The Thousand Buddhas, Ancient Buddhist Paintings from the Cave Temples of Tun-Huang on the Western Frontier of China

London, 1921. First Edition. Hard Cover. (London: Bernard Quaritch 1921). First UK Edition. FIRST EDITION, 3 volumes, comprising ([vol.1], text), folio (400 x 315mm.), xii, 65pp., original printed grey wrappers, leaves mainly uncut and contents loose, (some small chips and closed tears at edges); ([vol.2], plates), large folio (645 x 520mm.) plate volume, title printed in red and black with coloured photographic illustration, and 33 coloured or tinted photographic plates (some with 2 or more illustrations), numbered I-XXXIII, preserved loose (as issued) some marginal chipping/small closed tears/small marginal creases housed within original brown cloth-packed portfolio, printed label on upper cover, cloth ties (some perished); ([vol.3], containing supplementary plates, folio (400 x 305mm.), 15 coloured or tinted photographic plates, numbered XXXIV-XLVIII, each in very good condition, clean with no tears or chips housed. within original printed grey envelope. All plates present. Notes: FIRST EDITION of a collection of plates reproducing images of ancient Buddhist paintings recovered during the 1906-1908 second central-Asian journey including paintings he rediscovered in the 'Caves of the Thousand Buddhas' near Tun-huang (Dunhuang).with descriptions by Stein and an introductory essay by Laurence Binyon. Photographs available upon request. Rare.