This is a gem of a book for the China collector. The book itself is quite desirable and this a wonderful copy, forming a virtual dictionary of subjects related to early China. It talks about tea culture, racial dynamics, ancestral worship, art, secret societies, slavery in china, sillk culture, etc., alphabetically arranged. 

The best part though is the provenance. It bears on the blank ffep the signature of, and more importantly on the title the elaborately stylised personal book stamp of, Robert H. Van Gulik. It's a wonderful example of Chinese stylized caricature and, it seems, unique. I cannot trace another example of his personal stamp like this. 

Van Gulik [1910-1967] was an important diplomat in China, Chinese historian, diplomat, and Chinese musician. He married the daughter of the Imperial Mandarin and is recognized as having been an important advocate of Chinese culture. Today he is best remembered for his Judge Dee detective novels, which were based on 18th century Chinese detective mysteries and a combination of translation and recreation in English. 

Ball, J. Dyer. Things Chinese; or, Notes Connected with China. Honkong, Shanghai, Yokohama, and Singapore. 1903. 816pp.

Good+, very attractive in decorative cloth with a few cloth deficits on spine, though nothing significant. Hinges just slightly tender. One page folded large portion of corner with fold becoming brittle. Else good, solid and clean.