Hyde, Thomas. De ludis orientalibus libri duo ...

& Historia Nerdiludii ... 3 parts in one volume. Oxonii, E Theatro Sheldoniano, 1694. 8°. With a total of 3 folded copper plates, 14 text copperplates and 18 text woodcuts. Contemporary full leather with gold-plated spine. Compare Linde - N. 173 and van der Linde, Geschichte I, 88 f.; Schmid p. 200 ff. Complete editions.

Contains:

I. (De Ludis Orientalibus. Libri Duo ...) Mandragorias, seu Historia Shahiludii, viz. ejusdem Origo, Antiquitas, Ususque per totum Orientem ... De ludis Orientalium Libri primi ... 36 leaves (including pretitle and title), 184 pages. (folding plates after page 58, 62 and 70). 

II. Shahiludium. Traditum in tribus scriptis hebraicis, quae sunt Rabbi Abraham Abben - Ezrae elegans Poema ryhtmicum ... Omnia ex Chartis MSS jam primus deprompsit & Latinè vertit Thomas Hyde 1 leaf (including title), 71 pages, 1 leaf.

III. Historia nerdiludii, hoc est dicere, Trunculorum; cum quibusdam aliis Arabum, Persarum, Indorum, Chinensium, & aliarum gentium ludis tam politicis quàm bellicis, plerumque Europae inauditis, multò minùs visis: additis omnium Nominibus in dictarum Gentium Linguis. Ubi etiam Classicorum Graecorum & Latinorum loca quaedam meliùs quàm hactenùs factum est explicantur. Item, Explicatio amplissimi Chinensium Ludi, qui eorum Politiam & modum perveniendi ad Dignitates in Aulâ Regiâ exponit, & egregio ac peramplo Schemate repraesentat. / De Ludis Orientalibus Lib. 2dus, quem horis succisivis congessit Thomas Hyde ... 8 leaves (including title), 278 pages, 1 leaf white. 

First edition. Rare work or translation by the English librarian and orientalist Hyde. Today he is considered the founder of the scientific history of chess. In the "Historia Nerdiludii" a few well-known Arabic, Persian, Indian and Chinese dice games are presented.

Condition: Contemporary full leather with raised bands. A beautiful, complete copy. Rare edition. From David DeLucia's Chess Library.