Sales catalogue 4: Lathorp C. Harper, Inc.
- Date:
- 20th century
- Reference:
- WA/HMM/CM/Sal/52/121
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Sales catalogue 4: Lathorp C. Harper, Inc. Source: Wellcome Collection.
6/40 page 4
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Sales catalogue 4: Lathorp C. Harper, Inc. Source: Wellcome Collection.
![being the first illustrated book of travel ever printed, the folding panoramic views thus being the earliest to appear in this form. These woodcuts are the first authentic representations of the famous places depicted, i.¢., the ports usually visited by every pilgrim of the period when journeying from Venice to Jerusalem. ‘“This is the first instance in which a single painter is definitely known to have undertaken the illustration of a printed book . . . being recorded more than once in the text. This artist was Erhard Reuwich, a ‘skilful painter’ of Utrecht, who accompanied the Dean for the purpose of graphically recording the impressions of the voyage.” — Davies. Complete copies of this wonderful and most important book are very rare, and especially so is the present Dutch edition. It is quite possible that the Dutch version was intended to be printed first, since it was already finished in 1485—which date appears on sig. n°, line 16. In our copy the large plates are intact. This is of very rare occur- rence since the view of Venice measures 64 by to inches, and that of Jerusalem 50 by 10 inches; only insignificant damage is visible in the folds. The lower margins of the book are damp-stained, and about six leaves at the beginning have marginal repairs. Aside from these, the volume is in sound condition throughout, the woodcuts free from any color. A neat owner’s entry in red ink on the first blank page records the purchase of the book on August 28, 1543. STILLWELL B-1060 (3 copies only) GKw 5081 HAIN 3963 KLEBS 220.4 FAIRFAX MURRAY 98 DAVIES, Bernhard von Breydenbach and His Journey, VAI. g. BUECHSENMEISTEREI MS. Wie ain Kriegsherr ain Zeug- und Buechsenmaister wann er Dienst begert fragen soll wie zu vernemmen. Folio, 104 leaves. With 35 partly double-page colored drawings of fire- balls, guns, gun-levels, a field camp with artillery, etc. Richly stamped calf binding, gilt center ornaments. Germany (Saxony), before 1567. SOLD An interesting and well-executed manuscript describing the manufacture of gun- powder and its use, fireworks, rockets, etc., as well as the art of Gunnery and every- thing connected with it. It is a sixteenth-century textbook of ordinance, and of im- portance for the history of Chemistry, Artillery, Fortification, etc. It was written at the request of a Saxon prince by his ‘‘Zeug- und Buchsenmeister.”’ The nicely executed colored drawings show fire-balls, large and small guns and cannons (with their names), gun-levels, quadrants and geometrical instruments, rockets, a field-camp with artillery, etc. This kind of technical-historical document, of which only a few have survived, forms a landmark in the history of civilization. Bound with another manuscript of 27 leaves on field-surgery by the barber-surgeon Abraham Strasser. At the end are 8 leaves of War Orders, dated 1567. AN UNPUBLISHED WRITING MANUSCRIPT 10. [CALLIGRAPHY]. Caspar Brynner [Brunner]. Kurtze Ordnung Kinstlicher Artlicher vnnd wolproportionierter Teutscher unnd Latinischer Zierschrifften. Manuscript of 12 leaves on vellum, containing writing examples in various scripts, beautifully executed in ink and gold. Oblong](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b33157716_0006.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
