[Rarebooks] Book offer TOPOGRAPHIA BAVARIAE

[Philip Bishop]

Greetings.

The following book is being offered.

Phil Bishop / MOSHER BOOKS

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Views of 17th Century Bavaria
- 2 double-page maps & 91 town views, plans and buildings, etc. -

Zeiller, Martin (Merian, Matthaeus, engraver, publisher). Topographia 
Bavariae, das ist Beschreib. und Aigentliche Abbildung der Vornembsten Stätt 
und Orth in Ober und Nieder Beyern, der Obern Pfaltz, Und Andern, zum 
Hochlöblichen Baÿrischen Craiße gehörgen Landschafften. In Truck gegeben u:. 
Verlegt Durch Matthaeum Merian. Frankfurt: Matthaeus Merian, 1644 (ca. 
1656-1660?). Folio (about 12 ¼" x 8 ¾"). Signatures: Engraved title-page, 
A4-K4, L6. Pagination: [1}-38, [2], 39-84, [7]; between E3 and E4 there is 
an unpaginated leaf with special instructions to the bookbinder to insert 
this leaf between the copper plates of old and new Oetingen ("Der Buchbinder 
wird hiemit erinnert diese Beschreibung."). The work ends with a six-page 
index and a final page giving instructions to the bookbinder as to where 
maps and plates are to be placed. Decorative lead letters, head- and 
tail-pieces. Two maps and 52 plates showing 91 views, plans, buildings, and 
others when you count all illustrations including insets. Binding is 
contemporaneous full vellum with rounded spine. Condition: Vellum covers 
soiled and evidence of ties, some soiling and light staining at places, a 
few plates mended at folds. Early remargin at bottom of leaf F1 (pages 
41/42) affecting a few letters and some early brown spotting along the stub 
pasted to the Newstatt plate (between pp. 36/37); front fore-edge vellum 
turn-in beginning to pull away; a few marginal notations and ownership 
notation on front endpaper, all in an early hand, and small bookseller 
description pasted to verso of first endpaper. Even with these minor 
imperfections, overall the volume is a very sound and fine copy with nice 
sharp images of the fine engraved plates.
$8,500

This exceptional picture book on Bavaria contains an engraved title page, a 
large armorial cut illustration (p. 69), two double-page maps, and 52 plates 
comprising 91 illustrations (some plates with insets) of town plans, views 
street scenes, and buildings, many being stub-mounted double page layouts 
(42) and some with additional foldouts (6) by the Swiss born engraver and 
publisher Matthaeus Merian (1593-1650).

Merian is best known for his twenty-one volume series with collaborator 
German geographer, Martin Zeiler (1589-1661) which is collectively called 
Topographia Germaniae series which is still regarded as one of the most 
important Seventeenth Century works of illustration. It's importance is 
belied by the facsimile edition of 1962 (Barenreiter Verlag, Kassel & 
Basel), This monumental achievement between 1642 and 1688 included over 
2,000 plates etched and engraved by Merian and his sons Matthaus and Caspar. 
There are beautiful views of medieval Bavarian walled towns like Amberg, 
Auerbach, Bernau, Deckendorff, Erding, Fridberg, Mulldorff, Newstatt, 
Schrobenhausen, Weilmeim, and many others, All towns & cities are arranged 
in alphabetical order as one proceeds through the volume up to p. 71 at 
which point we begin with another alphabetical listing of smaller towns and 
villages including Dachau and many others. A complete Register/Index appears 
at the end.

Two copies of the Merian 'Bavaria' are recorded in American Book Prices 
Current: one in 1991 at Sotheby's listed as "1644 (but c.1660).with engraved 
title, 4 double-page maps & 57 plates" which went for £4,800 ($7,872), and 
one twenty-nine years ago on Nov. 27, 1980 at Christie's which most closely 
approximates our copy with "2 double-page maps & 51 plates & plans" --with 
several faults- which went for £2,400 ($5,736). OCLC list copies at the 
Metropolitan Museum of Art, Yale University Libraries, Dartmouth College, 
the University of Chicago, Boston University, Saint Johns University, and 
the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas-Austin. Six other copies 
are listed in German university libraries and the Herzog August Bibliothek. 
No copy listed mentions the inserted plate between the old and new Oetingen 
plates.

Graesse VI, 509; Brunet V, 1529-30.
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Philip R. Bishop
MOSHER BOOKS
P. O. Box 542
Ephrata, PA  17522-0542  U.S.A.

717-733-1476
mosher at ptd.net

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