Van Loon - Hollandsche Histori - 1734

SPLENDID FOLIO IMPERIAL EDITION OF THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF HOLLAND
Magnificent binding, intact and imposing.
Aloude Hollandsche histori, Gerard van Loon creates one of the most ambitious erudite reconstructions of the origins of Holland, weaving political history, numismatics and genealogy into a vast fresco that begins in Roman times and reaches the first counts of Holland. The work is distinguished by its richly iconographic apparatus, in which coins, maps and genealogical plates are not mere ornaments but critical tools for historical understanding. This 1734 edition, in large format, fully reflects the Dutch erudition of the eighteenth century, where history also becomes the science of material and visual sources.
MARKET VALUE
Complete 2-volume folio copies, with all plates and maps present and in contemporaneous binding, generally sell between 2,000 and 3,000 euros.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION - COLLECTOR'S COPY
2 volumes. Contemporary full mottled leather binding, spines with gilt title and raised bands, red edges; some restorations present. Illustrated with an engraved frontispiece, 2 title vignettes, a dedicatory plate, 10 plates (3 of which are double-page), numerous illustrations in the text, 13 double-page maps and 22 genealogical plates. Titles in red and black. In ancient books, with a long history, a few imperfections may be present, not always noted in the description.
Pp.:
Vol. I: (4); 44nn; 348; 22nn; (4).
Vol. II: (4); 4nn; 360; 28; (4).

FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
Aloude Hollandsche histori der keyzeren, koningen, hertogen en graaven; welken, sedert de komst der Batavieren in het thans genaamde Holland […].
Graavenhaage, Pieter De Hondt, 1734.
Gerard van Loon.

CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
The work fits into the Dutch erudite tradition which, between the XVII and XVIII centuries, aimed to base national identity on solid historical and documentary foundations. Van Loon uses written sources, numismatic evidence and genealogical reconstructions to delineate a historical continuity connecting ancient Batavia to modern Holland. The attention to coins, reproduced in large numbers, reflects a proto-scientific approach to history, where material evidence becomes historical proof. The maps and genealogical plates further broaden the analytical dimension, turning the work into a true historical-dynastic atlas.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
Gerard van Loon (1683–1758) was a Dutch historian and numismatist. He studied philosophy at Leuven and law at Leiden, distinguished by his erudite and systematic approach to history. He is best known for his numismatic studies and for works devoted to the history of the Netherlands, in which he combined documentary analysis and historical interpretation, making a significant contribution to eighteenth-century Dutch historiography.

PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
Published in The Hague in 1734 by P. De Hondt, this first edition represents van Loon’s main contribution to Dutch history. The work enjoyed significant diffusion among European erudite circles, particularly among antiquaries, historians and coin collectors. The folio format and rich illustrative apparatus make it an expensive book destined for a cultured and wealthy audience, contributing to its relative rarity on the antiquarian market.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
See WorldCat for the 1734 edition; STCN (Short Title Catalogue Netherlands) for the bibliographic description; ICCU/OPAC SBN for copies held in Italian libraries; studies on eighteenth-century Dutch numismatics and on Gerard van Loon’s works; catalogs of Dutch history relating to the Batavian tradition and the genealogy of the Counts of Holland.