2022 Maastricht Antiquarian Book and Print fair

High interest for our newly acquired material.

Almost three years ago the last Maastricht Antiquarian Book and Print (MABP) fair ended and Covid started. Luckily this year we were able again to attend this fair. We did have plenty of opportunity to gather interesting material during the last years and were pleased to show this to the visitors at the fair.

Through heavy rainfall we travelled to the province of Limburg. Upon arrival we proved that we were still able to set up our booth. Within the hour everything was placed in the showcase, set on the folders and hung on the wall. It felt like we never left.

We were happy to see many familiar Dutch and foreign visitors as well as fellow antiquarians. Everybody was happy to see each other again. And it was not without result. Several visitors acquired material, as we did have some real rarities.

Unfortunately, the geo-politics showed itself by the absence of several people; for instance the American collectors and museums.

We were happy, that our work of searching and presenting interesting material proved to be succesful.

On Sunday evening we drove back home a bit tired but happy!

OUR HIGHLIGHTS

We brought the following highlights with us to the fair.

Rare Antique Master Print-GENRE-MILKMAID-HERD-Bassano-Sadeler-1601

Subject: Antique Master Print, titled: 'Multiplicem ut reddant iaciuntur semina fructum [..].' - A landscape with a herd of cows and sheep and a milkmaid giving a boy milk.

Medium: Engraving on laid paper. Watermark: Crown and countermark.

Description: Rare, very good impression. State: Only state. Ref: Hollstein 251. Provenance: Pierre Mariette (Lugt 1789), Rietstra and unknown (Not in Lugt).

Artists and Engravers: Made by 'Raphael Sadeler' after 'Jacopo Bassano'. Raphael Sadeler (1584-1632) was a Flemish engraver, part of the very active Sadeler family. Jacopo Bassano (ca. 1510-1592) originated from Venice. He worked in the manner of Titian. His landscapes with biblical themes were very popular in the 17th. Century.

Antique Master Print-RELIGION-CHRIST-MAN OF SORROWS-De Passe-De Passe -1615

Subject: Antique Master Print, titled: 'Ille dolore gemens …' - Christ as man of sorrows.

Medium: Engraving on hand laid paper. Watermark: Coat of arms with a French lily.

Description: Source unknown, to be determined. State: Only state. Ref: Hollstein 2. IconClass 73D732. Very good impression.

Artists and Engravers: Made by 'Simon de Passe' after 'Crispyn de Passe'. Simon de Passe (1595-1647) was a pupil of his father Crispin de Passe. He worked in England and became Royal engraver in Danmark in 1626. In London John Payne was his student. Crispijn / Crispyn de Passe (Dutch; 1565-1637) was a very active printmaker. He started engraving in Antwerp and was later active in Cologne and Utrecht. Being highly active he and his family produced a large amount of prints, including a group of very finely engraved portraits.

Rare Antique Master Print-GENRE-WOMAN-HEADDRESS-JEWEL-Limborch-ca. 1700

Subject: Antique Master Print, untitled. A woman with a jewelled headdress looking to the right.

Medium: Etching on laid paper. Watermark: French lily

Description: Very rare, undescribed print by this artist.

Artists and Engravers: Made by 'Hendrik van Limborch' after own design. Hendrik van Limborch (1681-1759) was born in The Hague as a son of a lawyer. He was a pupil of Adriaen van der Werff. Van Limborch specialised in portraits and history painting.

Very rare Antique Master Print-TRINITA DEI MONTI-SPAGNA-ROME-Nieulandt-ca. 1620

Subject: Antique Master Print, titled: 'Prospectus montis trinitatis in Romae.' - Depiction of a landscape with the Chiesa della S. Trinita dei Monti above the Spanish Steps which lead down to the famous Piazza di Spagna in Rome.

Medium: Etching on laid paper.

Description: Very uncommon print; the Printroom has a damaged example with only part of the textcaption. Hollstein mentions only this damaged impression. Ref: Hollstein 112 Rome.

Artists and Engravers: Made by 'Willem van Nieulandt' after own design. Willem van Nieulandt III (ca. 1584 - 1635) was a pupil of Jacob Savry and Paul Bril. He travelled to Rome around 1602. This had a profound influence on his work. Van Nieulandt was also active as a poet.

Rare Antique Master Print-LANDSCAPE-HUNTING-BIRD-NET-TRAP-Merian-ca. 1615

Subject: Antique Master Print, untitled. Landscape with people hunting small birds with a net.

Medium: Etching on Laid paper. Watermark: Snake on a cross.

Description: Very rae print, from a set of large hunts. Ref: Hollstein 467

Artists and Engravers: Made by 'Mattheus Merian' after own design. Matthaus Merian the Elder (1593-1650) learned the art of copper engraving in Zurich. He worked in various places throughout Europe, before returning to Basel in 1615. He moved to Frankfurt in Germany and worked for Johann Theodor de Bry, son of Theodor de Bry. Merian married de Bry's daughter Maria Magdalena, and continued to work for De Bry for a period. From 1623 Merian ran the publishing house of De Bry, after his father-in-law's death. He is mainly known for his Topographia Germaniae, a 21-volume town and country atlas which he produced with his son Matthaus the Younger.