1507 Kronica von der loblichen Eydtgnoschaft ir harkommen... by Petermann Etterlin. Printed by Furter in Basel

Richly illustrated, printed in 1507, the first chronicle of Switzerland including the Swabian War (which gave them de facto independence from the Holy Roman Empire), and the first book to illustrate William Tell shooting the apple from his son's head. With illustrations from the master engraver (whose full name is unknown) with the initials DS.

Full Title: Kronica von der loblichen E dtgnoschaft ir harkommen und sust seltzam strittenn und Geschichten.

About the Work -

Etterlin drew on earlier sources, like Schedel, but updated them to include the recent war victories giving Switzerland independence. Etterlin, a soldier, was an eye witness to the recent wars and describes them richly. Etterlin then had his work printed in Basel, a college town of the Swiss movement since the college was established in the 1460s.

About William Tell -

According to some accounts, Gessler was the newly appointed Austrian Vogt of Altdorf, Switzerland. He raised a pole over the village Lindentree, hung his hat on top of it, and demanded that all the townsfolk bow before it. In 1307, Tell visited Altdorf with his young son. He passed by the hat, but publicly refused to bow to it, and was consequently arrested. Gessler was intrigued by Tell's famed marksmanship, but resentful of his defiance, so he devised a cruel punishment. Tell and his son were both to be executed; however, he could redeem his life by shooting an apple off the head of his son Walter in a single attempt. Tell split the apple with a bolt from his crossbow. Gessler then noticed that Tell had removed two crossbow bolts from his quiver, so he asked why. Tell was reluctant to answer, but Gessler promised that he would not kill him; he replied that, had he killed his son, he would have killed Gessler with the second bolt. Gessler was furious and ordered Tell to be bound, saying that he had promised to spare his life, but would imprison him for the remainder of his life. Tell was being carried in Gessler's boat to the dungeon in the castle at Kussnacht when a storm broke on Lake Lucerne, and the guards were afraid that their boat would sink. They begged Gessler to remove Tell's shackles so that he could take the helm and save them. Gessler gave in, but Tell steered the boat to a rocky place and leaped out. He then became a hero in the rebellion.

About the Illustrations by Master DS

Six of the thirteen unique illustrations (there are many repeats) are attributed to the artist/engraver with the initials DS, which include the Imperial Arms surrounded by the arms of the Swiss, the view of Lucerne and the scene of William Tell. It is also noted that the view of Lucerne may also be the first engraving of Lucerne.

The first four illustrations depict St. Meinrad, who established the monastery of Einsiedeln.

Bibliographic Details -

Universal Short Title Catalogue (USTC) numbers 670269 and 670268; 26 copies recorded in the world's libraries (of the United States, there are two copies, one at The Morgan and the other at John Hopkins University Library).

Physical Attributes -

Measures approx. 27.5 x 20 x 2.5 cm. Hardcover binding; boards covered in sprinkled paper. Spine and corners leather. Spine with four raised bands; one compartment with the title in gilt on darker leather. All edges sprinkled red.

Pages - xvi, plate of arms, leaves numbered individually 1-124 (verso of last leaf blank).

Collation - viii, A-U6, X5 (blank X6 missing). See notes in condition, there may be a blank A1 that is missing; it's hard to tell if the coat-of-arms is A1, or a tipped-in plate.

Since I prepared an illustrations list, I'll include it here for posterity.

Key - r=recto, v=verso, *=repeat

Title page inhabited initial, full-page royal court back to title page, leaf signed A1r arms of Switzerland, 2r, 2v, 3r, 3v, 4v, 6r, 7r, 14r*, 15r, 17r*, 22v, 45v*, 47r*, 72r, 74r*, 79r*, 87r*, 92v*, 96v, 103v*, 105r*, 106v*, 107v*, 109v*, 111v*, 114v*, 116r*

Not counting the title page inhabited initial, 29 illustrations, thirteen of which are unique (the others being repeats).

Condition -

See pictures. Binding worn, more at corners and edges. Some starting to joints. "HZZ" and "R367" written on the pastedown. No flyleaf or binder's endpapers.

Title page with a wash to the inhabited initial, some ink initials, several rust spots, and paper repair to some tears from the edges; illustration on the verso of the title page also has wash coloring. Some marginal annotations throughout, starting on the second leaf. Thumbing, toning throughout, with occasional fox spots. Paper repair top edge leaf v, also bottom edge of viii. Some small page edge tears from turning throughout. Intermittent moisture spot at bottom corner from 65 to rear.

Blank last leaf, the sixth in gathering X, was not bound into this copy.

Note, a catalogue mentions that the engraving of the arms of Switzerland may be a tipped-in plate, and a blank leaf A1 might be present in some copies. I don't find this in the scanned copies, or mentioned in the USTC, but it's possible; there may be a blank leaf, the first of the A gathering, that is not bound into this copy, if the arms was printed as a separate plate.