[Rarebooks] fa: ESTIENNE - THE ART OF MAKING DEVISES - 1650 - HERALDRY/ARMS/MEDALS &c.

[Ardwight Chamberlain]

Listed now, along with other 17th, 18th & 19th-Century English titles,  
auctions ending Monday, October 17. More details and images can be  
found at the URL below or by searching under the seller name arch_in_la.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/arch_in_la/m.html?_trksid=p4340.l2562

Thanks,
Ardwight Chamberlain
L.A.

Henry Estienne; [Thomas Blount, trans.]: The Art of Making Devises:  
Treating of Hieroglyphicks, Symboles, Emblemes, Ænigma’s, Sentences,  
Parables, Reverses of Medalls, Armes, Blazons, Cimiers, Cyphres and  
Rebus. First written in French by Henry Estienne, Lord of Fossez,  
Interpreter to the French King for the Latine and Greek Tongues:  
Translated into English, and embelished with divers Brasse Figures, by  
T.B. of the Inner Temple, Gent. Whereunto is added, A Catalogue of  
Coronet-Devises, both on the Kings and the Parliaments side, in the  
late Warres. London: Printed for Iohn Holden, at the signe of the blue  
Anchor in the New Exchange, 1650. Small 4to (18 x 13.5 cm) bound in  
modern paneled calf; [16] + 87 + [1]; with 10 leaves of engraved  
plates, 2 engraved vignettes in the text, woodcut initials  and  
decorations. ESTC R12325; Wing E3352.

Thomas Blount's translation of Estienne's pioneering work on arms and  
heraldry, L'Art de Faire les Divises (Paris, 1645), a work that proved  
even more popular in England than in France, quickly going through  
several editions. This 1650 edition is a reissue of the text of the  
original 1646 printing, with the addition of the "Catalogue of Coronet- 
Devises" used by the Royalist and Parliamentary sides in the recent  
Civil Wars. Apropos of this, Blount writes in his preface: "Some may  
object, that in regard Tiltings, Tournaments, and Masques, (where  
Devises were much in request) are for the present laid aside,  
therefore Devises are of lesse use. Whereto I answer, that as those  
Justing or jesting Wars are disused, so we have now an earnest, though  
much to be lamented Warre, which renders them more usefull then ever,  
I meane for Cornets and Ensignes..."

With twenty plates on ten leaves depicting medals, and two large  
engraved in-text vignettes depicting an emblem and a rebus. Bound  
without the additional engraved title-page. Title-page browned with  
small chips to the corner and fore-edge, repaired on the verso; last  
leaf also somewhat browned and edgeworn with small repair on the  
verso; text block trimmed a bit close, occasionally clipping the  
running title  and marginal notes; a few leaves with small chips from  
the top corners affecting the page numbers; small hole to fore-edge  
margin of one leaf (not affecting any text); mild tanning to the page  
edges, a few occasional small spots; otherwise the contents are clean  
and crisp and firmly bound in a handsome modern leather binding.