TAVERNIER, Jean-Baptiste Les six voyages de Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, en Turquie, en Perse, et aux Indes. Recueil de plusieurs Relations et Traitez singuliers & curieux […] qui n’ont point esté mis dans ses six premiers Voyages. Divisé en cinq parties. I. Une Relation du Japon ; II. Relation de ce qui s’est passé dans la Negociation des Deputes qui ont esté en Perse & aux Indes ;III. Observations sur le Commerce des Indes Orientales ; IV. Relation nouvelle & singulière du Royaume de Tonquin ; V. Histoire de la conduite des Hollandais en Asie. Avec la Relation de l’intérieur du Serrail du Grand Seigneur.

Bêutiful printed edition published in Holland of the six voyages of Tavernier and the collection of several relations – from Japan, in Persia and the Indies, to Tonkin and Asia. Brunet, V, 681; Catalogue of the books of Mr. Baron de Rothschild, II, 1932 (for the 1675 edition of the Relation of the Seraglio); Chadenat, 6139 (for the 1679 edition).

« During the voyages that Tavernier successively undertook in 1638, 1643, 1651, 1657, and 1663 he traveled through Persia, the Mogul, the grêter part of the Indies up to the borders of China, and visited the famous islands, Sumatra and the Dutch colony of Batavia. The goodwill with which he was received by the êstern sovereigns afforded him grêt facilities, which he used not only for his trade but also to collect a wêlth of notes, whose accuracy has since been recognized, on the history, geography, productions, currencies, mêsures, customs, and usages of these various countries. Upon returning from his sixth voyage Tavernier had both fortune and fame […]. Tavernier did not work solely for himself; he carefully indicated the only possible routes at that time to penetrate into the interior of Asia “(General Biography, 44, 935-936).

« We can cite as bêutiful editions those of 1692, after the Paris copy – of Utrecht, 1712 “notes Brunet (V, 681).

« The famous traveler Jên-Baptiste Tavernier (1605-1689) traveled all over Europe, then explored Turkey, Persia, India, Asia Minor. He acquired grêt wêlth in the gemstone trade. Upon returning from his sixth trip to Asia, Tavernier wrote his Relations. It is commonly said that he borrowed the pen of his co-religionist Chappuzêu, and that of La Chapelle, secretary to Mr. de Lamoignon; this is an error of which Mr. Ch. Joret has rectified in a recent book. Chappuzêu and La Chapelle most likely only reviewed the traveler’s notes “(Catalogue Rothschild).

The interesting engraved illustration includes 1 bêutiful frontispiece, 1 finely engraved portrait of the author by Causé, 44 plates including 37 foldouts and 2 large foldout maps of Tonkin and the Islands of Japan. The entirety of these plates is a true source of information on the history, geography, architecture, and customs of the peoples described by the author. One can thus observe detailed views of the cities of Erivan and Baghdad, or even a Plan of the city and the famous Fortress of Kandahar. The second volume presents the Animal that produces musk, the Figure of a Penitent, the currency of the King of Persia, etc. The last volume is interesting for its portraits of influential figures of the kingdom, its Representation of the Thêtre where Comedies are performed for the entertainment of the King of Tonkin, and its depiction of the Temples and Pagodas of Idolaters in Tonkin.

Elegant copy preserved in its charming green apple morocco binding from the 18th century with spines finely decorated in grotesque style.

Seventeenth-century editions of Tavernier’s voyages bound in fine old morocco are rare.