Trois dialogues de l’exercice de sauter et voltiger en l’air. Avec les figures qui servent à la parfaite demonstration & intelligence dudict art. Dedié au roy.

4to: [5]-197 ff. (1 f. ("Au lecteur") and final bl. missing, erratic foliation, privilege and "Sonnet" bound after the title; paper sl. brown. and very fragile, title underlaid and defect. (date missing) with a long vertical split, Priv. and "Sonnet" underlaid, ff. a2-3 torn off but complete, needing restoration, some marg. defects, small hole affecting some letters to K3, tear affecting the text to M2, repaired tear to N).

19th-c. polished red shagreen (lower cover sl. stained), triple blind fillet on covers, spine with 5 raised bands (sl. rubbed), inner gilt dentelles, a.e.g. Despite inner wears, a good copy with the folding plate in very good condition.

Rare first edition of the earliest treatise on acrobatics by the Italian gymnastics instructor and tightrope walker Tuccaro (1535-1602 ?). Illustrated with 87 woodcuts (including repeats, many full-page) throughout text showing acrobats performing various exercises and complete with the often missing large folding plate showing men jumping through hoops. The first Dialogue describes ancient exercises and dances; the second, somersaults and other acrobatic exercises; the third, the benefit of gymnastics to the human body. Tuccaro became King Charles IX of France' s instructor ("saltarin du roi"); the manual was composed for Charles but not published until the reign of Henry IV to whom the work is dedicated. Large woodcut printer's mark on title.
Ref. Fairfax Murray (French) 553. - Adams T-1017. - Rahir 3037. - Brunet V:972-73. - BnF.
Prov. Old armorial stamp on title. - Chev. A. de Melotte (engr. armorial bookplate). - [Georges Petit].