[GHEERAERTS, Marcus] / VONDEL, Joost van Den. Vorsteliicke Warande der dieren […] Oock met aerdige Afbeeldingen geciert, ende constich in coper gesneden, door Marcus Gerards, Schilder.

Rare first editions of these two collections of fables illustrated with 199 superb engravings.

I- Editio princeps but the complete set of plates has been derived from ‘Esbatement Moral des animaux’ and printed from the original blocks.

“Title engraving and 125 numbered copperplate emblems by Marcus Gheeraerts.

Unger 85; de Vries 73; Hodnett p. 69 ; Schuytvlot 54.”

Landwher, Emblem and fable books printed in the Low countries, 886; Praz p. 532.

All 125 engravings of fables, as well as the vignette on the title page have been contemporary hand-colored.

The emblems of Vorteliicke Warande are especially charming, with most portraying animals with anthropomorphic brio.

II- “Engraved title by P. Serwouters and 74 full-page copperplate emblems by G. de Jode after C. van den Broeck. Each emblem with a distichon heading, below another of a Bible text. The plates have a letter engraved in the plate from A to T.

Editio princeps but the plates derive from L. van Haecht Goitsenhoven.

Unger 71; de Vries 52; Schuytvlot 45”.

Landwehr, 876.

The Dutch “Prince of poets”, Joost van den Vondel reserves his “difficult” fables for his collection De Vorsteliicke Warande der dieren (The Royal Garden of Animals, Amsterdam, 1617).

All 74 engravings as well as the frontispiece have been contemporary hand-colored.

Precious collection of two very rare illustrated fable books, in editio princeps, entirely contemporary hand-colored and preserved in 18^th century boards.