Lot 75: Isidore Stanislas Henri Helman (1743-c.1809) - Faits Mémorables des Empereurs de la Chine. 1788

Isidore Stanislas Henri Helman (1743-c.1809)
HELMAN, Isidore Stanislas Henri (1743-c.1809). Faits Mémorables des Empereurs de la Chine, tirés des Annals Chinoises. Paris: for the author and M. Ponce, 1788. First edition, deluxe issue, with the plates printed on papier de Hollande and coloured by hand. This copy has been further enhanced for a wealthy 19th-century Russian owner by the addition of manuscript captions in Russian summarising the French text. As recently recognised, Helman’s Faits is based on a 16th-century work, the Dijian tushuo, commissioned to educate the Ming dynasty Wanli emperor in moral precepts by presenting short histories of good and evil emperors throughout the ages (Marcia Reed and Paola Dematté, China on Paper, 2007, no. 20). The engravings are largely based on drawings by Jean Denis Attiret (1702-1768), sponsored by the Emperor. Attiret was a Jesuit painter active in China, where he was appointed imperial Painter and made a mandarin. The work was originally issued in 4 fascicles of varying refinement; the present deluxe hand-coloured issue cost 48 livres, 4 times the price of the basic issue. Cohen-de Ricci 479; Cordier 587-8; Lust 1133 (not calling for a dedication leaf). Quarto (274 x 207mm). Engraved throughout, including title, 24 hand-coloured engraved plates by Helman after Father Attiret, here with manuscript captions in Russian, and 24 leaves of text (lacking dedication leaf, thumb-soiling at lower corners, occasional small stain or spotting, occasional short marginal tear). Near-contemporary red straight-grained morocco gilt, blue silk liners, gilt edges (a little stained and rubbed, light restorations, liners remounted). Provenance: old Russian inventory stamp on title – W. Klotschkoff, bookseller at St. Petersburg (label at end). Provenance: [sold Christie’s 26 September 1997, lot 98].