RIDINGER, Johannes-Elias. Fürstenlust… Parfaite & exacte Representation des Divertissemens de Grands Seigneurs où Parfaite Description des Chasses de toutes sortes des Bêtes. Selon les diverses manières des Chasses, de la Nature des Bêtes,… [six parties] inventées et gravées par Jean-Elias Ridinger.

First editions of Ridinger’s major work, Fürstenlust, and « contemplatio Ferrarum Bestiarum ».

I – Fürstenlust, 1729.

References: Huzard, II, n° 5279, Jeanson, 1793 ; Thiébaud, 784; Schwerdt, III, P. 134; Thiennemann, 13-48.

First edition, first issue.

« Fine impressions of one of Ridinger’s important and highly instructive sets, engraved by himself ».

(Schwerdt, III, 134).

Precious set in the state before numbering, wide-margined, in its contemporary binding.

The title and captions of the 36 engravings appear in French and German.

This set alone, but in a modern binding, was sold for 66 600 F (about 10 000 €) 32 years ago (library Marcel Jeanson, February 1987, Sotheby’s Monaco, n° 493)

II- Contemplatio Ferarum Bestiarum! Augustae-Vind, 1736.

Thiébaud, 784.

First edition and first issue.

Engraved title in German and in Latin and 40 copper engravings depicting hunting animals in beautiful landscapes: deer, stags (11 engravings), boars, young boars (4 engravings), fallow deer (2 engravings), wolf, lynx, fox, bear, lion, leopard…

The engraving’s captions are in German, French and Latin. The descriptions at the bottom of every engraving are written in verse and in German.

Beautiful wide-margined copy, preserved in its original decorated brown calf binding.