken chiefly from the papers of his excellency the Earl of Macartney, ... By Sir George Staunton, ... In two volumes, with engravings; beside a folio volume of plates. Vol. I. (II.)
London (Place), printed by W. Bulmer and Co. for G. Nicol, bookseller to His Majesty,, 1797.
3 vols ; 28.8 cm. (4º)
I: [2], xxxiv, 518 p., engr port. : [6] illus.
II: xx, 626 p., engr. port, [1] pl. : [20] illus.
Atlas: 44 pl. (6 double page, 1 fold.) ; 59.5 cm. (2º)

Staunton accompanied Macartney's embassy to China in 1792, as did the draughtsman, William Alexander (1767--1816) who was responsible for both the large and unrivalled engraved views and the striking vignettes in the text volumes. See P. Conner, Oriental architecture in the west (London 1979), pp. 102--5. ESTC t108299.

Copy Notes Bought from Thomas Boone for 3 guineas, 5 February 1808. (Spiers Box). Volume I inscribed in ink on front free-endpaper John Soane archt and vol. II with the price 3/3/0 on the front pastedown.

Binding Text: Late C18th half mottled calf, gilt roll-tooled spines, red morocco spine-labels, marbled-paper boards. Atlas: Late C18th blue paper boards, white paper spine, printed spine-label reading 'Plates To The Chinese Embassy'.

Reference Number 3352

Additional Names Thomas Boone; Macartney, George Macartney, Earl (1737--1806) - Archives; Gower, Sir Erasmus (1742--1814) - Archives; Alexander, William (1767--1816) - Collections; Lion (Ship); Hindostan (Ship)


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