Author: Author: de la Loubère, Simon (1642–1729) from the library of Lothar Schmid
Year: 1691
Publisher: Abraham Wolfgang
Place: Amsterdam
Description:
Volume two only of two. [ii]+324 pages with 15 engraved plates (7 folding) and title vignette. Duo decimo (6" x 3 3/4") bound in full leather with raised spine bands with rich gilt spine and red spine label with ribbon book mark. From the library of Lothar Schmid. (Bibliotheca Van der Linde-Niemeijeriana: 4740; Graesse IV, 81) First Dutch edition.
Simon de la Loubère led an embassy to Siam (modern Thailand) in 1687 (the "La Loubère-Céberet mission"). The embassy, composed of five warships, arrived in Bangkok in October 1687 and was received by Ok-khun Chamnan. de la Loubère returned to France on board the Gaillard on 3 January 1688, accompanied by the Jesuit Guy Tachard, and a Siamese embassy led by Ok-khun Chamnan. Upon his return, de la Loubère made a precise description of his travels, as he had been requested by Louis XIV, published under the title Du Royaume de Siam. De la Loubère also brought to France from his Siamese travels a very simple method for creating n-odd magic squares, known as the "Siamese method" or the "de la Loubère method", which apparently was initially brought from Surat, India by another Frenchman by the name of M. Vincent, who was sailing on the return ship with de la Loubère. This volume contains a chapter of the "Jeu des Echecsw of Chinois". The panels show, inter alia, an illustration for Echiquier's Chinois and a coconut tree.
Lothar Maximilian Lorenz Schmid (10 May 1928 – 18 May 2013) was a German chess grandmaster. He was born in Radebeul near Dresden into a family who were the co-owners of the Karl May Press, which published the German Karl May adventure novels. He was best known as the chief arbiter at several World Chess Championship matches, in particular the 1972 encounter between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky at Reykjavic. He was also an avid collector of chess books and paraphernalia. It was reputed that he owned the largest known private chess library in the world, as well as a renowned collection of chess art, chess boards and chess pieces from around the globe.
Condition:
Bookplate on front paste down, label of Lothar Schmid, some light foxing, leather scuffed, spine heal chipped else a very good copy.
SOLD 2022