AMPZING, Samuel.
Beschryvinge ende lof der stad Haerlem in Holland. in rijm bearbeyd: ende met veele oude en nieuwe stucken buyten dicht uyt verscheyde kronijken, handvesten, brieven, memorien ofte geheugenissen, ende diergelijke schriften verklaerd, ende bevestigd. Mitsgaders Petri Scriverii laure-kranz voor Laurens Koster van Haerlem, eerste vinder vande boek-druckerye. de voor-rede aen den leser geeft enig onderwijs van onse Nederduytsche sprake, ende spellinge, in desen gebruykt, onder den tytel ofte opschrift van Nederlandsch tael-bericht: handeld ook een weynig van rijm-konste, tot nut ende lust der weet-gierigen.
Haarlem, Adriaan Roman, 1628. 2 parts in 1 volume. 4to. With large printer's device at the end of the first part and on title of the second part, richly engraved allegorical frontispiece with view of Haarlem at the top by T. Matham after I. Bouchorst, 3 full-page engraved plates, 1 with the coat-of-arms of Haarlem by J. van Velde, 1 with the seals of the city of Haarlem, and a view of a printing shop, both by J. van Velde after Pieter Jansz. Saenredam, 11 double-page engraved plans and views of Haarlem by J. van Velde and W. Akersloot after designs by Saenredam, and 2 original full-page etchings by Pieter Jansz. Saenredam: of the Houses of Assumberg and of Berkenroede. Ad 2 With a full-page engraved portrait of Laurens Koster after J. van Campen and a second, different view of a printing shop. With:
(2) SCRIVERIUS, Petrus. Crans voor Laurens Coster van Haerlem, eerste vinder vande boeck-druckery.
Haarlem, Adriaan Roman, 1628. Contemporary vellum, spine lettered in ink. (88), 520; 124, (6) p.
€ 6,000
First edition of Ampzing's description of Haarlem, famous for more than one reason. First of course, for containing two of the rare original etchings Saenredam made for book illustration. Pieter Jansz. Saenredam (1597-1665), among the many famous 17th century Dutch painters, became immortal for his pictures of church interiors, until then an almost unknown subject matter. But also, his pictures of exteriors of churches and other buildings are very highly valued for the specific quality lent by the artist to his subject without diversion of people, carriages and the like. Saenredam drew most of the illustrations for the present work, a.o. a beautiful interior of the church at Haarlem, and two different interiors of a printing shop. With the exception of the two etches mentioned above, they were engraved by other artists, a.o. by the well-known J. van Velde. Another reason the present work is famous is the treatise added to the preliminaries: "Tael-Bericht" by Samuel Ampzing - here published for the first time - which is one of the most well-wrought early attempts towards an estabished Dutch grammar. And still another and not the least reason for the fame of the present book is its beautiful production, printed in many different types, including a fine civilité.
Also, the added work by the excellent Leiden scholar Petrus Scriverius in praise of Laurens Jansz. Coster from Haarlem, the supposed 'inventor of printing' is very important for the role it has played in the discussions during the 17th till 19th centuries concerning the eagerly debated issue: 'Gutenberg at Mainz or Laurens Jansz. Coster at Haarlem'.
With two library stamps, one on the title page, from the library of H.L. Janssen van Raay (1862-1937). Some occasional soiling, and some minor repairs. Otherwise in good condition. Cat Rijksmuseum A'dam III, p. 251 and II, p. 344; Nijhoff/Van Hattum 6; Saenredam, Cat. raisonné (Utrecht 1961) 182-3; STCN 823048063; USTC 1026151.
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