Feuer Buech

Name:

Helm, Franz, approximately 1500-1567

Timespan:

Early works to 1800

Date:

1584

Description:

Treatise on munitions and explosive devices, with many illustrations of the various devices and their uses.

Language:

German

Relation:

Unique at Penn blog post: https://repository.upenn.edu/uniqueatpenn/6/

Subject:

Chemistry -- History; Chemistry; History; Explosives -- Early works to 1800; Fireworks -- Early works to 1800; Military art and science -- Early works to 1800; Military art and science; Ordnance -- Manufacture -- History; Ordnance -- Manufacture; Fireworks; Explosives

Resource Type:

Text

Form/Genre:

Codices; Drawings (visual works); Manuscripts, German; Manuscripts, Renaissance; manuscripts (documents)

Physical Description:

235 leaves : paper, color illustrations; 307 x 200 (220 x 122) mm bound to 313 x 209 mm

Rights:

https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/

Notes:

Ms. codex.; Title from caption title (f. 1r); other manuscripts of the same text titled Buch von den probierten Künsten.; Collation: [i], [I, II]-[XIX, XX]³ ⁵, XXI², [XXII-XXIII]-[XXVIII-XXIX]⁵ ³, XXX⁴(-1), [i]; i.e., alternating quires of 3 and 5, except for quire XXI² and quire XXX⁴(-1). First and last leaf are endleaves.; Foliation: Paper, i + 235 + i; [1-235]; modern foliation in pencil, upper right recto. Catchwords used only when a rubric follows, and can be on any page, recto or verso, in lower right corner.; Layout: Written in 20-22 lines, frame ruled in red ink.; Script: Written in a cursive script.; Decoration: Thirty-four illustrations in color, two of which (ff. 159v and 160v) are pasted in, possibly cut from another manuscript (the paper is of a different quality, the color palette is different, and ascenders from another hand are visible at the bottom of the illustration on f. 159v). Extensive rubrication.; Watermark: Similar to Briquet 257 (Graz, 1582).; Binding: Limp vellum with three concentric botanical borders and stamp in center of upper cover with the arms of Freiherr von Clam. Sewn on five split bands with decorative endbands.; Origin: Written in Germany in 1584 (f. 1r).; Incipit of title page (f. 1r): Feuer Buech, durch Eurem gelertten Kriegs verstenndigen mit grossem Vleis auss villen Probiertten Kunsten ...; The illustrations in this manuscript are similar to those in Berlin, Staatsb. ms. germ. qu. 1188. In his study of the text, W. Hassenstein gives no date for the Berlin manuscript, although it appears to be 15th century (cf. Hassenstein, Das Feuerwerkbuch von 1420 (Munich, 1941), p. 121). Compare Hassenstein, Bild 33 with f. 174r of the present manuscript, and Hassenstein, Bild 34 with f. 185v.; Forms part of: Edgar F. Smith Memorial Collection.; German.

Physical Location:

Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, Manuscripts, Oversize Ms. Codex 109