Forum Rare Books

Contemporary accounts of two power struggles, in Italy and in the Low Countries

CAPELLA, Galeazzo Flavio. De rebus nuper in Italia gestis [in the running heads: "De bello Mediolanensi"] libro octo ...
(Colophon: Antwerp, Maarten de Keyser), 1533.
With: (2) SERVILIUS, Johannes (Jan KNAAP). Geldrogallica conjuratio in totius Belgicae clarissimam civitatem Antverpiam, duce Martino Rosheymio, ...
Augsburg, Heinrich Steiner, 1544. 2 works in 1 volume. Small 8vo (15 x 10 cm). Contemporary vellum wrappers, with 2 fragments of the March and April calendar leaf (in red and black) of a manuscript Missale romanum (ca. 1475/1500?) used as end leaves. 96; [44] ll. Full description

€ 4,500

Early Printing - 16th century Italy Law & Politics Military History (16th Century) Netherlands

A chronological history of the Portuguese Empire, including its overseas settlements

CONESTAGGIO, Girolamo. Dell unione del regno di Portogallo alla corona di Castiglia. Istoria.
Genoa, Girolamo Bartoli, 1589. 4to. With 12 decorated woodcut initials, 12 woodcut headpieces, and 4 woodcut tailpieces. Slightly later Italian/Iberian limp vellum, with the manuscript title on the head edge of the leaves and at the head of the spine, a paper label ("1350") at the foot of the spine, green closing ties. [1], [1 blank], [22], 7, [1 blank], 412 pp. Full description

€ 2,750

Brazil China Early Printing - 16th century India & Sri Lanka Japan & Far East Jesuits Law & Politics Military History (16th Century) Portugal South America

Francis Drake’s failed attempt to depose the King of Spain and Portugal

DRAKE, Francis (subject). Brevis & fida narratio, et continuatio rerum omnium a Drako et Norreysio (post ex Occidentalibus Insulis, reditum) in sua expeditione Portugallensi singulis diebus gestarum.
Frankfurt am Main, Paul Brachfeldt, 1590. 4to. With the woodcut arms on the title-page, the upper related to that of Queen Elizabeth of England and the lower that of King Philip I of Portugal (Philip II of Spain), each supported by putti, a full-page woodcut standing soldier with sword and spear, perhaps intended as Francis Drake. Gold-tooled green morocco (2nd half of 19th century). [2], 29, [1 blank] pp. Full description

€ 15,000

Military History (16th Century) Portugal UK - United Kingdom

Naval convoys for merchant ships; import and export taxes on 430 goods, under the short-lived British governorship of the Netherlands

DUDLEY, Robert, Earl of Leicester. Placcaet op tstuck vande convoyen (mitsgaders licenten, ...) ghedaen ... by zyne Excellentie, tot Utrecht den laetsten Aprilis, anno. M. D. LXXXVI.
Utrecht, widow of Coenraet Henricksz, 1586.
With: (2) DUDLEY, Robert, Earl of Leicester. [Incipit:] ¶ Robert, Grave van Leycester ..., allen ... die deze ... sullen sien oft hooren lesen saluyt. Alsoo ...: so ist dat wy ... goet ... geacht hebben, alle de ... lysten vanden goedere[n] gaende naer ... vreemde lande[n], ..., te redigeren en[de] dresseren in ee[n] sijste[! = lijste], ....
(Colophon: Utrecht, printed by Hendrick van Borculo, [1586]). 2 works sewn together. 4to. Disbound. [8]; [17], [1 blank] pp. Full description

€ 750

Early Printing - 16th century Netherlands

Pro-war pamphlet by a patriotic nobleman

[PAMPHLET - DUTCH-SPANISH WAR]. Een goedt advijs, opt stuck vande vrede ende oorloghe in dese Nederlanden: by een edel-man ende oprecht lief-hebber syns vader-landts ende der ghemeyner ruste, aen eenen synen goeden vriendt, by forme van missive, overgheschreven. Na de copie.
[Delft], [Aelbrecht Hendricksz.], 1584. 4to. Woodcut interlaced capital 'o' on title, woodcut headpiece. (14, 2 blank) pp. Full description

€ 395

Early Printing - 16th century Law & Politics Netherlands Spain

First Dutch edition of an eyewitness account of the 1573 siege of Alkmaar

[FOREEST, Nanning van]. Een cort verhael van de strenghe belegheringhe ende aftreck der Spangiaerden van de Stadt Alcmaer gheleghen in Hollandt. Die welcke de Spaengiaerts nae dat syse int Jaer MDLXXIII seven weecken beleghert hadden niet sonder haer groote schade ende schande hebben moeten nalaten, uyt het Latyn int Duytsch overgeset.
Delft, Aelbert Hendrickz., "1573" [1580 or soon after?]. Small 4to. With a woodcut illustration of a king on the title page, presumably the biblical king David with his shield bearing his coat-of-arms showing a harp (practically identical to the coat-of-arms of Ireland), and 1 woodcut decorated initial (roman capital). Set in textura types except for the italic running heads. 19th-century block-printed decorated wrappers (in blue). 29, [3] pp. Full description

€ 8,500

Broadsides & Pamphlets Early Printing - 16th century Military History (16th Century) Netherlands

Well-illustrated encyclopaedia of astronomical and surveying instruments from the time of Galileo,
with a world map in two hemispheres, and 3 volvelles

GALLUCCI, Giovanni Paolo. Della fabrica et uso di diversi stromenti di astronomia, et cosmografia, ove si vede la somma della teorica, et pratica di queste due nobilissime scienze.
Venice, Roberto Meietti, 1598. 4to (22 x 16.5 cm). With engraved title-page, folding woodcut plate, 3 woodcut volvelles with moving parts, and numerous woodcut illustrations in text. Including a world map in two hemispheres (incl. America and a scattering of islands at the location of Australia) on two facing pages, they reappear with volvelle attachments on both sides of leaf 149 and leaf 153. Contemporary limp sheepskin parchment. [8], 228 ll. Full description

€ 35,000

Astronomy & Cosmography Charts & Maps Early Printing - 16th century Instruments & Microscopy Navigation Technology

Rare first edition of a magnificent series of armed riders in action, commissioned by Prince Maurice of Orange

GHEYN, Jacob II de. [The riding school or exercise of cavalry].
[Leiden, workshop of Jacob II de Gheyn, 1599]. Oblong folio (25 x 32 cm). With 22 numbered engraved plates (varying sizes, ca. 15.4-16 x 19.7 x 21.5 cm), including the engraved title-page. The illustrations are designed by De Gheyn and possibly engraved by him or by Zacharias Dolendo. Contemporary gold-tooled calf with the large gold-tooled coat-of-arms of the Stuart Princes of Wales (Stuart Prince of Wales, Henry Frederick (1594-1612)) within a gold- and blind-tooled double fillet frame on both boards, with small gold-tooled flowers on the spine, gold-tooled board edges. [22 engraved plates]. Full description

€ 38,000

Art & Art History Early Printing - 16th century Horses & Horsemanship Military History (16th Century) Military History (17th Century) Prints & Print Series

Early work on navigation and a primary source for seamen’s “barbaric” language

GUEVARA, Antonio de. Libro de los inventores del arte de marear, y de muchos trabajos que se passan enlas galeras. ... Tocanse enel muy excellentes antiguedades, y avisos muy notables para los que navegan en galeras.
Antwerp, Martin Nutius, [ca. 1545/46]. Small 8vo (13.5 x 10 cm). With Nutius's woodcut device on the title-page. Set in rotunda gothic type with a few words in a large roman. Blind-tooled brown goatskin (1920s?) in 16th-century style by Victor Arias (1856-1935) in Madrid, gold-tooled turn-ins. XXIX, [1], [2 blank] ll. Full description

€ 12,000

Early Printing - 16th century Literature Mutiny, Piracy & Shipwrecks Navigation

Important work on navigation and an early mention of playing cards

GUEVARA, Antonio de. Epistres dorées moralles & familieres.
Including:
GUEVARA, Antonio de and Jean de GUTERRY (translator). Tome second des epistres dorées et discours salutaires.
GUEVARA, Antonio de. Le troisieme livre des epistres illustres.
Lyon, Macé Bonhomme, 1558-1559.
With:
(2) GUEVARA, Antonio de. Traité des travaux et privileges des galeres & des inventeurs de l'art de naviger.
Lyon, Macé Bonhomme, 1560.
2 works (the first in 3 parts) in 1 volume. 4to. With the titles of the first 3 books in woodcut architectural borders; 2 woodcut illustrations in the text and a number of large woodcut historiated initials. 18th-century tree calf, rebacked with the original backstrip laid down, later endpapers. Full description