The Pretext of Mushroom Collecting
while Poaching in the Weser District
Decree of Charles I, duke of Brunswick-Luneburg (1713-1780, accession to the throne 1735, nephew of Emperor Charles VI and brother-in-law of Frederick the Great, founder of the Collegium Carolinum), on behalf of the pretext of collecting mushrooms while poaching in the Weser district (Höxter-Holzminden). Given Brunswick Feb. 18. 1768. 34.7 x 41.5 cm. 1 page. With large woodcut initial. With the ducal signature printed with the L(oco) S(igilli) mark and that of J. H. v. Bötticher.
In this variant thematically rare ,
frame-attractive broadsheet for placarding
( “ and to be posted up publicly at appropriate places ” )
of unused freshness. Only in the outmost white margin two pinhead-small holes at the centre fold. – Typographic and large figurative (knight?) watermark. – At the back contemporary written note of “18. Febr: 1768.” in ink. – On Charles see Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie XV, 266 ff.
“ Since … it has been noticed that poachers, when they fear to be picked up, have hidden their guns, crept around in the forests, and pretended to search mushrooms; as We decree by this … that from now on nobody furthermore shall dare to collect mushrooms without a written and each time to be shown concession granted by the superior forest servants … (otherwise they) shall be brought into arrest, and proceeded with the inquisition against them. ”
Forest and hunting servants are urged to enforce this will.
The large V initial in the version with prince’s hat and Lower Saxony’s horse without escutcheon, but with the additional small crown. Decrees from between 1705 and 1749 without these attributes.
Of especially effective typography + original wide margins .
Offer no. 12,553 / EUR 371. / export price EUR 352. (c. US$ 494.) + shipping
„ … sind die Dachse perfekt verpackt und verschnürt bei mir … angekommen. Schon das Auspacken des Bildes hat mir große Freude gemacht und der ‚Ridinger‘ gefällt mir sehr gut, da es eine realistische Stimmung am Bau wiederspiegelt … werde ihn unter meiner Dachsschwarte aufhängen … Ich nehme dies zum Anlaß auch weiterhin in ihrem Fundus zu suchen … Besonderen Dank auch für die Beilage der Dez. 08 Ausgabe von Wild & Hund mit dem gelungenen (Ridinger-)Artikel … Ihnen nochmals herzlichen Dank für ihre fabelhafte Arbeit … “
(Herr K. R., 19. Juni 2009)