Denckwürdige Gesandtschafften der Ost-Indischen Gesellschaft in den Vereinigten Niederländern an unterschiedliche Keyser von Japan: Darinnen zu finden nicht allein die wunderlichen Begäbnüsse auf der Reyse der Niederländischen Gesanten; sondern auch Eine Beschreibung der Dörffer Festungen Städte Landtschafften Götzengebeue [...] der Japaner; Mit einer grossen anzahl Kupferstücken in Japan selbsten abgerissen gezieret Aus den Schrifften und Reyseverzeichnüssen gemelter Gesanten gezogen Durch Arnold Montanus

Folio (304x197 mm). [8, including the engraved title], 443, [9] pp. and 25 engraved plates (1 folding map, 4 folding plates and 20 double-page plates). Collation: †⁴ A-Z⁴ Aa-Zz⁴ Aaa-Kkk⁴ Lll². With also 70 half-page engravings in text. Title page printed in red and black with the arms of the city of Amsterdam in the center. Text printed in two columns. The date on the engraved title page is 1670, the one on the typographic title page is 1669. Contemporary stiff vellum with overlapping edges, lettering piece on spine, blue edges (cut repaired on the front panel). Engraved title page stained, some foxing and browning, tears repaired along the folding of the map, last page a bit soiled, but a very good, genuine copy in its original Dutch binding.

First German edition, translated from the Dutch by Philipp von Zesen. The original Dutch edition appeared in the same year.

One of the best and most richly illustrated European sources on Japan, covering geography, history, economy, culture, religion, fauna and flora, etc. The strongly impressed copper engravings show plans and views of Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nagasaki and other towns as well as ethnographic depictions and scenes.

Arnoldus Montanus was a Dutch scholar and publisher active in Amsterdam. Most of his books were published in collaboration with the engraver and typographer Jacob van Meurs and dealt with travel descriptions of lands in which the Netherlands had commercial interests, namely North America, China and Japan.

VD17, 23:321605V; Cordier, 384; Lipperheide, 1552.

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