Rare Book Monthly

Book Catalogue Reviews - August - 2005 Issue

Indonesia and the Dutch East Indies From Gert Jan Bestebreurtje

Francois Valentijn's epic work on the Dutch East Indies.

Francois Valentijn's epic work on the Dutch East Indies.


Item 563, by Francois Valentijn, is Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indien... This is a five-volume (in eight folio books) history of the Far East published in Amsterdam from 1724-1726. Valentijn was a Dutch Reformed Church minister who lived for many years on Java, but this history covers many other eastern lands, from Persia to India to China and Japan. It is a notably important resource as many of the documents and manuscripts on which it was based no longer exist. The set is generously illustrated by many of the best artists of the day, possessing 338 engraved maps, portraits, plans and views. €36,000 (US $44,055).

Item 495 is Voiage de Gautier Schouten aux Indies Orientales... Schouten was a Dutch seaman who served in the East Indies on behalf of the Dutch East India Company from 1658-1665. He was present for some of the campaigns whereby the Dutch secured their hold on the territory, and participated in several voyages. Schouten was a careful observer and made a point of traveling inland from the ports he visited to learn more about the areas. His accounts were thorough and quite popular in their day, this work going through at least seven editions. This is a first French edition, published in two volumes in 1707 (it was part of a larger set). €1,450 (US $1,775).

Item 99 is a Narrative of events in Borneo and Celebes, down to the occupation of Labuan: from the Journal of James Brooke. Together with a narrative of the operations of H.M.S. Iris. The writers of this two-volume set were Brooke and Rodney Mundy. Mundy commanded the British ship Iris on routine duties in the East Indies from 1844-1846. In 1846, he was called on to assist James Brooke in his campaign against pirates. They attacked pirates based on Brunei and forced the Sultan thereof into submission. They took possession of the island of Labuan, which was held by the British for many years until more recently ceded to Malaysia. €1,295 (US $1,585).

Item 266 is a series of recent scholarly journals pertaining to Indonesia and Southeast Asia. It is a run of 65 out of 66 issues (number 65 is missing) of the Journal of Cornell University: Southeast Asia Program Publications. The collection runs from 1966 through 1998. €425 (US $520).

Item 534 is a masterpiece of natural history from the area today known as Indonesia. This is three volumes in four imperial folios edited by Coenraad Temminck: Verhandelingen over de natuurlijke geschiedenis der Nederlandsche overzeesche bezittingen... When the Dutch returned to the East Indies after the Napoleonic Wars, the government authorized a series of explorations. Most notable in these volumes are the hand-colored plates, depicting the people, animals, plants and scenery of the islands. There are a total of 259 plates, of which 169 are hand-colored. Only 250 copies of this outstanding work were published. €35,000 (US $42,831).

You may download this and other Gert Jan Bestebreurtje catalogues from their website. Go to www.gertjanbestebreurtje.com and click on "Catalogues" on the toolbar. Their phone number is +31 (0)347 322 548.

Rare Book Monthly

  • Chiswick Auctions
    Books & Works on Paper
    12th March 2026
    Chiswick, Mar. 12: Churchill: The World in Crisis. Inscribed in 4 vols. 1923-31. £18,000 - £22,000.
    Chiswick, Mar. 12: Rowling. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Inscribed. £6,000 to £8,000.
    Chiswick, Mar. 12: Ponting. Polar Photographs (2) 1910-11. £3,000 - £4,000.
    Chiswick, Mar. 12: Gray [Artist.] India. Album 40 original drawings. 1858 - 1862. £2,000 - £3,000.
    Chiswick, Mar. 12: Lane’s Celestial Globe, 1811. £600 - £800.
  • Forum Auctions
    Natural History: The remaining stock of Antiquariaat Junk, 1899-2026
    25 March 2026
    Forum, Mar. 25: Botany.- Andrews (H.C.) Coloured Engravings of Heaths, 4 vol. in 2, first edition, [1710,--94]-1802-1809-[1830]. £10,000 - £15,000.
    Forum, Mar. 25: Butterflies.- Cramer (Pierre) and Caspar Stoll. De Uitlandsche Kapellen voorkomende in de drie Waereld-Deelen…,, 5 vol., Amsterdam & Utrecht, 1779-91. £8,000 - £12,000.
    Forum, Mar. 25: Voyages.- Darwin (Charles) and others. Narrative of the Surveying Voyages of His Majesty's Ships Adventure and Beagle, 3 vol. in 4, including Appendix to vol.2, first edition, 1839. £8,000 - £12,000.
    Forum, Mar. 25: Butterflies.- de Graaf (Willem Diederik Vincent). [Inlandsche Kapellen in beeld], 170 fine original watercolours, [Enkhuizen], [1800-40]. £8,000 - £12,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Natural History: The remaining stock of Antiquariaat Junk, 1899-2026
    25 March 2026
    Forum, Mar. 25: Birds.- Dresser (Henry Eeles). A History of the Birds of Europe, 9 vol., including supplement, first edition, by the author, 1871-96. £6,000 - £8,000.
    Forum, Mar. 25: Zoology.- Felines.- Elliot (Daniel Giraud). A Monograph of the Felidæ or Family of the Cats, first edition, for the Subscribers, by the Author, [1878]-1883. £25,000 - £30,000.
    Forum, Mar. 25: Birds.- Frisch (Johann Leonard). Vorstellung der Vögel Deutschlandes, 2 vol., first edition, Berlin, Friedr. Wilhelm Birnsteil, [1736]-1763. £40,000 - £60,000.
    Forum, Mar. 25: Birds.- Gould (John). The Birds of Great Britain, 5 vol., first edition, by the author, 1862-1873. £30,000 - £40,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Natural History: The remaining stock of Antiquariaat Junk, 1899-2026
    25 March 2026
    Forum, Mar. 25: Pomology.- France.- Poiteau (A.) Pomologie Française. Recueil des Plus Beaux Fruits cultivés en France, 4 vol., Paris, 1846. £30,000 - £40,000.
    Forum, Mar. 25: Botany.- [Robin (Jean)]. Histoire des Plantes, nouvellement trouvées en l'Isle Virgine…,, 1620; with Geoffrey Linocier L'Histoire des plantes, second edition, 1619-20. £3,000 - £4,000.
    Forum, Mar. 25: Asia.- Japan.- Siebold (P.F. von). Nippon. Archiv zur Beschreibung von Japan, 7 parts in 6 vol., first edition, Leyden, [1832]-1852. £35,000 - £45,000.
    Forum, Mar. 25: Asia.- Valentijn (Francois). Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indiën..., 5 vol. in 8, first edition, Dordrecht [&] Amsterdam, 1724-26. £8,000 - £12,000.
    Forum, Mar. 25: Botany.- Australia.- Redouté (P.J.).- Ventenat (Étienne Pierre). Jardin de la Malmaison, 2 vol.,, Paris, 1803-04[-05]. £30,000 - £40,000.
  • ALDE, Mar. 11: AUGUSTIN (Saint). De civitate Dei. Rome, Konrad Sweynheym et Arnold Pannartz, 1470. €20,000 - €30,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: [REGNART (LE LIVRE DE)]. [Le] Docteur en malice, maistre Regnard, demonstrant les ruzes et cautelles qu'il use envers les personnes… Rouen, 1550. €20,000 - €30,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: TRITHÈME (JEAN). Polygraphie et universelle escriture cabalistique. Paris, [Benoît Prévost pour] Jacques Kerver, 1561. €8,000 - €10,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: CAUS (SALOMON DE). La Perspective, avec la raison des ombres et des miroirs. Londres, John Norton, 1612.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: NICERON (JEAN-FRANÇOIS). La Perspective curieuse ou magie artificielle des effets merveilleux de l'optique. Paris, Pierre Billaine, 1638. €6,000 - €8,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: VONTET (JACQUES). L’Art de trancher la viande et toute sorte de fruits… S.l.n.d. [probablement Lyon, vers 1647]. €20,000 - €30,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: HUGO (VICTOR). [Paysage spectral avec une église], [vers 1837]. €20,000 - €30,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: [HERVEY DE SAINT-DENYS (LÉON D')]. Les Rêves et les Moyens de les diriger. Observations pratiques. Paris, Amyot, 1867. €3,000 - €4,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: GACHET (PAUL-FERDINAND). Les Chats de Gachet (Manuscrit). S.d. [avant mai 1873]. €6,000 - €8,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: [REDON (ODILON)]. PICARD (EDMOND). Le Juré. Monodrame en cinq actes… Bruxelles, Mme veuve Monnom, 1887. €7,000 - €9,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: [TOULOUSE-LAUTREC (HENRI DE) ET HENRI-GABRIEL IBELS]. MONTORGUEIL (GEORGES). Le Café-concert. Paris, [1893]. €4,000 - €5,000.
    ALDE, Mar. 11: [TERRY (EMILIO)]. Projet de fontaine. Dessin original au stylo et à l'encre noire. 1938. €2,000 - €3,000.

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