Samuelis Liberi Baronis de Pufendorf De Rebus a Carolo Gustavo Sveciae Rege Gestus Commentariorum Libri Septem Elegantissimis Tabulis Aeneis Exornati cum Triplici Indice

Norimbergae [Nuremberg, Germany]: Sumptibus Christophori Riegelii / Literis Knorzianis, 1696. Very Good. Norimbergae [Nuremberg, Germany]: Sumptibus Christophori Riegelii / Literis Knorzianis, 1696. First Edition. Thick folio (37cm.); early full speckled calf, spine in seven blind-tooled compartments with red gilt label; [14],626,53,[11]pp.; added engraved title page and one hundred and twenty-seven (127) plates including twelve (12) portrait plates, and one hundred and fourteen (114) double-paged plates, as well as the spectacular 15-foot folding view. Both text and illustrations collated complete. Leather a bit dried and scuffed at extremities and along spine margins, bottom spine compartment starting to crack, discreet hinge reinforcement, small ownership ex libris and initials to front pastedown, two ownership signatures to title page, one contemporary, the latter dated 1955 accompanied by a pressure stamp, very minor wear along margins of the 15-foot plate, else a Very Good, internally clean and sound example.

Though unattributed on the title page, this monumental work was in reality a collaboration between the German jurist and historian Samuel von Pufendorf and the Swedish military engineer and mapmaker Erik Dahlberg. Dahlberg provided the illustrations, which were in turn engraved by a team of professionals including Daniel Marot, Adam Perelle, and Willem Swidde. While Pufendorf's text is marred by a dry style and pro-Swedish prejudice, Dahlberg's illustrations are a masterpiece, including birds-eye views of Swedish and Polish towns, battle scenes, architecture, maps and plans. A seasoned Field marshal, Dahlberg's battle scenes depict an uncanny immediacy of billowing smoke and dust, the arc of a projectile, the scattering of arms.

Reference: Michael J. Mikós, "Erik Dahlberg and His Views of Polish Towns," in "The Polish Review," Vol. 33, no. 2, 1988.