FLEMING, HANS FRIEDRICH von.

Leipzig, verlegts J. C. Martini, 1719-1724. Folio. (24),356,1-4,357-400 pp. & 62 engraved plates (including engraved portrait, nine double-page plates, several folding) + double page engraved frontispiece,(8),12,1-8,1-224,(2),225-364,(2),365-500,(32),1-111,(33) pp. & 49 engraved plates (including sixteen double page and several folding). Title pages printed in red and black. Two volumes, contemporary full calf, spines in compartments with raised bands, lettered and decorated in blind (gilt faded and oxidized). Head and tail of spines worn, head of spine of volume II with later repair, joints a little cracked, extremities and surfaces rubbed, corners worn. Somewhat browned throughout due to paper quality, with some occasional soiling. Lower outer corner of first double-page plate in volume I repaired, vertical tear at p. 309 obscuring text a little with loss of a few letters. Lower outer corner of p. 471 in volume II repaired. With Carl Gustaf Tessin’s signature on both title pages and his shelfmark in ink on free endpaper. From the library of Gunnar Brusewitz. Lacking the two leaves giving the plates list usually found at the end of each index.

Schwerdt Hunting, hawking, shooting I:175 lacking one half-title leaf in volume II. Souhart Bibliographie générale des ouvrages sur la chasse 187. Lindner Bibliographie der deutschen und der niederländischen Jagdliteratur 11.0611.01. Harting Bibliotheca accipitraria 99. Westwood & Satchell Bibliotheca piscatoria 95. A second edition was printed in 1749. First edition of ”the foremost eighteenth century German classic on hunting, shooting, hawking, fishing [...] it is a notable production and the copper plates contained therein are original and of considerable interest. Fleming was an experienced sportsman and, although part of his text can be traced to previous writers, much of it was evidently based on personal knowledge” according to Schwerdt, who also remarks that copies with all of the plates are hard to find. Hans (Johann) Friedrich von Fleming (1670-1733) wrote several works on hunting and militaria. Carl Gustaf Tessin (1695-1770) was a diplomat and a politician and in his time one of Sweden’s most prominent cultural figures. A famous art and book connoisseur, Tessin in 1757 was forced to sell his library due to financial difficulties. It was bought by the Swedish Riksdag of the Estates for 60,000 thalers and given to crown prince Gustav for the purpose of his education. As was Tessin’s nature, he immidiately started forming a new library, which was then sold at auction after his death. The shelfmarks present here indicate that these volumes were a part of Tessin’s first collection.