About this Item
1628-1630. Two parts in one volume. Large folio (540 x 405 mm). Engraved title, portrait of the author, preliminaries including a dedication leaf to emperor and princes, 9 leaves of engraved plates showing the coats-of-arms of the dedicatees, privilege leaf of King Louis XIII and the States-General of the Netherlands, additional imperial privilege leaf of Ferdinand II in Latin, epigramma and applausus leaf; an unnumbered leaf "Advertissement au lecteur" with colophon bound at end, 46 plates of fencing (45 double-page and mounted on stub) interleaved with explanatory text, woodcut initials, head- and tailpieces. The work is divided into 33 sections in the first part, and 13 sections in the second, each separately paginated and preceded by an engraved plate. Bound in early 19th century half red morocco over marbled boards, blind-tooled and gilt-lettered spine (extremities rubbed, corners worn and bumped, leather and paper over boards little cratched), marbled endpapers. Text with little uneven browning, minor occasional spotting, plate II in the second part incorrectly bound and inserted after plate II in the first part, plate I of second part slightly smaller in size, clean tear and small hole in plate VI of part II, short clean tear in plate XXXIII of part I repaired, long clean tear in plate XIII of part 2 repaired, plate XX (part I) and plate XI (part II) with light water staining to lower corners, 3 leaves (Latin privilege, epigramma and colophon) with paper repairs to blank margins. Provenance. from a private Swedish collection (bookplate to front pastedown). Complete with the 15 preliminary leaves, the final advert/colophon leaf and 46 engraved plates. ---- FIRST EDITION, AND EXCEPTIONALLY RARE WHEN COMPLETE AS HERE. Berghman, after 20 years of research, could only identify 5 copies, all defective (Berghman 687). "Can be reckoned, without exception, the most elaborate treatise on swordsmanship, and probably one of the most marvellous printed works extant" (Castle). Brunet gives the place of publication as Anvers, but the name of printer and place of impression can be found in the colophon leaf which also gives the year of publication with 1630 (the title page is dated 1628). On this leaf, there is also the announcement of the death of the author. The part of the work relating to the exercise on horseback was never published. Our copy well conforms to the digitized copy at Biblioteca Patrimonial of Universitat de Barcelona. The Academie de l'Espee is the finest publication of the Elzevir press, and one of the 17th-century's most lavish publications. Gerard Thibault was born at Antwerp around 1574 and followed other members of his family into the wool trade. In about 1603, he was living at Sanlucar de Barrameda, south of Seville, where he learned the mathematical method of fencing taught by the famous Luis Pacheco de Narvaez. Thibault further refined and elaborated on this system and, soon after returning to Flanders in 1611, presented himself and his system to the Dutch fencing masters assembled at Rotterdam for a competition. After further demonstrations to Prince Maurice and Prince Henry, he conceived of the idea for his book. Thibault's system is based on the 'mystic circle', a diagram drawn on the floor within a circle, the radius of which is in accurate proportion to the stature of the fencer and the length of his sword. The circle was marked according to the probabilities of strokes and parries, and one contestant was intended to traverse from one intersection to the next. If this stepping was done correctly, the result was a foregone victory, and if both contestants followed the system, they could fence without fear of injury. The book was produced during a period when the Italian rapier (or epee) held sway. . . Visit our website for further reading and images!. Seller Inventory # 103627
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