Low Countries / Early Printing (15th & 16th Century)

[GELDENHAUER, Gerardus]. Historia Batavica, cum appendice de vetustissima nobilitate, regibus, ac gestis Germanorum.
Strasbourg, Christian Egenolph, January 1530. 4to. With an interesting woodcut by Hans Weiditz (or the Petrarch Master, 1495-1536) on the title page, not showing a Batavian Family scene as Kampinga interpreted, but being the printers device of Christian Egenolph, depicting Adam and Eve after the Fall expelled from Paradise (see the extensive description and discussion, including illustr., by H. van de Waal, Drie eeuwen Vaderl. Geschieduitbeelding (1952), I, pp. 157-159), some decorated woodcut initials. Modern half calf. 26, [1] ll. Full description

GONSALVIUS MONTANUS, Reginaldus [= CORRO, Antonio del?]. Der heyliger Hispanischer inquisitie, etlicke listighe secrete consten ende practijcken, ontdect ende int licht ghebracht ...
[Emden, Willem Gailliart], 1569. 8vo. With woodcut decorated initials. (Near-) contemporary vellum wrappers, sewn on 3 supports (previously laced through the joints). [4], "143" [= 132], [1] ll. Full description

GRAPHEUS, Rodolphus. Schrijf almanack, offte calender na[er] de[n] olden stijl, op dat nije schalt iaer [...] MDXCVI.
(Colophon:) Deventer, Simon Steenbergen, [1595]. 16mo. With a woodcut vignette on the title page, 12 woodcut illustrations in the calendar (1 for each month), and 2 woodcut illustrations in the text, the work is printed in red and black. Later vellum wrappers, with the manuscript year of publication on the back. [32] ll. Full description

GUICCIARDINI, Lodovico. Descrittione ... di tutti i Paesi Bassi, altrimenti detti Germania Inferiore.
Antwerp, Willem Silvius, 1567. Folio. With the title, the large coat of arms of Philip II, and his portrait set within a woodcut architectural frame with allegorical figures on separate pages, and 17 double-page plates, maps and views (15 woodcuts, 2 engravings).Further with 15 woodcut divisional title-pages for the illustrations and descriptions of the regions and cities set within a woodcut ornamental frame and numerous woodcut decorated initials (at least 4 series). Later vellum. [3], [1 blank], [16], "296"[= 339], [1 blank], [19], [1 blank] pp. Full description

GUICCIARDINI, Lodovico. Descrittione di tutti i Paesi Bassi, altrimenti detti Germania inferiore. Con tutte le carte di geographia del paese, & col ritratto al naturale di molte terre principali; rineduta di nuovo , & ampliata per tutto la terz a volta dal medesimo autore. Al gran're Cattolico don Filippo d'Austria. Con amplissimo indice di tutte le cose piu memorabili.
Antwerp, Christopher Plantin, 1588. Folio. With an engraved allegorical frontispiece of the Low Countries (Belgia), an engraved architectural title in its first state with printed text, an engraved plate with a border of the coat of arms of the 16 Provinces and that of Brabant together with the coat of arms of Philip II in the centre pasted in, an engraved plate with an allegorical depiction of the Arts and Sciences and an architectural border with the portrait of Philip II in the centre, a large woodcut coat of arms of Guicciardini, 64 double-page engraved maps and views, 6 full-page engraved maps and views, 4 single pages with on each 2 engraved maps, woodcut headpieces and initials.
Contemporary gold-tooled vellum, with an oval centrepiece on both boards within a decorative frame, gilt edges, remnants of ties. [24], 432, [18] pp. Full description

[GUILLAS, Denis]. Histoire de la bataille navalle faite par les Dieppois & Flamans: qui est l'une des plus furieuses & soudaines expeditions de mer, qui ayt esté entreprise de nostre temps sur les ennemis du Roy.
Paris, Estienne Denise, [1557?]. Small 8vo (15 x 10 cm). With 2 woodcut decorated initials and one cast fleuron (Vervliet, Vine leaf ornaments 173). Set in roman type with incidental italic. Finely executed late 19th-century(?) French red morocco by René Aussour, gold-tooled turn-ins, title, place of publication and date 1555 in gold in 2nd and 3rd of 6 spine compartments, gilt edges. [51], [1 blank] pp. Full description

[INCUNABLE - GOUDA]. Historia septem sapientiu[m] Rom[a]e.
[Gouda, Gheraert Leeu, before 3 June 1480]. 4to (20.5 x 14 cm). With 4 full-page woodcuts plus 14 repeats. The first initial is supplied in manuscript, in a rich ornamental uncial style in red and blue with brown penwork. All other initials are supplied by hand in simple red uncials. The text is rubricated throughout. Most of the plates are lightly highlighted in yellow and red, by a contemporary hand. Contemporary limp sheepskin parchment without a spine, so that the sewing is completely visible. Kept in a modern brown half morocco clamshell box. [79], [1 blank] ll. Full description

JUNIUS, Hadrianus. Batavia. in qua praeter gentis & insulae antiquitatem, originem, decora, mores, alique ad eam historiam pertinentia, declaratur quae fuerit vetus Batavia, quae Plinio, Tacito, & Ptolemaeo cognita; quae item genuina inclytae Francorum nationis fuerit sedes.
Leiden, Officina Plantiniana (Franciscus van Raphelengen), 1588. 4to. With several woodcut illustrations printed between the text, Plantin's woodcut device on the title page, and some woodcut initials. Contemporary vellum. [20], 411, [1 blank] pp. Full description

KEMP, Cornelis. De origine, situ, qualitate et quantitate Frisiae, et rebus a Frisiis olim praeclarè gestis, libri tres: in quibus multa scitu digna, & hactenus incognita, tum ex patriae annalibus, partim excusis, partim manudescriptis, tum etiam ex probatis exterarum gentium historiis vigilanti cura, diligentique studio eruta, proponuntur.
Cologne, Goswin Cholinus, 1588. 8vo. With a woodut printer's device on the title page, 10 half-page woodcuts in the text, and several decorated woodcut initials and woodcut head- and tailpieces. Contemporary overlapping limp vellum. [24], 342, [6], [2 blank] pp. Full description

MARTIN, Cornelis and Pieter BALTEN (illustrator and publisher). Les genealogies et anciennes descentes des Forestiers et Comtes de Flandre, avec brieves descriptions de leurs vies et gestes le tout recueilly des plus veritables, approvees et anciennes croniques et annales qui se trouvent...
Antwerp, (colophon: Andre Bax for) Pierre Balthasar (also known as Pieter Balten), [1580]. Folio. With an engraved title-page, a full-page engraved plate with the dedication, a full-page engraved plate showing the coats-of-arms of the Foresters of Flanders and the counts of Flanders and a map of Flanders, a full-page engraving showing verse below an allegorical scene of death, 40 full-page engraved portraits of the Foresters and Counts of Flanders, 30 small coats-of-arms in the text, and numerous woodcut decorated initials. All illustrations (except for the initials) are expertly coloured by hand. Contemporary parchment, sewn on 4 supports laced through the joints, with remnants of green closing ties. [6], 119, [2], [1 blank] pp. Full description