GHEYN, Jacob II de.
The exercise of armes for calivres, muskettes, and pikes. After the ordre of his Excellence Maurits Prince of Orange Count of Nassau etc. Governour and captaine generall over Geldreland, Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Overijssel, etc. Sett forthe in figures by Jacob de Gheyn. With written instructions for the service of all captaines and comaundours. For to shewe hereout the better unto their jong or untrayned souldiers the playne and perfett maner to handle these armes.
The Hague, [1607 (added in manuscript on the title-page)]. 3 parts in 1 volume. Folio (ca. 37 x 27 cm). With engraved title-page with at the head of the page the coat of arms of the dedicatee, Prince Henry Frederick, eldest son of King James I of England within a wreath of lilies and roses, which - together with the title and the imprint were engraved on 3 separate slips of paper pasted over areas left blank for that purpose; and 117 (including one repeat) expertly engraved plates (ca. 26 x 19 cm): 42 numbered plates in part 1, 43 partly-numbered plates in part 2 and 32 numbered plates in part 3. All engravings including the engraved title-page are magnificently coloured and highlighted in gold and silver by a contemporary hand. The plates show exercises with the arquebus (part 1), musket (part 2), and pike (part 3). Mid-19th-century gold-tooled half (faded) red morocco and red cloth sides, gilt edges, marbled endpapers, bound in 1840-ca. 1860 by the celebrated British bookbinder Robert Riviere (1808-1882) with his stamp "Bound by Riviere" in the bottom outer corner of the verso of the first flyleaf. [4]; [2]; [3] ll.
Full description