Habsburg history

Weingarten, Johann Jacob von. Fürsten-Spiegel, Oder Monarchia Deß Hochlöblichen Ertz-Hauses Oesterreich [...].

€ 6,500.00

First and only edition of this history of the House of Habsburg with all branch lines and the fine engraved portraits (mainly by J. Borcking). Two additional leaves of text listing ministeriales bound before pages 263 and 276. The present copy is a variant with printed dedication to Ignatius Carl von Sternberg. The copy catalogued by VD17 as 3:004527T (without the dedication) counts one engraved title, 62 engraved portraits and 1 additional engraving: the present copy contains an engraved title and 60 portraits, one of which (the frequently missing supersized likeness of Emperor Leopold, surrounded by 45 small medaillon portraits) bound as a frontispiece to part 1 and two others (Leopold I and Claudia, whose likenesses apparently were unknown to Lipperheide) as frontispieces to part 2. Zisska & Kistner note that "not a single complete copy can be traced at German auctions" (38, 2768).

Text as well as plates show irregular browning, depending on paper stock. First leaf of text and portrait of Rudolph I have small marginal flaws; a few minor edge tears throughout. Several ink annotations and manicules by a contemporary owner. Lower hinge and spine-end split, slight trace of worming to upper cover, otherwise a finely preserved copy.

Provenance: from the collection of Cardinal Franz Xaver count Hrzan von Harras (1735-1803) with his autograph ownership on the half-title, dated 1763, and his family's arms on both covers. Hrzan von Harras, from an old Bohemian noble family, was made Auditor Rotae in 1769 before being created cardinal in 1779. As minister plenipoteniary to the Papal court during the age of Josephinism the enlightened cleric was close to the reformist Emperor Joseph II (cf. Wurzbach IX, 364f.). In 1772 the book passed into the library of the Prague Piarist School (cf. their handwritten ownership on the same half-title).