Peter Coeck Aelst - The Turks in MDXXXIII - 1873

Original green cloth binding with black title and decorations on the front cover. Some defects on the spine and along the edges.

2 blank cards, VIII, 70, [12] unnumbered cards, 2 blank cards

Rare work. "The Turks in 1533" refers to a series of drawings made in Constantinople in 1533 by the Flemish painter Pieter Coecke van Aelst. His widow published these woodblock drawings in Antwerp in 1553. This modern, privately printed edition (only 100 copies) was published in 1873. The work documents an ambassador's journey to the Ottoman court and offers a rare glimpse into the daily life and processions of the time.

Peter Coeck: The Turks in MDXXXIII. A series of drawings made that year in Constantinople with an introduction by Sir William Stirling Maxwell. 4° oblong format. Printed in red and black, with beautiful tipped-in plates and woodcut illustrations. Original green decorated canvas. (Rubbed, corners rubbed, dusty.) ONE OF 100 COPIES, with the handwritten dedication: "To John Stirling Esq., with the publishers' affectionate greetings. William Stirling Maxwell, January 1, 1874."
Widespread and light blooms, generally in good condition. Rare, usable, and complete.