Mandragorias, seu Historia Shahiludii, viz. ejusdem origo, antiquitas, ususque per totum Orientem celeberrimus. Oxford, Theatro Sheldoniano, 1694.

8vo. 3 parts in one volume. (72), 184, (4), 71, (1), (14), 278 pp. With 12 engravings in the text, 3 folding plates and several woodcuts. 19th century mottled boards, spine ruled in gilt, titled in gilt on black leather spine label. All edges speckled. First edition of this important work dedicated to oriental games from Arabia and Persia as well as from India and China, including backgammon, draughts and dice. Includes the first scholarly account devoted to the history of chess, as well as Asian board games from Arabia, Persia, India, and China, including backgammon, draughts, and dice. Two folding plates illustrate chessboards; further in-text illustrations show the various types of game pieces in Caxton-era England, Turkey, and India. The second and third parts explain the history of dice and many other Chinese games. - Contains numerous texts in Hebrew, Chinese, Arabic, Greek, and other languages. "Ouvrage curieux. Les exemplaires n'en sont pas communs" (Brunet). Hyde was an orientalist and later became Bodleian Librarian. - Binding lightly rubbed at extremities, outer front hinge splitting, small paper library label on lower spine. Paper repair to top right edge of front free endpaper and to reverse of largest folding plate. Interior gently toned, edges of folding plates lightly rubbed, a few inked and penciled notes on front endpapers. Graesse III, 403. Von der Linde I, 88-90. Cordier (Sinica) 3142. Wing H3875 & H3877. ESTC R1348.