Owned and signed by Philip III of Hesse
Nuova inventione di fabricar fortezze, di varie forme. In qualunque sito di piano, di monte, in acqua, con diversi disegni [...] tanto in fortezze reali, quanto non reali.
Folio (242 x 355 mm). (2), 116 pp. With woodcut printer's device on title-page, woodcut initials, 57 illustrations and maps (4 double-paged). Later binding reusing a leaf of Hebrew manuscript on vellum (containing prayers from the Yom Kippur liturgy, 14th or 15th century, Ashkenaz, probably German).
€ 9,500.00
First edition.
Belluzzi worked as a field engineer for the Medici in Florence. He died during an attack on a Sienese fortress in 1554.
First six leaves damaged at upper corner with some loss of text, stained at head. With autograph ownership of Philip III, Landgrave of Hesse-Butzbach (1581-1643), at foot of title-page ("Philippus Hassice Landgravius"). Philip was interested in science and astronomy (he corresponded with Galileo and Kepler) and had an observatory as well as a fine library. Later in the Darmstadt court library (crowned monogram stamp on title-page; inscription "Bibl. Aul. Darmst. Rep. 7 Loc. 2" to inside front cover). Last in the collection of Thomas Fremantle, 3rd Baron Cottesloe (1862-1956), commander of the Territorial Army and president of the Society for Army History Research, with his index card ("acquired 1930") loosely inserted.
Edit 16, CNCE 4958. Cockle 794. Riccardi, p. 109f.