Winter de Adlersflügel, Georg Simon

Tractatio Nova de Re Equaria Complectens partes tres ... & in usum quoque exterarum nationum è Germanico in Latinum, Italicum & Gallicum translata. Nuremberg:  for Wolfgang Moritz Endter, 1687



Folio (13 1/8 x 8 in.; 332 x 203 mm). Engraved title by P. Troschel, 2 letter-press titles, 45 engraved plates (plus a duplicate of no. 14) of which 6 are double-page and 2 with two subjects, one double-page table (between pp. 112 & 113), parallel text in Latin, German, Italian, and French, decorative woodcut initials; discreetly washed, page 168 soiled with repaired tear entering (but not obscuring) text, two plates with mended tears entering image, small stain in outer edge of one plate. Contemporary blind-ruled calf, gilt-tooled fore-edges; rebacked, corners and edges rubbed, head of spine tearing.

Nissen ZBI 4426; Mennessier de la Lance II, p. 649; Wells 8288

Second edition in Latin. Evidently composed in German, and first published in that language in 1674, the first Latin appeared in 1672. Providing a complete description of the organization and management of a stud-farm, with discussion of stable architecture, the physical and psychological characteristics of horses, and their breeds, the work was extremely popular in both languages and was republished several times in the author's lifetime. This edition adds two plates to those of the first edition, at pages 105 and 124.

Winter (1634–after 1690) was a master of horse breeding at Ansbach (formerly Onolzbach), Güterstein, Offenhausen and Marbach bei Münsingen. Dedicated to the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I, the wonderful plates depict a variety of breeds, the faults and beauties of the horse, and the coupling of the stallion, donkey and bull with a mare.