An Authentic Account of an Embassy from the King of Great Britain to the Emperor of China; Including Cursory Observations Made, and Information Obtained, In Travelling Through That Ancient Empire, and a Small Part of Chinese Tartary.

Rare first edition of the official account of Lord Macartney's voyage and embassy to the Qianlong emperor in 1792-94, the failure of which led to the establishment of the British trading post at Hong Kong. Three volumes (two quarto volumes of text and one folio atlas volume of plates) bound by Clarke Preston in full diced calf with morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, elaborate gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers. Quarto volumes illustrated with engraved portrait frontispieces of Emperor Tchien Lung and the Earl of Macartney, one plate and 26 engraved tailpiece illustrations. The atlas volume contains 44 engraved plates, maps and charts, including one folding, and 7 double-page folding maps showing views of the Great Wall, temples, barges, a military post and an imperial procession, with descriptions of Chinese customs (including foot-binding), details of trade with Europe, and places visited en route, such as Madeira, Tenerife, Rio de Janeiro, Java and Sumatra. Lowendahl 697; Cordier, Sinica 2381-3; Lust 545 & 547. From the library of Sir Thomas Fermor-Hesketh, 5th Baronet with his bookplate to each pastedown. In near fine condition. An exceptional example.