Le Historie delle Indie Orientali;

£1,800 · Offered by Maggs Bros Ltd

Maffei compiled this history of the Indies over a period of twelve years. “It is a classic work on the subject, and enjoyed great success when it appeared” (Borba de Moraes). The second part (295ff.) consists of a selection of 43 letters under the title “Della scelta delle lettere scritte dell’ India” many of which relate to Japan. Included are early letters by the leading figures in the history of the mission in Japan: St. Francis Xavier, Frois, Vilela, di Silva, Gago, Almeida and others. These letters are important documents in the early phase of Western involvement in Japan, providing the first reliable reports about its political, cultural and geographical situation. Streit iv, 1056; Cordier 65; Laures 194; Takahashi 23.

• Year: 1589

Found via Rare Books Intel, a search across rare-book dealers, auction houses and marketplaces worldwide.