Coaches from a noble library

Dinkel, Josef. Neueste Wagen nach deutscher, französischer, und englischer Bauart.

Augsburg, Vincenz Zanna & Comp., [1845-1850].

1 f. of dedication, 100 lithogr. plates in splendid original colour raised in silver and gold. Stored loosely in 8 original wrappers as issued. Small oblong 4to (245 x 150 mm). Half calf portfolio with giltstamped title to spine.

 35,000.00

Complete set of pattern books for coaches; the most beautiful and comprehensive series of its kind ever published. The personal copy of Duke Maximilian of Bavaria, to whom the work was dedicated. Exceedingly rare; only three complete copies are known in libraries and collections worldwide (the copy in the Bavarian State Library is incomplete, containing fascicules I-IV only). The magnificent work by the Munich draughtsman contains one hundred designs for sophisticated state coaches and everyday vehicles. The plates, beautifully coloured and many of them heightened in gold and silver, show open and closed coaches with two or four wheels, transport carriages, omnibuses, company cars, sleighs, railway carriages and a hearse; the plate printed in gold shows a sample of a monogram for coachmen's blankets or coach doors.

"Neueste Wagen" was most probably commissioned by Vinzenz Zanna & Comp.

publishers in Augsburg specialized in the distribution of maps since 1833 - and it is assumed that the careful hand-colouring of the plates was done on their premises. Dinkel's work, known in a few copies only, appeared in eight fascicules, each containing 12 and the last one 16 outline lithographs. Zanna dedicated Dinkel's work to Duke Maximilian of Bavaria (1808-88), father of the famous Empress Sisi. The dedication leaf is known in two versions: the paper embossed with a lozenge-shaped pattern recalling the Bavarian colors (as here) and with coloured lettering but without embossing.

Original wrappers slightly stained near the edges, otherwise a perfect copy from the Library of the Dukes of Bavaria at Tegernsee Castle.

References

Engelmann, Suppl., 23 (mentions only 6 issues of 12 ff. each). Facsimile with commentary: R. H. Wackernagel, Joseph Dinkel, Wagenmoden im Biedermeier. Stadtwagen, Reise- und Sportfahrzeuge zwischen 1830 und 1840. Dortmund, 1981 (= Die bibliophilen Taschenbücher, vol. 239). For Dinkel cf. AKL XXVII, 484.

Stock Code: BN#24524 Tags: , ,