By Philippus Baldaeus (1632-1672)
1672 First Edition.

Incomplete. Lacking seven double pages and 14 engravings etc. See photograph below for full description.

Philips Baelde or Philippus Baldaeus, was a Dutch minister. He went to Jaffna during the Dutch period in Ceylon with an invading Dutch force. As the second European after Abraham Rogerius, in his illustrated Description of the East Indian Countries of Malabar, Coromandel, Ceylon, etc. he documented the life, language and culture of the Tamil people, living in the north of the island. It was initially published in Dutch and German, while the English translation was published by the Ceylon Government Railway (1960).

He wrote much about the religious, civil and domestic conditions of the places he visited and introduced his account of the Hindu mythology. He translated the Lord's Prayer into the Tamil language, and although it had mistakes, it was remarkable as the first treatise printed in Europe of any Indian language. The book is dedicated to the bailiff Cornelis de Witt.

Baldaeus went back to Holland and preached until he died while still a young man. Sold as is.

208mm x 323mm x 56mm

R30,000

Detailed Description of Malabar and Choromandel, the Neighbouring Kingdoms, and the Mighty Island of Ceylon (Incomplete)                                                                         R30,000   

By PHILIPPUS BALDAEUS (1632-1672) 

1672. First edition. 

Naauwkeurige Beschryvinge van Malabar en Choromandel, der zelver aangrensende Ryken, en het machtige Eyland Ceylon, Amsterdam: Johannes Janssonius van Waasberge, en van Sommeren, 1672. 3 parts in one volume. Engraved frontispiece map, title printed in red and black, engraved armorial headpiece to dedication. 

Part 1: maps: 8; illustrations: 8 full page illustrations: 2; pages 4-5 detached. 198 pp.

Part 2: maps: 8 double page; 4 small maps; 48 illustrations; 1 full page: pages 108-9 detached; wax stains 119-132. 132 pp. 

Part 1: illustrations: 11; full page illustrations: 1; Wax stains 81-86. 188 pp. index 11 pp. 3 pages of manuscript annotations at back. This volume is sold as incomplete and as is. There are several missing plates that have been identified. Please see separate list.

Contemporary vellum (upper joints splitting and bowing, some light staining).