Naauwkeurige beschryvinge van Malabar en Choromandel, derzelver aangrenzende ryken, en het machtige eyland Ceylon. Nevens [...] wederlegginge van de afgoderye der Oost-Indische heydenen [...]. Zijnde hier by gevoeght een Malabaarsche spraak-konst [...].

3 parts in 1 vol., folio: [12]-198 (= 200), [2]-132 (= 232), [2]-188-[12] pp. (I: register bound after part 3, sm. burnhole and -stain in blank upper margin of quire Q and R, sm. blank marg. tears in quire X and Y, tears in pls. Amadabat, 't Engelse Fort in Bombaja, Cranganor, De stadt Couchin, soo als die geweest is (...); II: tear in pl. Olifantenvangst and tear repaired in pl. Paardenvangst; III: sm. tear in G2, pl. Quenavady on p. 20 pasted on orig. engr. to match text).

Cont. calf, gilt spine on 6 raised bands, large floral gilt central ornament on front and back cover (scratched, corners bumped, 1 repaired, bottom edge partly def., title label and tail def.). Good copy.

Original edition of this finely illustrated work on Southern India and Ceylon, including extensive descriptions of the geography of the region, major cities and ports, history and natural history, trade, government, manners, and Hindu religion of the native inhabitants, wars between the Portuguese and Dutch, &c. Ph. Baldaeus (1632-1672) "was a Dutch missionary in Malabar and Coromandel districts. His narrative gives considerable information on the Dutch settlements in southern India. He bears witness to the dreaded Malabar pirates who still infested the western coasts of India". (Oaten, "Early Travellers and Travels in India"). Abundant ills: engr. title, engr. arms of dedicatee Cornelis de Wit, full-page engr. portraits of Baldaeus and Gerard Hulft by Blooteling with a poem by Vondel and 33 double-page (5 folding), 3 full-page (1 folding) and 53 half-page plates. With views and plans of Amadabath, Surat, the English fort in Bombay, Cochin, Goa, Negapatam, Masulipatam, Galle, Colombo, Negumbo, Jaffna, &c. Woodcut mark on titles. Printed title of 1st part in red and black. Ref. Landwehr, VOC, 556 (ext. descr.). - Tiele 70. - STCN. - BL. - BN-Opale plus. Prov. 2 stamps deleted.