[VOC].
[Collection of printed VOC orders, resolutions, instructions and other documents, assembled and published with a printed contents list.]
Amsterdam and possibly elsewhere, Nicolaas Byl, Adriaan Wor and others, 1747-1790. Folio. With 2 woodcut illustrations in item 20, 1 leaf inserted in item 23 printed in red, and several items with a woodcut ship on the title page and/or one or more woodcut decorated initials. Contemporary (ca. 1790) sheepskin parchment.
€ 9,500
A collection of 23 rare printed works published by the Dutch East India Company (VOC), including orders, resolutions, instructions (including sailing instructions). lists of provisions and other official documents concerning the VOC's shipping and trade in the East Indies, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), India, the Cape and elsewhere. It includes an account of the use of a so-called sea anchor (to stabilize a ship when it cannot anchor to the sea bed), discussions of the problems of dumping oils, tar or other floating materials and an account of nautical firefighting equipment with two woodcut illustrations. The collection gives a very detailed picture of regulations and expectations not only for a ship's crew and officers, but also for its chaplains, physicians, carpenters and others.
Although the pieces were printed over a period of more than forty years, most date from the 1770s and 1780s and it is clear that they were all assembled for publication together, for they are followed by a printed contents list that numbers them 1-23.
Extensive description with list of contents available on request.
Some items slightly shaved and browned, otherwise in good condition. The binding has some tears in the parchment of the spine and the boards are slightly bowed, but the binding is otherwise good. A collection of rare VOC publications giving insights into the daily life on and around VOC ships.
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