DE BRY, Johann Theodor (1561-1623) and Johann Israel DE BRY (c.1565- c.1609). Emblemata saecularia, mira et iucunda varietate saeculi huius mores ita exprimentia. Frankfurt: [for the authors], 1596.

DE BRY, Johann Theodor (1561-1623) and Johann Israel DE BRY (c.1565- c.1609). Emblemata saecularia, mira et iucunda varietate saeculi huius mores ita exprimentia. Frankfurt: [for the authors], 1596.

First edition of the de Brys' second emblem book, this copy used as an album amicorum with the engraved plates in contemporary hand colour and with several contemporary annotations. Preceding the plates on a blank leaf is a 22-line MS dedicatory poem in German, stating that the album was begun in Nuremberg, 1597, by Stefan Hartmann for his brother. The de Bry emblem books are the most famous representatives of this form of emblematic printed Stamm-und Wappenbücher, fashionable in Germany in the second half of the 16th century. The contents of recorded copies of the present edition seems to vary: some are described as having an equal number of escutcheons and emblem plates, while others are described as containing 51 or 52 blank escutcheons: these totals may, however, include the Minerva plate, presumably intended for the owner's arms. The copy at Cambridge described by Adams includes 50 engraved plates and 6 engraved escutcheons. We are able to trace no other copy at auction with the plates in contemporary hand colour (RBH/ABPC). Adams B-2981; Brunet I:1309.

Quarto (197 x 154mm). Hand-coloured engraved title within engraved allegorical border incorporating 10 blank medallions and one medallion with a device, 22-line German MS poem on blank leaf, 39 (of 50?) engraved escutcheons of which 11 are coloured or part-coloured, 48 (of 50?) numbered hand-coloured engraved plates, some heightened in gold, by Theodor de Bry, c.16 after Pieter Brueghel the Elder, the remainder after Hieronymus Bosch, Hans Bol, Martin de Vos, and others, numerous plates with contemporary annotations in German and Latin often reproducing the explanatory lyrics in the printed text, several within hand-coloured banners, 2 dated 1599, several blank leaves bound after the final engraved plate (without the introductory plate of Minerva seated with blank shield, some marginal repairs, small stains and thumb-soiling, plate 31 repaired with loss to lower section of image). Contemporary German calf stamped in gilt with central lozenge and framed with gilt borders, with initials ‘S H’ and date ‘1597’ in gilt on upper cover, spine gilt (rebacked and restored preserving original spine and sides, endpaper renewed). Provenance: Stefan Hartmann (inscription, initials on binding) – Hannß Jerg Schor (excised purchase inscription dated 1688 on front pastedown).

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