Hybrid copy of "De Leone Belgico" combining 2 editions, bound with the "Chorographia".

3 parts in 1 vol., sm. folio (age-toned, occ. spotting and soiling, 1st map restored).

17th-c. pigskin, elaborate blind-tooled decoration on boards, spine with raised bands and label, red edges (rubbed, browning mostly on spine, sm. tears on headcap, corners sl. bumped). Good copy.

1. First edition: De Leone Belgico, eiusq[ue] topographica atq[ue] historica descriptione liber [...]. Rerumque in Belgio maxime gestarum, inde ab anno Christi M.D.LIX. usque ad annum M.D.LXXXV. perpetua narratione continuatus. (Print. G. Campensis) for F. Hogenberg, 1583. [12 (engr. title incl.)]-24-24b/34b [=24]-35/522-[1] pp. (water stain on 1st ff., map restored). Complete with the "Leo Belgicus" map in 1st state, but with the engr. title from the 1585-ed. (identical except for the mention "Auctior et locupletior editio"). Eytzinger or Aitsinger (1530?-1598?) witnessed the execution of Egmont and Hornes and became a partisan historian of the Dutch Revolt. Engr. ill.: title, 114 double-page (some not comprised in the pagination) and 1 full-page pl. (Calendar) by Frans Hogenberg (1536-1590) depicting views and battle scenes in the Low Countries i.a. Brussels, Antwerp, Tournai, Mons, Mechelen, Zichem, Kortrijk, Cambrai etc. The splendid "Leo Belgicus" was the 1st representation ever of the Low Countries as a lion. It became a symbol of the unity and strength of the 17 Provinces. Meurer says "Die Löwekarte ist wohl das bekannteste, wichtigste und auch schönste Beispiel für die manieristischen Experimente in der Kartographie des 16. und 17. Jahrhunderts, sie ist später vielfach kopiert worden". Ref. VD16 E 4768. - Adams E-1175. - STC German 292. - Meurer, Atlantes Colonienses, 105-115. - VdHeijden, Leo Belgicus 1.1.
2. Large part of the 1585-ed. with pp. [533]-654 (i.e. 655), [2] pp. incl. engr. title, 29 double-page pl. Added, as in other copies, to enlarge the previous edition: "Es gibt Mischformen zwischen der Ausgabe 1583 und der "Editio auctior" 1585 [...] bei fortlaufender Zählung" (VD16). Ref. VD16 ZV-5653.
3. Belgici Leonis Chorographia Das ist Ein Newe Landt beschreibung des Belgischen Lewen in XVII Provincien des gantzen Niderlandts aussgetheylet. 1587. [4 incl. engr. title] pp., XVII-[6] pl., 1 fold. map (sm. worm work in the bottom of some quires with min. marg. impact on last pl., missing of paper restored on the margin of f. F1, map: some tears without loss on folds, pinhole, missing of paper restored in the lower right-hand corner with very sm. defect on the border of the pl.). First ed., ill. with engr. title and 25 double-page engravings: 17 maps and 8 portraits (Philip II, Elisabeth I, Margaret of Parma, dukes Alexander Farnese and Ferdinand Alvares of Alba, Luis Requesens, Juan of Austria and William of Orange), and fold. "Leo Belgicus" map in 2nd state. Ref. VD16 E-4777. - Meurer, Atlantes Colonienses, 110:ETZ 1. - VdHeijden, Leo Belgicus 1.2.
Prov. Partly cut old ms. entry on 1st title, ms. purchase note dated 1878 and traces of bookplate on inside cover.