The greatest fencing manual of all time, with 45 enormous double-page illustration plates, beautifully coloured in 1629 by the painter David Bailly, associated with the author and the Elzeviers



THIBAULT, Gerard.
Academie de l'espée ... ou se demonstrent par reigles mathematiques sur le fondement d'un cercle mysterieux la theorie et pratique des vrais et jusqu'a present incognus secrets du maniement des armes a pied et a cheval.
[Amsterdam?, Thibault heirs?, printed in Leiden by Bonaventura and Abraham Elzevier, sold in Frankfurt by Lucas Jennis], "1628" [= 1629]. 2 parts in 1 volume. Royal 1mo (53.5 x 41 cm). With an elaborate engraved title page with; engraved portrait of the author (drawn by David Bailly after his own painting); 9 full-page engraved armorial plates, 1 full-page and 45 double-page numbered illustration plates, and hundreds of large woodcut arabesque initial letters, headpieces, tailpieces and factotums, at least most of them specially made for this book. With 2 text leaves in a meticulously pen-drawn, 18th-century(?) facsimile. With all plates beautifully coloured by the painter David Bailly with highlights in gold and silver. Contemporary(?) vellum over boards (modified in the 18th century), with the velvet covering and metal bosses and fastenings removed, dark blue edges. With tissues guards loosely inserted before the coloured plates. With a dedicatory inscription on the front free endleaf to Henri de Bourbon, Prince of Condé, by the colourist David Bailly, signed from Antwerp, 17 March 1629. Also with a carefully hand-lettered contemporary note to the reader at the foot of the dedication page. [4], [222]; [54], pp. + engraved title page and other plates. Full description
€ 675,000
[Amsterdam?, Thibault heirs?, printed in Leiden by Bonaventura and Abraham Elzevier, sold in Frankfurt by Lucas Jennis], "1628" [= 1629]. 2 parts in 1 volume. Royal 1mo (53.5 x 41 cm). With an elaborate engraved title page with; engraved portrait of the author (drawn by David Bailly after his own painting); 9 full-page engraved armorial plates, 1 full-page and 45 double-page numbered illustration plates, and hundreds of large woodcut arabesque initial letters, headpieces, tailpieces and factotums, at least most of them specially made for this book. With 2 text leaves in a meticulously pen-drawn, 18th-century(?) facsimile. With all plates beautifully coloured by the painter David Bailly with highlights in gold and silver. Contemporary(?) vellum over boards (modified in the 18th century), with the velvet covering and metal bosses and fastenings removed, dark blue edges. With tissues guards loosely inserted before the coloured plates. With a dedicatory inscription on the front free endleaf to Henri de Bourbon, Prince of Condé, by the colourist David Bailly, signed from Antwerp, 17 March 1629. Also with a carefully hand-lettered contemporary note to the reader at the foot of the dedication page. [4], [222]; [54], pp. + engraved title page and other plates. Full description