Book History, Education, Learning & Printing

KÁLIDÁSA. Vikramorvasi; or Vikrama and Urvasi: a drama. ... With a commentary, explanatory of the Prákrit passages.
Calcutta, printed at the Education Press, Circular Road, 1830. Large 8vo. Except for the title-page, the book is entirely in the Prákrit language and set in a single size of Devanagari type. Contemporary half calf. [4], 122 pp. (numbered in Prákrit). Full description

KANO RYO. [Title in Japanese:] Rangaku hitori annai. [= Guide to Dutch studies].
[Tokyo?], Shimogakudo, [ca. 1856]. Small 8vo. Japanese introduction to the Dutch language, comprising 37 printed and 1 blank double leaves (with the fold at the fore-edge) printed from 37 woodblocks (35 double-page plus the first and last single-page), with the first double leaf (with the title-page) and the last double leaf (blank) serving as a paste-downs. With a second copy of the double-leaf with the title-page, loosely inserted. Side stitched and oversewn, with the original publishers yellow wrappers (without any label) and a contemporary wrap-around sleeve (fukuro), preserved in a brown cloth slip-case in Japanese style. [1], 15, 10, 10, [1], [1 blank] ll. Full description

KIRCHER, Athanasius. Ars magna sciendi, in XII libros digesta, qua nova & universali methodo ... [vol. 2 half-title:] Artis magnae seu combinatoriae sciendi, ... [titles on the frontispieces:] Ars magna sciendi sive combinatoria [vol. 1] Artis magnae combinatoriae [vol. 2].
Amsterdam, Johannes Janssonius van Waesberge and the widow of Elizaeus Weyerstraten, 1669. 2 volumes bound as 1. Royal folio (46 x 30 x 5.5 cm). With 2 richly engraved allegorical frontispieces, an engraved plate with a full-page portrait of the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I, an engraved plate showing all knowledge of the universe organised as a tree, 2 engraved volvelles (with 4 rotating dials), 20 further engravings on integral leaves and a couple dozen woodcut figures in the text. Contemporary richly gold-tooled red goatskin morocco decorated a petit fers, gold-tooled turn-ins, board edges and raised bands, giving a total of more than 1500 impressions of about 14 stamps and 3 rolls, edges gilt over red and blue squiggles. Janssonius van Waesberge, who published Kircher's books in Amsterdam from 1664/65 to 1682, arranged to have copies of several luxuriously bound for Kircher to present to leading figures and this is almost certainly one of them, presented to Giovanni Paolo Oliva, Superior General of the Jesuit Society. [18], 482, [10] pp. (including 2 integral frontispieces), plus 4 inserted tables & 2 plates. Full description

KIRSCHBAUM, Johann Michael. Neues Weberbild- und Musterbuch, ... zur Beförderung der edlen Leinen- und Bildweberkunst, und zum Nutzen und Vergnügen angehender Meister und Gesellen, auch anderer Liebhaber der Weberkunst, auf 74 Kupfertafeln ... Fünfte Original-Ausgabe.
Heilbronn, Classische Buchhandlung, 1836. Oblong folio (21 x 32 cm). With 74 numbered engraved plates showing about 300 patterns for weaving. Contemporary half tanned sheepskin, tiger marbled sides. 6 pp. plus plates. Full description

KNOOP, Johann Hermann. Eerste pylaar der algemene mathesis of wis-kunde, of de arithmetica ...
Leeuwarden, Abraham Ferwerda, 1758. 2 parts in 1 volume. 8vo. With an engraved folding plate after the last page, a small woodcut vignette on the title-page, a woodcut headpiece at the start of the work, two decorated woodcut initials, and numerous mathematical figures in the text. The title-page is printed in red and black, the work includes a divisional title-page for part 2. Contemporary(?) gold-tooled half brown calf, with remnants of a dark brown morocco title-label on the spine, brown sprinkled paper sides. [16], 498; [2], 503-976 [= 473] pp. Full description

KOLBE VON WARTENBERG, Johann Casimir. Väterliche Instruction an seine Kinder, nummehr zum dritten mahl auffgeleget,...
Berlin, Johann Michael Rüdiger, 1704. With richly engraved allegorical frontispiece by I.W. Heckemaur, title-page printed in red and black, full-page engraved portrait of the author, and woodcut vignette on separate title for the genealogy of the House of Kolbe von Wartenberg.
With: (2) WAGENSEIL, Johann Christoph. Erziehung eines jungen Prinzen, der vor allen studieren einen Abscheu hat, dass er dennoch gelehrt und geschickt werde. Leipzig, Johann Heinichens Wittwe, 1705. With title-page printed in red and black and fine engraved headpiece to the text. 2 works in 1 volume. 4to. Contemporary vellum. [88], 296, [24] pp. Full description

KORNMANN, Heinrich. Sibylla trig-Andriana, seu virginitate, virginum statu et jure tractatus novus et jucundus ...
Including:
De annulo triplici: usitato, sponsalitio, signatorio: ...
Linea amoris sive commentarius in versiculum glossae, ...
The Hague, Adriaan Vlacq, 1654. 3 parts in 1 volume. 12mo. Contemporary sheepskin parchment. [24], 214; 69, [3]; 117, [3] pp. Full description

KREMER, Alfred von. Ibn Chaldun und seine Culturgeschichte der Islamischen Reiche.
Vienna, Karl Gerold's son (back of title-page: Adolf Holzhausen), 1879. 8vo. With 4 leaves with Arabic text. Contemporary paper wrappers. 62, [2 blank] pp. Full description

KUSSENDRAGER, Reinder Jan Lambertus. Natuur- en aardrijkskundige beschrijving van het eiland Java.
Groningen, J. Oomkens, 1841. 8vo. With a lithographed title-page. Original publisher's green lithographed boards. [11], [1 blank], [2], XIV, 324, [4] pp. Full description

LACAILLE (LA CAILLE), Nicolas Louis de. Lectiones elementares astronomiae, geometriae, et physicae, ex editione Parisina anni 1755 in Latinum traductae a C.S(chefer) e S.J. Including: Appendix, complectens Praecipuas Mutationes, quas Auctor in Ultima Editione Parisina anno 1761 fecit, et in Latinum convertit C.S(chefer) e S.J.
Vienna, Prague, Johann Thomas Trattner, 1757-1762. 2 parts in 1 volume. 4to. With woodcut vignette on 2 title-pages, 10 folding engraved plates in text. Contemporary vellum. [10], 280, [6]; 75, [1 blank] pp. Full description