Rare first and only edition of a concise history of the Stadtholders of the Dutch provinces of Friesland, Groningen, and Drenthe, written by Johannes van den Bosch (1713-1784). It contains short biographies and genealogies of various members of the House of Orange-Nassau and their wives, covering the period of 800-1769. The text ends with a description of the tombs of the Frisian Nassaus, located in the "Grote of Jacobijnerkerk" in Leeuwarden. Van den Bosch was a Dutch merchant and director of the bank of loan in Leeuwarden. He dedicated this work to Stadtholder William V, Prince of Orange (1748-1806), dated Leeuwarden, 2 July 1770.
The biographies are illustrated with 21 full-page engraved portraits, all executed in the rare mezzotint technique (using a black background for the effect of half-tones). The identity of the printmaker of these remarkable engravings is still not identified, although Van Someren ascribes it to Rienk Jelgerhuis (1729-1806), a Dutch artist and engraver who was born in Leeuwarden. This attribution is understandable due to the fact that this work is sometimes accompanied by Jelgerhuis' print series of a royal funeral (not present in our copy), titled Nauwkeurige afbeelding der lijk-statie van ... Maria Louisa, geboren Princesse van Hessen-Kassel, douarière van Johan Willem Friso ..., which was published in 1765 in Leeuwarden by Abraham Ferwerda and Rienk Jelgerhuis (cf. FM 4160).
From the celebrated library of the Dutch jurist Mr. F.C. Koch (1873-1957) with his bookplate and label mounted on the front pastedown, including a few annotations in pencil regarding the possible identity of the engraver. Previously from the collection of the Dutch bookseller A.J. van Tetroode (1796-1875) with his oval labels in (respectively) Dutch and French mounted in the lower blank margin of the title page and on the blank verso of p. 87. Also with the collectors mark of the Dutch architect and artist C. Kramm (1797-1875) on the title page. Further with an extensive manuscript annotation in black ink on the first free endpaper concerning a portrait of William I, Count of Nassau-Siegen (1487-1559) and with a green owner's stamp on the back pastedown. The spine and back board are slightly soiled, the paper over the boards is partly worn lacking part of the bottom left corner on the back board, front hinge slightly weakened, inner blank margin of 2 preliminary leaves and 1 mezzotint portrait water stained, a few annotations in black ink in the text. Otherwise in good condition. Van der Aa II, pp. 1009-1010; Eekhoff, De stedelijke bibliotheek van Leeuwarden, p. 255; Gabriëlse, "De rondreizende portrettist Rienk Jelgerhuis (1729-1806)", in: Antiek 17, nr. 4 (1982); Lipperheide vol. 2, 945m; STCN 157630110 (9 copies); Van Someren I, no. 127; WorldCat 64807065, 66978886, 78838216, 458354432, 557949324, 1199131938 (22 copies); cf. for the collectors marks: Lugt L.585 and L.2390.