"Ten thousand chinese things." A descriptive catalogue of the chinese collection, in philadelphia. With miscellaneous remarks upon the manners. customs, trade, and government of the celestial empire

[CHINESE COLLECTION]

Published by Printed for the Proprietor, Philadelphia, 1839

About this Item

[2], 120pp. Original publisher's black cloth-backed, embossed burgundy limp cloth boards. Rubbed, foot of spine worn. Scattered spotting. The first edition of a catalogue issued to accompany an exhibition of Chinese artefacts on display at the Chinese Museum, Philadelphia. The exhibition, comprised primarily of items from the substantial collection of American philanthropist and pioneer of sinology Nathan Dunn (1782-1844), initially opened in Philadelphia in 1838; making it the first systematic collection of Chinese materials exhibited publicly in the United States. Though attendance was healthy, financial loss encouraged Dunn to relocate the exhibition to London in in 1842. Following Dunn's untimely death in 1844, curator William B. Langdon took the collection on tour in an effort to raise funds to meet the demands of Dunn's extravagant will. The later whereabouts of the collection are unknown; a portion was lost during a train wreck on the outskirts of Edinburgh in 1842, and at least a handful of artefacts were purchased and displayed by P. T. Barham, until auctioned in 1851. Size: 12mo.

Seller Inventory # AQ24272

Bibliographic Details

• Title: "Ten thousand chinese things." A descriptive catalogue of the chinese collection, in philadelphia. With miscellaneous remarks upon the manners. customs, trade, and government of the celestial empire
• Publisher: Printed for the Proprietor, Philadelphia
• Publication Date: 1839
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: First edition.