La Cina e I Cinesi - Loro Leggi e Costumi. [China and the Chinese - their Laws and Customs].

First edition. 2 vols. 304 photographic illustrations (incl. a colour plate of flags of China and one of mahjong pieces), 4 folding maps, diagrams and illustrations. 8vo. Contemporary blue morocco, gilt, with arms of the Vittorio Emanuele III on upper cover, gilt edges, gilt dentelles, blue silk endpapers. Original wrappers bound in. A close to fine copy. xliv, [ii], 642; xxxiii-lxiv, 643-1494pp. Milan, U. Hoepli, 

Giuseppe Musso (1878-1940?) was the son of an Italian Consul at Hong Kong. He lived in China for close to thirty-five years, working both at the Chinese Imperial Court in Peking and the Mixed Court in Shanghai, while his business ventures included a tram-line. Musso collected an impressive archive of photographs from which he selected interesting and unusual images. His high position in the Chinese courts exposed him to the realities of Chinese Justice and he shows a number of gruesome variations on the theme of capital punishment as well as a highly unusual series of images of an autopsy being undertaken in the wake of a death under suspicious circumstances. Other photographs show important military leaders and high government officials (incl. the Empress Dowager, Presidents Sun Yat-sen, Yuan Shikai, & Cao Kun, and military leaders like Wu Peifu, Duan Qirui, Zhang Zuolin, and the 'Christian General' Feng Yuxiang). Another series of images show the revolution of 1911, as well as student demonstrations of May 30th, 1925 in Shanghai. Much of the text focuses on the history and application of of Chinese law, both in the Open Ports and elsewhere. This copy was bound for the library of the penultimate King of Italy Victor Emmanuel III (reign 1900-1946). 

Stock Code: 224301