{"product_id":"125642","title":"Archive from the family of the 1st White Rajah of Sarawak: Sir James Brooke,","description":"A striking archive owned by the Brooke family relating to the 1st White Rajah of Sarawak, including 13 original drawings and watercolours by Marryat for Sir James's work 'Borneo and the Indian Archipelago', and a presentation copy of Keppel's 'Voyages' given by Sir James Brooke to the Earl of Derby. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen Frank Marryat (1826–1855) met Sir James Brooke (1803-1868) as part of the Navy compliment on HMS \u003cem\u003eSamarang\u003c\/em\u003e he would have only just turned 20, but was perspicuous enough to give a detailed eye-witness account of the cession of Labuan from the Sultan of Brunei, with the signing of the treaty being one of the key plates for which the original here survives. Also too survives his early depiction of Brunei harbour in the original sepia wash, a temple at Ningbo, and group depictions of the people of the Philippines and South Korea (Jeju Island). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEqually impressive are the eight full length portraits of the people Marryat encountered, including Dyak (x3), Dusun, Iranun, Malaysian, Korean, and Japanese individuals. Each are clearly portrayed through the lens of a young man yet to form colonial prejudices, with an authentic and realistic approach to costume and expression not normally found in works of the same time period. Marryat died at the young age of 29, meaning this is the original material for one of only three books he produced during his lifetime, making them that much scarcer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSir James Brooke (1803-1868) had solidified his position as the Rajah of Sarawak by 1846 and was beginning to expand his authority, especially in the realm of anti-piracy, across Borneo and the waters of Southeast Asia. He returned to England, was confirmed Governor of Labuan, and set sail for Borneo in 1847 in company with Henry Keppel (1809-1904) on HMS \u003cem\u003eMaeander\u003c\/em\u003e. Keppel was an active supporter of Brooke's activities but increasingly questioning of his methods amongst accusations of violence. This grew into a full-scale inquiry into Brooke's actions centred around Singapore, and both Keppel's narrative and Brooke's own pamphlets sought to defend him, whilst his opponents such as Joseph Hume (1777-1855) sought to strip him of Sarawak. It is worth noting that this present copy of Keppel's work was presented by Brooke to Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby (1799-1869), one of the leading Whigs and political figures of the day. The pamphlets also largely pertain to the enquiry including a rare Singapore printing of the summary of the evidence brought against Brooke. In the end he was acquitted in 1854.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eList of pamphlets (all in later cloth bindings).\u003cbr\u003eBROOKE, J. A Letter from Borneo; with Notices of the Country and its Inhabitants, London, Seeley, 1842 (presentation copy).\u003cbr\u003eBROOKE, Sir James. A Vindication of His Character and Proceedings, London, Ridgway, 1853.\u003cbr\u003eBROOKE BROOKE, J. A Statement Regarding Sarawak, privately printed, [1863] (signed by a member of the Brooke family).\u003cbr\u003e[LINDSAY, H.H.] The Eastern Archipelago Company and Sir James Brooke, [1853] (signed by a member of the Brooke family).\u003cbr\u003eThe Borneo Question, or the Evidence Produced at Singapore, Singapore, Alfred Simonides, 1854.\u003cbr\u003eHUME, Joseph. A Letter to the Right Honourable the Earl of Malmesbury... Relative to the Proceedings of Sir James Brooke, London, 1853 (signed presentation by Hume to Charles Steward, a friend of Sir James Brooke, with letter of reply by Steward)\u003cbr\u003eST. JOHN, Spenser. The Bishop of Labuan. A Vindication of the Statements Respecting the Bornean Mission, London, Ridgway, 1862, (signed by a member of the Brooke family).\u003cbr\u003eFOGGO, George. Adventures of Sir James Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak, London, Effingham Wilson, 1853.\u003cbr\u003eRajah Brooke and Borneo, [extracted from Chambers's papers for the people, volume 5].\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e8 line ink \u0026amp; pencil drawings (22 x 16.5 cm), contemporarily mounted, captioned \u0026amp; signed by Marryat, 5 water-colours of various size, captioned on reverse (one initialled by Marryat), 11 proof lithograph plates (28 x 18.5 cm) with later pencil references to plates in text, the proof plates and largest watercolour slightly spotted \u0026amp; frayed; [with] MARRYAT, FRANK S. 'Borneo and the Indian Archipelago', London, Longman, 1848, royal 8vo (29 x 20 cm), 22 tinted lithographs (including additional pictorial title), bookplate, publisher's gilt red cloth restored, a very good copy; [and] KEPPEL, Henry. 'A Visit to the Indian Archipelago, in H.M. Ship Maeander', London, Bentley, 1853, 2 vols, 8vo (25 x 16.5 cm), signed presentation copy from Sir James Brooke to the Earl of Derby, with his bookplate, large folding map, 8 lithograph plates, publisher's original gilt pictorial cloth, restored, near-fine copy; [and] BEECKMAN, Daniel. 'A Voyage to and from the Island of Borneo', London, T. Warner, 1718, small 8vo (20 x 13 cm), 2 maps and 5 plates, without half-title, bookplate, original speckled calf rebacked to style, a very good copy; [and] a collection of scarce pamphlets by or about Sir James Brooke, bookplates of Neville Haile; all in very good condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"BROOKE, Sir James.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57677118079351,"sku":"125642","price":37500.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/125642_01.jpg?v=1793728581","url":"https:\/\/shapero.com\/products\/125642","provider":"Shapero Rare Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}