Large paper copy of the first edition of the history of the "Jonker Fransenoorlog", in a finely gold-tooled presentation binding by the so-called Crescent Moon Bindery (ca.1717-1729?). The war took place in and around Rotterdam between November 1488 and August 1490 and formed the final part of the "Hoeksche en Kabbeljauwse twisten" ("Hook and Cod Wars" (1350-1490)). During this time, Rotterdam was governed by the leader of the conservative "Hooks", the nobleman Frans van Brederode (Jonker Frans, 1465-1490), member of one of the most influential families in Holland. Under his command, they fought against the provincial administration of Stadholder Jan III van Egmont (1438-1516) dominated by the "Cods", who were closer to the Burgundian ruling elite. The work details the fight of the Hooks against the surrounding cities, such as Gouda, Hillegersberg, Schoonhoven, and Delft.
The war marked the end of the well-known party strife between the Hooks and the Cods that had dominated Hollands political landscape between 1345 and the end of the 15th century. The Hooks, in the minority and active mostly in Zeeland, tried to conquer Rotterdam and the surrounding area in 1488, which they captured and ransacked at the end of that year. In June 1490, however, the Hooks suffered a crushing defeat near Montfoort. A few months later Jonker Frans was captured in a sea battle near Brouwershaven and died in prison. The present work paints him as a hero.
The present copy has been beautifully bound by the Crescent Moon Bindery, which was located in either Rotterdam or Den Briel. Their work is quite rare, as Jan Storm van Leeuwen has only been able to identify four bindings made by them, including the present. All four were likely presentation copies.
With an older booksellers' description mounted on the front pastedown, and a contemporary annotation in black ink on the verso of the second free flyleaf ("Groot papier, waer op maer ses exemplaeren gedrukt zyn geweest", translation: Large paper, of which only six copies have been printed). The joints are slightly weakened, but the structural integrity of the binding is still intact, the top of the spine is slightly chipped and the spine is somewhat rubbed. The leaves are lightly foxed. Otherwise a fine copy printed on large paper. Bodel Nijenhuis, no.1205; Haitsma Mulier/Van der Lem, no. 9e; STCN 218190875; cf. on the author: NNBW, VI, cols. 30-31; on the binding: Storm van Leeuwen, Dutch decorated bookbinding in the 18th century IIA, pp. 448-450.