Asia - HELMAN (Isidore Stanislas). Faits mémorables des empereurs de la Chine, tirés des annales chinoises. Paris, l'auteur, sd [1788]. In-4, dark brown half-chagrin, spine ribbed, gilt title (19th c. rel.) Rubbed. Ex-libris Ch. Schefer. Entirely engraved work: it consists of a title framed by quadruple fillet, and 24 intaglio and watercolour engravings depicting various episodes of Chinese history with explanatory folios. These plates were taken by Helman from a rare suite of folio prints reserved for China by order of its Emperor, which had been engraved under the direction of Cochin from drawings by the Jesuit Father Attiret. Without the dedication leaf adorned with a fine vignette by Monet engraved by Helman. The title of another edition of Les Faits mémorables des empereurs de la Chine gives interesting details of the different printings of this same edition. It states, among other things, that deliveries for copies printed on "papier d'Hollande peint à l'aquarel" sold for 48 livres, much more expensive than those on ordinary paper (12 livres) or even those on large paper (18 livres). (Cohen 479; Brunet III, 90.) Brown stains on title. A very rare first edition copy on Hollande (with the exception of plates 3 and 23 on vellum) with the engravings enhanced at the time.