Casparus Commelin. Beschryvinge van Amsterdam,

desselfs eerste oorspronk uyt den Huyse der Heeren van Aemstel en Aemstellant; met een verhaal van haar leven en dappere krijgsdaden; Amsterdams kleyne beginselen (...) tot in den jare 1691 toe is voorgevallen (...). Amst., Wolfgang, Waesberge, Boom, van Someren en Goethals, 1692, first edition, 2 vols., (20),528; (2),529-1223,(41) p., w. the following engravings: frontisp., 1 fold. panorama, 5 (fold./ double-p.) maps/ plans, 46 (double-p.) plates, num. ills. in the text (incl. a few woodcuts) and 3 letterpress double-p. plates, contemporary unif. blindstamped vellum, folio.

Vol. 1, textpage 193 with the usual correction: a view of the Sint Anthonis Poort is pasted over a plan of fortifications. Many sm. marginal tears (mostly on the folds of plates) and some sm. holes have been clumsily closed with sellotape in both vols. Vol. 1 pastedowns stained from newly fixed, formerly warped turn-ins, and backstrip lacks lower compartment and some smaller outer defects. Vol. 2 upper joint split (large part of backstrip loosening. The best 17th cent. description of Amsterdam, in first edition (much less common and with sharper plates and ills. compared to later editions). Based on the earlier works of Dapper and Van Domselaar and on studies of the author's father Isaac Commelin, but more reliable as a historic source because of Casparus Commelin's free access to the archives of the city. Nijhoff/ Van Hattum 66/ 67; Haitsma Mulier/ Van der Lem 116.(total 2)