“THE FIRST EYE-WITNESS REPORT ON TIBET AND BHUTAN TO BE PUBLISHED IN ENGLISH”: FIRST EDITION OF TURNER’S RARE ILLUSTRATED ACCOUNT OF TIBET, 1800

TURNER, Samuel. An Account Of An Embassy To The Court Of The Teshoo Lama, In Tibet; Containing A Narrative Of A Journey Through Bootan, And Part Of Tibet. To Which Are Added, Views Taken On The Spot, By Lieutenant Samuel Davis; And Observations Botanical, Mineralogical, And Medical, By Mr. Robert Saunders. London: W. Bulmer, 1800. Large quarto, contemporary full tan speckled calf, red morocco spine label.

First edition of “the first eye-witness report on Tibet and Bhutan to be published in English… had a considerable impact on the European imagination” (ODNB), illustrated with an engraved folding map and 13 engraved plates (one folding). A wide-margined copy in contemporary calf.

"The purpose of Turner's 1783-4 mission, like that led by Bogle in 1774-5, was to further Hastings' ambitions of promoting British-Indian trade across the Himalayas, and to satisfy his scientific and scholarly interests through Asian exploration. Although Tibet's capital at Lhasa remained firmly closed to European travellers because of Chinese opposition, the quasi-autonomous principality of the Panchen Lama, centred on Shigatse, responded more willingly to foreign overtures. The death in Peking (Beijing) of the third Panchen Lama, Lobsang Palden Yeshé (1738-1780), who had served as Bogle's most hospitable host, gave Hastings the opportunity to send a complimentary mission to the child who was recognized as the lama's incarnation, Lobsang Tenpé Nyima (1782-1853). Turner's lyrical description of his audience on 4 December 1783 with this child later created much interest… From the lama's own biography in Tibetan it is clear that Turner's sensitivity, tolerance, and good manners were warmly welcomed at the lama's court… Turner's sober account of carefully observed conditions in Tibet and Bhutan, their forms of government, religious customs, trade, and topography, has stood the test of time and remained a source of great value… the only account of those countries available to English readers until the publication in 1876 of the journals of George Bogle and Thomas Manning" (ODNB). Lust, Western Books on China Published Up to 1850, 208. Lowndes, 2725. Evidence of bookplate.

Interior generally clean. Expert repairs to joints and spine ends. An extremely good copy in contemporary calf with generous margins.