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Condition. I rate all three volumes as Good+ in condition. All three books have original gray cloth covers and complete in all respects. The covers all three volumes are sun faded on the spine with bumped corners and fraying at the head and foot of the spine. The spine covering on Volume I is loose along the left edge and requires professional restoration. This has been figured into the sales price. They boards have small areas of discoloration and gouging. However, they are original and in better condition than normally found. Internally the set is far above average. Very little foxing or staining. The bindings of all volumes are solid. Most of the internal hinges are cracked or partially cracked.

 
Perry, Commodore M. C.,
Hawks, Francis L., compiler:
Narrative of the Expedition of an American Squadron to the China Seas and Japan, Performed in the Years 1852, 1853 and 1854. Under the Command of Commodore M. C. Perry, United States Navy, by Order of the Government of the United States (vomplete 3 volume set), Washington, A.O.P Nicholson, House Printer, 1856-8, 3 volumes, 4to, (9 1/2 x 11 3/4 inches), original blind embossed gray cloth with gilt lettering on the spine. The head of the spine reads "House Rept" and the foot of the spine reads "Navy Department."

• Volume I (537 pp) with 89 tinted lithograph or chromo-lithograph plates, numerous (78+) woodcut illustrations in the text, 2 folding maps/charts.

• Volume II (414 pp) with a total of 27 diverse type full page plates - uncolored engraved plates (4), hand colored engraved plates (13), tinted lithographs (4) and hand colored lithographs (6). Two foldout maps in the text and a map folio of 15 foldout maps (on 14 sheets) at the rear.

• Volume III (705 pp + i-xliii) with 352 full-page woodcut plates (white on black) star charts throughout. One side of the page has the star chart and the other has the technical information pertaining to the chart.

Details of All 3 volumes (Contents and Condition).

Volume 1 (Nicholson - House Reports - Original Binding - Gray Cloth, spine covering loose), 
       Narrative of the Expedition to Japan

        Internally very clean with almost on foxing or staining.
        Pages are clean off white and supple.
        While binding is reasonably tight, there is some looseness.
        Spine covering loose at left.
        "W.L. Harkness" handstamp on blank front page
        Plates far above average with only one below average.


        Rating System for Lithographs
        5 = Top Quality, little if any foxing/toning and only in margins.
        4 = Excellent, minor foxing/toning but only in margins, or minor text foxing.
        3 = Average, minor to medium foxing and toning but only in margins
        2 = Below Average, heavy foxing/toning in margin and perhaps in
              the image area.
        1 = Poor, heaving foxing and toning, margins and image ares
        0 = Not present (missing entirely)


        Examples (assuming the normal 89 lithos + 3 ltho maps):
        460 points -- Absolute Top Quality (5 points each x 89 lithos +
              3 litho maps)
        276 points -- Average  (3 points each x 89 lithos + 3 litho maps)
        92 points -- Poor  (1 points each x 89 lithos + 3 litho maps)

Total Rating - Lithographs in This Set (Volume I) - No plates missing.
Only Below Average plate is "Rajah of Jahore" (after page 129)
441 Points   Top Quality -  441 points of a possible 460 points


Plate by Plate Analysis.

        Lithographs - Not Okinawa or Japan

Rating  Approximate Page Plate is Placed in Volume

 4      81    "Mississippi" passing Point Atristow

 5      82    Loo Rock and Pontinha

 5      84    Funchal

 5      90    Jamestown, St Helena

 5      92    Valley of the Tomb

 5      94    Longwood

 5      98    Cape Town and Table mountain

 5      105   Mauritius, Type II

 5      112   Hindoo Costumes

 5      114   Light-house, Type I

 5      120   Buddist temple

 1      129   Rajah of Jahore
              Clean but very poorly centered - centered far rightt

 5      130   River Jurong

 5      133   View of Hong Kong from East Point

 5      134   Chinese temple Hong Kong. Type I

 5      135   Whampoa Pagoda and anchorage

 5      138   Fish market, Type II

 5      144   Chinese temple Macau

 5      204   Kanaka Village, Bonin Islands


        Lew Chew - First Visit

 5      155   Chief Magistrate of Napha, Lew Chew

 5      156   Street in Napha Lew Chew

 5      164   Napha From Bamboo Village, Type II

 5      170   Ancient castle of Na-Ga-Gus-Ko, Lew Chew, Type I

 5      173   Village Near Napha, Lew Chew,  Type I

 5      174   Ancient Castle of Na Ga Gus ko, Lew Chew, Type IIA

 5      176   Encampment of the Exploring Party,  Lew Chew, Type I

 5      182   Tshan Di Coo-Sha, Lew Chew, Type II

 5      184   Bridge and Causeway at Ma-chi-natoo, Lew Chew

 5      189   Commodore Perry's visit to Shui

 5      190   Reception at the Castle of Shui, Type I

 5      191   Dinner at the Regent's Lew Chew

 5      192   Court Interpreter, Chin

 4      194   Temple at Tumai, Lew Chew

 5      215A   Regent of Lew Chew

 5      219   Afternoon Gossip, Lew Chew, Type II

 5      226   Lew Chew Costumes, Middle Class, Type I


        Japan - First Visit

 5      233   View of Uraga

 5      261   Delivery of the President's Letter

 5      268   To-ri-ga-saki, Yedo Bay

 5      272   First landing at Gorahama 
              (Correctly after page 256)


        China

 5      296   China Girl, Scee Head Dress

 5      298   Macao from Penha Hill (Type IA)

 5      300   Jesuit convent


        Lew Chew - Second Set of Lithos

 5      281  Lew Chew (Inner harbor and ruins), Type II

 5      309   Napha from the Sea

 4      317   Market Place at Napha


        Japan - Second Visit

 5      325   Bay of Wodowara, Type II

 5      346   Commo Meeting Imperial Commissioners at Yokuhama

 5      348   Interpreters Yenoske and Tako-juro

 5      353   View from Webster Isld (Type I)

 5      355   Temple at Yokuhama

 4      357   Delivery of the American Presents at Yokuhama (Type I)

 5      359   Japanese Soldiers at Yohuhama

 5      371   Wrestlers at Yokuhama (Type I)

 5      375   Dinner Given to Japanese Commissioners on board the
              USSF Powhatan (Type I)

 4      401   Shimoda from Vandalia Bluff

 5      403   Bridge of cut-stone (Type I)

 5      404   Japanese Woman

 5      405   Mother and Child (Type II)

 4      406   Temple of Hat-chi-man-ya-chu-ro, Simoda

 4      407   Devotions in the Great Temple, Simoda

 5      408-1   Buddhist Priest in Full Dress, Simoda

 5      409   Buddhist Priest at Simoda

 5      410   Bell-house  (Type I)

 5      411   Mariner's temple

 5      414   Japanese Rice Mill

 5      417   Kura-Kawa-Kahai, Prefect of Simoda (Type II)

 5      418   Japanese Women, Simoda

 5      425   Simoda from the American Graveyard (Type II)

 4      426   Japanese Funeral at Simoda

 5      430   View of Hakodadi from Snow Peak (Type I)

 5      433  Bungo or  Prefect of Hakodadi

 4      442   Chief Temple, Hakodadi

 5      443   Street in Hakodadi

 5      445   Entrane to a Temple at Hakodadi

 4      447   Hakodadi from Telegraph Hill

 4      448   Japanese junk

 3      449   Japanese Junk - two views
              (scraped area on image at upper left)

 5      450   Japanese Boat

 5      451   Japanese Junk

 5      459   Fire Companys House & Engine, Yokuhama

 5      462   Fac-simile of a Japanese Drawing [large folding]

 5      462   Japanese painting--crossing the Oho-e-ga-wa

 5      468   Deputy of the Prince of Matsmay

 5      470   Conference Room, Hakodadi

 5      477   Prince of Idzu

 5      485   Tatsnoske, Second Interpreter

 4      486   Farewell Visit to Commissioners at Simoda

 4      487   From an Original Japanese Drawing Obtained in Simoda


      Maps - Lithographs

 5      151  Great Lew Chew and it's Dependencies (Map)

 5      185  Island of Great Lew-Chew (Map)
             Image cocked bown to the right

 5      482  The Island of Formosa

      89 + 3 Maps (All lithographs)

441      Total points for this book
4.8      Average for this book (total points/89+3 - ie 441/92 = 4.8)
3        Standard/Average Conditon
276      Total for standard/average conditon book


      408-2  Public Bath at Simoda (Not in this book)



 Volume 2 (Nicholson - House Reports - Original Binding - Gray Cloth), Narrative of the Expedition to Japan

 This volume (414 numbered pages) is made up of a series of reports,
 most by expedition members on the topography, geology, botany,
 agriculture, and resources of the countries visited. It also contains
 military orders and correspondence of Commander Perry.  Unlike Volume I,
 which has a total of 89 (90) lithographic plates - most tinted, this
 volume has a wide variety of plate types.  There are uncolored engraved
 plates (4), handcolored engraved plates (13), tinted lithographs (4)
 and handcolored lithographs (6). This comes to a total of 27 diverse
 type full page plates.  The following art/illustrations and maps are in
 this volume:

     4   tinted lithographs of Chinese scenes;

     2   uncolored engraved plates of animals (natural history);

     6   hand-colored lithographs of birds;

    10   hand-colored steel-engravings of fish;

     5   engraved plates of shells - 2 hand-colored;

    16   diagram plates of winds & currents;

    14   page facsimile of Japanese language version of the
         US-Japan treaty;

    17   folding maps/charts (2 merged with text and 15
         (14 map sheets with 15 maps) at the end of the volume);

    10   woodcuts in the text.

Detailed listing of Plates and Maps in volume 2.

These illustrations are not listed in a Table of Contents like you
find in Volume I.  The descriptions are mine based upon the legend
or information provided with the item.

Lithographs - Tinted  Chinese Implements/Machines

113-1   Various Chinese Implements - Plate I  (1 inch tear at top)
113-2   Chinese Irrigating Machine Worked by a Buffalo - Plate II
        (medium foxing some in image area)
113-3   Chinese Irrigating Machine Worked
        by Men - Plate III
113-4   Chinese Apparatus for Grinding Beans,
        Bones and other Substances - Plate IV

Page 143 Formosa & Manila, torn


Engravings - Animals (Natural History)

210-5   Yack - Plate I (Engraving)
210-6   Japanese Fox - Plate II (Engraving)


Lithographs, Handcolored - Birds

222     Phasianus Versicolor Viellot (Lithograph - Hand colored)
224     Phasianus Soemmeringii (Lithograph - Hand colored)
228     Numenius Tahiticus (Lithograph - Hand colored)
236     Garrulax Perspicillatus (Lithograph - Hand colored)
238     Herterornis Sericea (Lithograph - Hand colored)
240     Ixos Haemorrhous (Lithograph - Hand colored)


Steel Engravings, Handcolored - Fish, 10 plates,
total of 29 fish/eels

256-1   Serranus Tsirimenara, etc. (2 fish) - Plate III
256-2   Sebastes Marmoraeus, etc - (2 fish) - Plate IV
256-3   Pelor Japonicum, etc. (3 fish) - Plate V
256-4   Etroplus Fumosus, etc. (6 fish) - Plate VI
256-5   Scomberescox, etc. (4 fish) - Plate VII
256-6   Serranus Urodelus, etc. (3 fish) - Plate VIII
256-7   Salmo PerryI, etc. (2 fish) - Plate IX
256-8   Salmo---?, etc. (3 fish) - Plate X
256-9   Muraena Kidako, etc. (2 eels) - Plate XI
256-10  Triakis, etc. (2 fish) - Plate XII


Engraved Plates, five plates showing a total of 44 Shells
      2 handcolored and 3 black and white
297-1   10 shells - Plate I
297-2   10 shells - Plate II (hand colored)
297-3   4 shells - Plate III
297-4   2 shells - Plate IV
297-5   17 shells - Plate V (hand colored)

Maps - main body of volume

155     Coal mines of Formosa (single page engraving)
354     Gales and Hurricanes (fold out map)
364     Kuro-siwo - equivalent to Gulf Stream - (foldout map)

Maps - rear of book in map portfolio  - 14 fold out sheets
with 15 maps.

Charts - main body of volume

370     Track, winds, currents, barometer and temprature
         charts for several sailings (16 Plates)


10 Wood-cuts (text illustrations:

54      Coal bluff, Shah Bay (view 1) - Lew Chew
55      Limestone formation (view 2) - Lew Chew
55      Limestone formation at Abbey Point (view 3) - Lew Chew
56      Limestone formation at Abbey Point (view 4) - Lew Chew
98      Mineral spring near Hakodadi
156     Kelung harbor - islands seen approaching, seen from the
         nortward (very small 6.7x 2.2mm)
158     Sandstone formation - Formosa
159     Coal mines - Formosa
344     Cyclone track map
347     "Mississippi" October 7, 1854 - in typhoon


Fac-simile of Treaty

414     Fac-Simile of the Treaty with Japan
         Japanese language version (14 pages)


Maps/Charts

--Map Folio at Back of Volume--

No. 1.     Track Chart of the World.
No. 2 & 3. Coast of China and Japan Islands,
             Including the Mariannes and Philippines.
No. 4.     Lew Chew Island [Okinawa].
No. 5.     Harbor of Napha, Lew Chew [Naha Harbor].
No. 6.     Deep Bay, Lew Chew [Nago Bay].
No. 7.     Tubootch and Suco Harbors, Lew Chew [Toguchi & Sesoko-jima Harbors ].
No. 8.     Shah Bay, Lew Chew [Shioya Bay].
No. 9.     Keelung Harbor, Formosa.
No. 10.    Coffin Group.
No. 11.    Gulf and Bay of Yedo.
No. 12.    Gulf of Yedo.
No. 13.    Harbor of Simoda.
No. 14.    Harbor of Hakodadi.
No. 15.    Endermo Harbor.

--Merged into Text (listed above also) --

No. 16.    Chart showing tracks of hurricanes
             --(page 354) (3 folds out).
No. 17.    Chart of Kuro Siwo, or Gulf Stream of the Pacific
             --(Page 364) (3 folds out).

Volume 3. (Nicholson - House Reports - Original Binding - Gray Cloth), Narrative of the Expedition to Japan - hinges cracked inside.

(705 pp + i-xliii) with 352 full-page woodcut plates (white on black) star charts throughout. One side of the page has the star chart and the other has the techincal information pertaining to the chart.