Finely executed and illustrated manuscript on Frisian history and antiquities, compiled by the Leeuwarden draughtsman and calligrapher Johannes Ype Wenning (1849-1919), father of the painter Ype Wenning (1879-1959). The work opens with a hand-coloured architectural title-page decorated with historical figures and coats of arms, and is illustrated with a large folding hand-coloured drawing and five smaller drawings of Frisian states, all by Wenning. We have not been able to trace a published version of the work.
The first section describes the history of ten Frisian states or country houses, with illustrations. Facing the title-page is Wenning's folding hand-coloured view of Wiarda-State near Leeuwarden, dated 1867, followed by five smaller drawings depicting Oud-Camminga Burg near Leeuwarden, Sijtjema-State in Hallum, Tjaarda State in Rinsumageest, Camminga Slot in Ballum and Heringa-State in Marsum. All six were copied after views designed by Jan Bulthuis (1750-1801) and engraved by Karel Frederik Bendorp (1750-1801), published in Vaderlandsche gezichten of afbeeldingen behorende tot den Tegenwoordigen staat der Vereenigde Nederlanden (1786-1792). Spaces intended for illustrations of five more states were left blank. This is followed by a list explaining the meanings and origins of personal names, written in different colours according to their supposed linguistic origin, including Hebrew, Saxon, Greek, Latin, German and Gothic. The largest section at the end contains extracts from and annotations to Haring Wiegers Steenstra's Algemeene geschiedenis van Friesland. Een volksleesboek (1845), followed by a table of contents.
The vellum is soiled. The title-page is slightly soiled, lacking the final leaf of the index (pp. 61-62). Otherwise in good condition. Cf. about the author: Scheen, Lex. (1981), p. 577; the manuscript has been used as a source in: Boon, G., "De verbouwing van Heringastate in Marsum, 1906-1912: restauratie of reconstructie?", in: De vrije Fries 94, 2014, pp. 107-128.