Horse riding in Italy, illustrated

Alessandro, Giuseppe d', duca di Pescolanciano. Pietra paragone de' cavalieri, [...] divisa in cinque libri.

€ 25,000.00

First edition of this rare Italian riding school, covering all aspects of horse breeding, training and care, lavishly illustrated with 140 engravings. A second, enlarged edition, also apparently rare, was published in 1723 under the title "Opera". The work is divided into five parts: the first, "Regole di cavalcare" with one plate; the second, "[...] ove si tratta del difficilissimo mestiere dell' imbrigliare"; the third, "[...] dell' istesso", with 95 illustrations of bits, etc.; the fourth, "Disegni de' circoli" with 10 diagrams and "Ritratti d'uomini illustri" with 27 portraits, about half of which show mounted figures; the fifth, "[...] intorno alla preservativa, conservatione, e medicina per cavalli" with 7 plates, also including other animals (such as a rhinoceros).

Errata leaf at beginning, some leaves browned or spotted. No copy in auction records of the last decades.