Dedicated to today’s
Gamekeepers & Huntsmen
of his Mind
Hermann Löns


Joseph Georg Wintter
(1751 Munich 1789)
The Hunter lurking for the Stag of 10 Points / The Stag of 10 Points barked dead.
2 sheet on 1. Etchings. (1777.) 4⅛ × 5 in (10.6 × 12.8 cm).
From the 44-sheet Augsburg omnibus edition of 1821 Schwerdt III, 190, a ( “Rare”, 1928 )
Offer no. 15,658 / EUR 690. / export price EUR 656. (c. US$ 832.) + shipping
Hunting Paths
Shaken by Him — the Shooter
“ Why for god’s sake Mister Hunzelmeier ,
why do you always shoot both barrels at once ---- ?
“ Well — why not — I can afford it -- ! ”
Friedrich Leonhard Heubner (Dresden 1886 – Munich 1974). The Swell. Rowed by a good fellow into the reed for goose — but so far only the shot cartridge cases fill the boat. Pen and ink with wash. Inscribed: F H (19)19. 10¾ × 7½ in (273 × 190 mm).
Vollmer II, 436. – From Heubner’s (the “F” of the monogram here legible as “T”) time in Munich, so editor’s note, for the Jugend or one of the other illustrated papers for which he worked. Title & caption – in German – in pencil by supposedly a member of the editors.
Offer no. 12,050 / EUR 291. / export price EUR 276. (c. US$ 350.) + shipping
“Oculi , here they are”
Snipe Hunt. In front at the water two attentive hounds, the birds at which one of the hunters in the reed points his gun already in view. Chalk lithograph printed with beige tone plate by Eugen Krüger (Altona 1832 – Düsternbrook/Kiel 1876) for Boyes & Geisler in Hamburg. (1861-62.) Inscribed: Gez. u. lith. v. E. Krüger, title in German as before. 9¾ × 12⅛ in (24.8 × 30.8 cm).
From the First Edition of the 22 sheet set incl. title (The Hunt drawn and lithographed) (Souhart 275; Rump 40). – With the printer’s address “(Printed by Winckelmann & Sons in Berlin)”.
Not in Schwerdt! – Thieme-Becker XXI, 593 & Boetticher I/2, 808 f., all with the second edition only which was published in 1867 as (Game and Forest) by O. Meissner in Hamburg. – On light cardboard. – On the back foxing, on the front not affecting the image and only slightly perceptible in the white margin.
Offer no. 28,889 / EUR 340. / export price EUR 323. (c. US$ 410.) + shipping
Wood Grouse Courting. (Morging.) As before.
Offer no. 28,891 / EUR 430. / export price EUR 409. (c. US$ 519.) + shipping
Fox Lodge. As before.
Offer no. 28,894 / EUR 340. / export price EUR 323. (c. US$ 410.) + shipping
(L.) Hofmann. Der vollkommene Jäger mit dem Vorsteh=Hunde und sichere Schütze. 2nd, enlarged edition. Ed. by Carl Timlich (a relative of the author’s). Vienna, Tendler and v. Manstein, 1824. With 6 full-page engraved plates. 1 l. title, XVIII, 227 pp., 1 p. contents. Green-brown marbled contemp. boards. Marbled head edge.
Lindner 11.0981.02; Schwerdt I, 245. – This edition not in Lindner’s own Bibliotheca Tiliana. – Printed by J. P. Sollinger in Vienna. – The first edition with only 5 plates at about the same volume of text was published in 1808, a third one with only 2 plates followed in 1834.
The market-fresh copy
of ducal Bavarian provenance
with its written library number “3566” on small label over an older one below at the spine. – Page 212 mispaginated “221”. – Plates 3 & 4 trimmed with slight loss of text on the right. – Pages 59/60 brown spot in the white lower margin, 202/202 tiny little ochre-colored spot affecting the text yet at the recto only, p. 215 backed old tear in the white lower margin. Minimal, almost unsuspicious scraping on the front cover, the lower corner at the back insignificantly pushed, otherwise
inside as outside of untouched freshness .
CONTAINS About the Pointer – About the Raising of Young Dogs (49 pp.) – About the Qualities of a Pointer and its Natural Faults – About the Conservation of the Dog – About the Seasons one can use the Pointer and their Sequence to the Order – About the Partridge – About the Pheasant – About the Quail – About the Hare – About the Wild Rabbit – About some Usual Diseases and Cure of the Dogs (18 pp., 6 of which on rabies) – About the Predaceous Animals which do the Most Harm to the Small Hunt (fox, marten, polecat, otter, weasel, hedgehog – “Always detrimental to the hunt for it is an carnivorous animal”! –, night-owl) – About the Gun and the Art to shoot (47 pp.) – About the Crow’s Hut – How one can shoot Wild Ducks by tamed ones – Catching Larks with the Mirror together with an Explanation of the Respective Engraving. – From the preface:
“ Since now there are so many dilettantes and amateurs of the hunt who are not huntsmen who have to earn their bread by it,
but practice the noble hunt just for their pleasure;
so I think to do them a great favor by relating present small yet for the purpose of their diversion very useful and applicable treatise on the usual part of their kind of hunt, by which they are enabled, without having to seek instruction by a huntsman first, to exercise the small hunt properly, and to make the best use of their pointer. ”
Offer no. 15,608 / EUR 470. / export price EUR 447. (c. US$ 567.) + shipping
“The Hare has a Great Many Enemies ,
but the worst is Man”
(Oh! Am I not a Poor Little Hare?) All menaces to a hare’s life, from snares, weasel, fox, wolf, cat, and birds of prey – of the latter even several with feeding at the aerie – up to the larded roast with red wine after the battue in the center field. Wood engraving by Jules Huyot (Toulouse 1841 – Eaubonne 1921) Inscribed: Ph. Müller / Huyot, otherwise typographically in German as above and 3-column distich after an old song. 8⅞ × 12¼ in (22.5 × 31.2 cm). – Barely perceptible faint foxing top left within the subject and at the center of the caption.
Offer no. 12,498 / EUR 97. (c. US$ 123.) + shipping
Henry Alken (1785 London 1851). A Night Scene with Sir Thomas Mostyn (Fox hunting). On slope moderately illuminated by a lantern and moonlight the pack follows the just dug-out fox while the huntsmen, spades still in hands, looking after taken aback. Colored aquatint. 5⅞ × 9½ in (14.9 × 24.2 cm).
Trimmed within the wide white platemark. – “Starting off with a detailed observation of nature for his very exact, mostly colorful works (Alken created) his best drawings and prints … in the 20s and 30s …” (AKL II, 146).
Offer no. 11,758 / EUR 125. (c. US$ 158.) + shipping
Missing in Helbing’s
Gigantic Offer of 1900
Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). How the Deer are stalked in a Deer Park. In spacious, multifariously staged and most richly enacted grounds
the two hunters behind their artificial wall with openings .
Etching & engraving. (1750.) Inscribed: I. El. Ridinger inv. del. & sculp. / verlegt in Augsburg bey Martin Engelbrecht. 9⅞ × 14 in (25 × 35.6 cm).
Thienemann & Schwarz 74; Silesian Ridinger collection at Boerner XXXIX, within 1787 (in “newer impression” only, 1885!); George Hamminger collection within 1529 (with the text, see below) & 1530 (new impressions); Schott, Martin Engelbrecht und seine Nachfolger, p. 150. – Not in the Ridinger catalogs Darmstadt (1999) and Kielce (1997). – Sheet 6 of the instructive 30-sheet set Ways to trap the Wild Animals (“A rare set, of importance to those who are interested in the various methods of trapping wild animals”, Schwerdt 1928, and “Rarest of All Hunting Sets by Ridinger” [Halle, Munich 1928, LXVIII/323]), as a whole missing even in Helbing’s monumental offer Arbeiten von J. E. und M. E. Ridinger (catalog XXXIV [1900], 1554 lots) and moreover
one of the five missing there also as individual sheet !
The in its painterly conception also pictorially outstanding sheet in a marvelous impression of rich chiaroscuro with 3-4, above 2.5 cm margin around on the prime-quality cloudy paper known for old though somewhat later impressions.
One of the four mysterious sheets of the Ways to trap
(& Th. 75, 89, 91) which bear the address of Martin Engelbrecht (1684-1756, the equal-named publishing house till 1827) in Augsburg already from early on, but usually show up without the explaining caption which, however, was known to Thienemann (1856) via Weigel and
for Th. 91 , The Badger captured with the Turnpike ,
Detail of the original copper printing plate “The Badger captured with the Turnpike”
is confirmed per the original copper printing plate present here .
But, notabene, also with the address of Engelbrecht as Schwarz 74, 89 & 91, too. Two and one resp. of the sheets in question with the caption in the collections Hamminger (Th. 74 & 91) and Schwerdt (Th. 91).
Nevertheless the captions deviate from the other sheets of the set by both their brevity and stylistically and Ridinger’s inscription with Latinized “I” as documented only rarely and then for supposedly mostly early works, partly not yet etched by himself. Whereas Engelbrecht’s “published at” instead of the usual “excudit” rather suggests the period after Ridinger when about 1824/25 a new edition was published by Engelbrecht-Hertzberg. Where the set of the Ways to trap the Wild Animals totaled only 28 sheet anymore though.
However, said sheets occur in throughout fine printing quality almost always on laid paper while aforesaid new edition was printed on cloudy vélin (watermarks Thurneisen or Oeser Basel, cf. lot 5172 of the Tenner sale 142, 1982). This then again and again and especially in the absence of deeper knowledge giving rise to according qualifications. So as “before the letter” (Hamminger for Th. 75 & 89; “Exceedingly rare!”, 1895), “Before the letter, only with the artist’s name and (Engelbrecht’s) address” (Schwarz, 1910, in conformity to the above, for 74a & 75), “Proofs” (Schwerdt, 1928, for Th. 74, 75 & 89), “Early impressions before the text” of the otherwise “four sheets published later only” (L’Art Ancien, 1939, on occasion of the offer of the Schwerdt copy), “Prints before the letter, just with artist name and address” (counts Faber-Castell, 1958), “States on laid paper with inscription & Engelbrecht’s address, but before title and caption“ (here, 1978, with the first reference to the insufficiently described characteristics and the priority of the states).
Not forgetting, too, that Ridinger’s earliest and still rarer hunting set, Great Gentlemen’s Pleasure in Various Hunts, still engraved by third party, Th. 1-8, had been published about 1722 by Engelbrecht. All in all thus quite imaginable
that these four plates actually are already from Ridinger’s early period ,
that is between c. 1724 and 1728 as the first appearance of his inscription as etcher/engraver, too (“sculps. Aqua forti”, so for the animal pieces after Johann Heinrich Roos, Th. 793-802), until 1728 still for third parties. If with or still without caption has to remain undecided just as Engelbrecht’s part in it.
Offer no. 14,667 / EUR 630. / export price EUR 599. (c. US$ 759.) + shipping
– – – The same on strong laid paper with typographic watermark (WANGEN?). – Below trimmed within the still 13 mm wide white platemark (9⅛ × 14⅛ in [23.3 × 36 cm]). Otherwise with fine margin around the here c. 8 mm wide white platemark.
Offer no. 16,146 / EUR 585. / export price EUR 556. (c. US$ 705.) + shipping
niemeyer’s — where the unusual is at home
“A Chief Boar”
Stabbing. Wood engraving after Ludwig Beckmann (Hanover 1822 – Dusseldorf 1902). Inscribed in the stock: LB (ligated), otherwise typographically as above. 4¼ × 5¾ in (10.7 × 14.5 cm). – Contemporary impression of 1873 without text. – Thieme-Becker III, 156:
“ His bear and boar hunts painted especially for English connoisseurs were well received; they distinguish themselves by a sharp observation of animal life. The best known though he became by his drawings for the wood engraving … As cynologist Beckmann was an authority of first rank. ”
His still highly esteemed standard work: History and Description of the Races of the Hounds, 2 vols., Brunswick 1894-95, with 86 plates, available here in fine half calf-binding.
Offer no. 11,177 / EUR 60. (c. US$ 76.) + shipping
“The Immigrants”
(Rabbit) Population of the Hunting Grounds. Wood engraving by Jules Huyot (Toulouse 1841 – Eaubonne 1921) after Henri Télory (Strasbourg 1820 – 1874/75). (1873.) Inscribed: Telory / Huyot, otherwise in German as above. 9 × 12⅜ in (23 × 31.4 cm). – In the white margin faintly age-spotted.
Offer no. 11,174 / EUR 95. (c. US$ 120.) + shipping
Rabbit Hunt with the Ferret. One is catched by the assistant when leaving the earth while others are caught in nets or already laid to the bag besides the pickaxe. Meanwhile the hunter reloads. On the left the cage for the ferrets. Chalk lithograph printed with beige tone plate by Eugen Krüger as above. 10¼ × 12⅜ in (26.1 × 31.5 cm).
Offer no. 28,895 / EUR 340. / export price EUR 323. (c. US$ 410.) + shipping
“… comes he now
at this noble winged game …”
Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). How the Capercaillies are shot before the Capercaillie dog or Yapper. In original wood cock flown up in a tree along with firing huntsman. Etching with engraving. (1750.) Inscribed: Joh. El. Ridinger del. sculps. et excud. Aug. Vind., otherwise as above & instructive caption in German each. 9¾ × 14¼ in (24.7 × 36.3 cm).
Thienemann & Schwarz 94; Dietrich Stahl, (On the Hunt with Alerting Bird Dogs), in Et Multum et Multa, Festgabe für Kurt Lindner, 1971, pp. 385 ff. with ills. 2. – Sheet 26 of the set of the Ways to trap the Wild Animals.
“ It certainly belongs to the rarities in the field of the hunting technique having one kind of hunting been preserved practically unchanged through centuries down to our present time. This is especially true if it is about such a specific hunt as that with bark alerting bird dogs … Johann Elias Ridinger has represented this hunt in a particularly fine sheet … After all it has its quite peculiar charm to do such an old, unchanged traditional kind of hunting ”
(Stahl). – In the margin 3.2-4.7 cm wide partially unessentially timemarked. Pinhead-small brown spot in the foliage of the upper edge of the subject.
Offer no. 15,756 / EUR 630. / export price EUR 599. (c. US$ 759.) + shipping
– – – The same on strong laid paper with typographic watermark WANGEN (?) and 1-1.4 cm margin around the itself 5 mm wide white platemark.
Offer no. 16,159 / EUR 590. / export price EUR 561. (c. US$ 711.) + shipping
“About Dusk”
Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). Innocence is often saved through the Hatred of the Evil. An owl once cheated by the fox warns “a flock of wild geese” to praise the death of Reynard the Fox as guaranteed. Etching & engraving by Martin Elias Ridinger (1731 Augsburg 1780). After 1767. Inscribed: J. El. Ridinger. inv. et del. / M. El. Ridinger. sc. et exc: A. V., otherwise in German, Latin, and French as before. 13¼ × 9¾ in (33.6 × 24.7 cm).
Thienemann & Schwarz 781; Metzner-Raabe, Illustr. Fabelbuch, 1998, vol. II, 123.I. – Sheet 17 of the Fables. – Small figurative watermark. – Additionally to the fine white platemark with also wide paper margin on two sides. In the narrower left one old traces of stitching.
The exceptionally rare first supplementary sheet
of the intellectually as optically exceedingly charming Instructive Fables from the Animal Kingdom for Improvement of the Manners and especially for Instruction of the Youth.
Offer no. 12,511 / EUR 946. / export price EUR 899. (c. US$ 1140.) + shipping
Thematically as the Sheet itself
“Extremely Rare”
“ A Rare Case! ”
Eagle Owl — Hare — Hunter — Triad
Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). The poor hare falls to the sun-shy owl’s share and this to the hunter’s barrel /: A rare case!:/ … Etching & engraving by Martin Elias Ridinger (1731 Augsburg 1780). Inscribed: III. / Joh. El. Ridinger inv. et del. / Mart. El. Ridinger sculps. Aug. Vind., otherwise in German as before and below. 13¾ × 9¼ in (34.9 × 23.6 cm).
Thienemann & Schwarz 346; Silesian Ridinger collection at Boerner XXXIX, 1868 ( “Very rare”, 1885!); Reich auf Biehla Collection 93 ( “Extremely rare”, 1894! ); Helbing XXXIV, Arbeiten von J. E. und M. E. Ridinger, 860 (“Rare”, 1900).
Sheet III of the 46-sheet set On the Special Events and Incidents at the Hunt ( “The rarest set of Ridinger’s sporting line engravings”, Schwerdt 1928) etched exclusively by Martin Elias after predominantly his father’s designs and concluded posthumously in 1779.
Wide-margined impression of very fine chiaroscuro originating from the omnibus volume of the old estate of a nobleman with typographic watermark as supposed countermark of the Wangen papermill as one of Ridinger’s preferred firm laid paper qualities with the Roman number (“If they are missing, so this indicates later impressions”, Th.). – Acid-freely backed small tear as well as small box pleat at the white upper edge.
Offer no. 15,705 / EUR 870. / export price EUR 827. (c. US$ 1049.) + shipping
– – – Bird-catcher going to the Fowling-floor with his Utensils. Oiseleur sur L’oiselerie tirant les filets. Etching and engraving by Martin Elias Ridinger (1731 Augsburg 1780). C. 1764. Inscribed: Joh. El. Ridinger inv. del. et exc. Aug. Vind. / Mart. El. Ridinger sculps., otherwise in German-French as above. 13⅜ × 10¼ in (34 × 26 cm).
Thienemann & Schwarz 131; Deutsches Leben der Vergangenheit, Eugen Diederichs Verlag, ill. 1482. – Sheet 19 (“S.”) of the 25-sheet set of Hunters and Falconers with their Work.
Shining contrast-rich on buff laid paper as characteristic of the contemporary impressions. – Typographic watermark. – At the sides with 3.8-4 cm of fine, top and below with 7.8 and 7 cm resp. excellently wide margins.
Offer no. 28,593 / EUR 760. / export price EUR 722. (c. US$ 915.) + shipping
From the Wild Hunter to Saint Hubert
Johann Christian Reinhart (Hof 1761 – Rom 1847). The Landscape with Saint Hubert. Etching. Inscribed on stone lower right in the subject “R (ligated JR?) / 1811.” & left below the subject J. C. Reinhart inv. et fec. Romæ 1810 (sic!). 8⅛ × 10⅝ in (20.7 × 26.9 cm).
Provenance
J. E. Wetterauer
oldmaster prints and drawings
his smaller round monogram stamp in black verso
(Lugt 4267, after 2000, in use for but a few months)
along with inventory no. 3666
Andresen-Feuchtmayer 123, II (of III); Nagler, Monogramists, IV, 3507 (as “R”), 1; the same, Künstler-Lex., 50. – Plate 1 of the 6-sheet set of landscapes dated in the lower margin with 1805, 1810 & 1815, “one of which with the legend of Saint Hubert” (Nagler 50-55; Weigel, Art Stock Cat., IV [1837], 5327 [impressions on toned paper]). – One of the few plates in the œuvre with additional monogram:
“ Most plates bear the name of the artist, only few the letter R and C.R. With R (5) are inscribed: 1) The Landscape with Saint Hubert, 1811. … ”
(Nagler). – Not among the 172 illustrations of the – compared with the first edition of 1927 – richly enlarged second one of 1949 of Huyghebaert’s Sint Hubertus Patroon van de Jagers in Woord en Beeld.
THE STAGE-LIKE COMPOSED RICH SUJET – the saint, however, in Dürer-German manner with the plume hat kept on! – in very fine impression with margins of 0.3 (below) up to 0.8 cm all around on toned vélin. – Browning on the back including two faint tidemarks at the edge, the former almost only perceptible somewhat on the front lower right in the white margin, of the tidemarks only the one on the left and that only barely.
Offer no. 15,176 / EUR 790. / export price EUR 751. (c. US$ 952.) + shipping
– – – The Landscape with the Hunter and the Two Hounds. On dominating tree-covered rock plateau from which the vista leads far into the country. Etching. Inscribed left below the subject: C Reinhart Romæ 1815. 8 × 10⅝ in (20.3 × 27.1 cm). – Provenance as before –
Andresen-Feuchtmayer 128, II (of III); Feuchtmayer ill. 431; Nagler 50. – Closing plate of the set as above. – Very fine impression with 3-7 mm margin on three sides – lower left just below the platemark – on toned vélin. – Feeble brown spots on the back not showing through to the subject, a faint tidemark on the right margin here quite minimally perceptible.
Offer no. 15,177 / EUR 430. / export price EUR 409. (c. US$ 519.) + shipping
Decree of Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg (1735-1806, ascension to the throne 1780, nephew of Frederick the Great) postponing this year’s opening of the hunt in agreement with similar Royal Prussian and Electoral Brunswick decrees “because of this year’s later ripeness of field crops” to September 12. Published Brunswick August 23, 1799. (1799.) 13⅞ × 16¾ in (35.3 × 42.5 cm). 1 page. With large woodcut initial. With the ducal signature printed together with the “L(oco) S(igilli)” stamp and that of C. v. Praun.
Framing-grandiose broadsheet for placarding
( “in the villages and else at the usual places and ends” )
of impeccable freshness of the paper, but the centerfold torn top and below, with the upper tear still including the second large opening line. Below, however, only the wide white margin in concerned. Both cases carefully repaired. – With large armorial watermark and further small figurative one. – Interesting the reference to especially Prussian decrees. – Of especially effective typography & with untrimmed wide margins.
Offer no. 13,005 / EUR 166. (c. US$ 210.) + shipping
“Twilight of the Hares”
Still without the 3rd Hare
at which , however , one of the Hunters just aims
Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). Lying in wait for Hares and How They are driven by the Stoberhund. In rich hilly wooded landscape “Two Stoberhunds in the most fleetingly run” drive two – in the engraving three ! – hares before the guns of two hunters. Pencil & black chalk. C. 1729. 10¾ × 16 in (273 × 408 mm).
Provenance
Dr. Edward Peart
(1756/58 – 1824)
his written E P. front below left
( “wrote the initials of his name onto each sheet” )
Lugt 891; Nagler, Monogramists, II, 1723
Exhibition
(Fine Hunting Bag — Pictures of Hunting)
Dr. Hanns Simon Foundation Bitburg
January 13 – March 3, 2013
Literature
Catalog Book to the Exhibition
Pages 44/45 (double full-page detail illustration in color) ,
erroneously as The Spring of the Hounds as exhibited, too (our 28,878) +& page 148/I
The preparatory drawing in reverse used for the transfer into the plate – recto traced, verso ruddled – of Th. 45 as sheet 33 of the Accomplished and Thorough Representations of the Excellent Princes’ Pleasure or the Noble Hunting … invented brought into Copper … Anno 1729
Johann Elias Ridinger, Lying in wait for Hares.
Etching & engraving. (1729.) – Th. 45.
as Ridinger’s first hunting set now etched/engraved and published by himself and in accordance with the master’s continual didactic intent at the same time a practical instruction
“ … and drawn from life ”.
Of the two hunters here on the left the back one still aiming while the front one just fires at the first hare in full flight with
the fire of the one in front
and the ignition lock of the one still aiming very nicely visible .
The second hare is already shot down. On execution of the plate Ridinger seems to have noticed that the direction of the just aiming shooter’s barrel rather misses, otherwise is meant for the same target the neighbor already fires at. So he slightly changed the direction of the barrel, set the first of the two dogs somewhat back
and established in the free space a third hare .
On the other hand in the engraving the reserve gun leaning at the two already bagged hares is missing.
Fine large-sized early
pictorially worked painterly drawing
which found its own ways already early and therefore in 1830 did not pass with the 32-sheet (among which 2 duplicate versions) block of preparatory drawings to the Princes’ Pleasure into the immense Weigel inventory of the master’s bequest of drawings and therefore remained unknown to Thienemann (1856, page 274, a, “partly in brown ink and wash, partly in pencil and chalk”, the latter as also present here) just as to the Ridinger appendix of the 1869 catalog of the Collection of Original Drawings now bequeathed by J. A. G. Weigel.
The edge of the sheet somewhat age-marked with slight impairment of the “E” of the Peart initial. Here and there unobtrusively somewhat fox spotted, in the outer part of the subject below left a narrow 3 cm dirt stripe, otherwise of fine general impression.
From the collection of the physician practicing and publishing in London & Butterwick, Dr. Edward Peart (1756 or 1758 – Butterwick at Gainsborough 1824), “art connoisseur in London, started a collection of drawings and prints.” By his hand supposedly also the inscription “Ridinger 1750” on the back below right, the latter put far too late. “This collection was scattered (per 1822)” (Nagler, 1860, continuing). From this then now here & now the master’s early hare hunting as
a Ridinger trouvaille of prime degree
set into an acid-free passepartout with with 23.5-carat gilt stamped artist’s name and dates.
Offer no. 15,438 / price on application
– – – How the Hares are hunted with Hounds. In open hilly landscape with trees and shrubbery spanned by a splendid rainbow near a farm two huntsmen gallop “after the hounds which are (already only too gladly) about to seize a little hare. Behind some hunters on foot and searching hounds” (Th.). Etching & engraving. (1729.) Inscribed: Avec privil. de Sa Maj. Imp. / I. El. Ridinger inv. pinx. sculps. et excud. A.V., otherwise as above and with German-French didactical text. 13¼ × 16¼ in (33.5 × 41.3 cm).
Thienemann & Schwarz 46; Catalog Weigel XXVIII (1857), Ridinger appendix 3A (“Old impressions with the original title. The paper has lines as watermark.”). – From the unnumbered early 36-sheet Princes’ Pleasure, listed by literature as its 34th sheet. – Margins on three sides 2.8-3.6, on the right 5.7 cm wide.
The thrillingly dynamic , painterly sheet
in marvelous impression of deeply staggered vibrant chiaroscuro
as in such quality rare of old .
Offer no. 15,484 / EUR 1300. / export price EUR 1235. (c. US$ 1566.) + shipping
Good Hunting
A Unique from Famous Stable
Georg Philipp Rugendas II
1701 Augsburg 1774
Pen & brush drawing in brown-black and grey resp. over occasional pencil, grey wash. Inscribed with the pen lower left below the fine border, both in brown ink: G. P. Rug. Junior. invenit A1736. 9⅞ × 7⅜ in (252 × 188 mm).
On strong Jean Villedary laid paper (“IV ILLEDARY”), the paper mill prospering for 150 years in Angoulême (acc. to Churchill, 1935, p. 21 from 1668 to 1758) and then in resumption or as a branch at Hattem/Netherlands. – Under acid-free passepartout with 23.5-carat gilt stamped artist’s name and dates.
The in every detail typical signature probably somewhat paled, on the back below not shining through into the subject the diagonally set S-sequence of a child’s printing set with touch of an attempt of cure, otherwise perfectly fresh and mounted at the edges onto a cutout.
Motif-beautiful work determined by
the softness of its brush technique ,
so Gode Krämer in the 1998 Augsburg Rugendas catalog (p. 45/II) on occasion of other works of the younger Georg Philipp, sensitively executed and with dainty wash, as representing the best of his drawings. “His strength lies in the careful, pictorial execution” (Krämer, op. cit., 46/I). Usually he worked after his father’s designs and those of third parties, especially also after Johann Heinrich Roos.
Apparently based on an idea of his father’s, present one already excels just thematically.
Motifs with the hunter and his hunting luck are generally rare.
Here then as the sole content of the subject. From famous stable.
Offer no. 15,182 / price on application
“Sniffing at Deer Scents”
Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). Leader. Etching/Inscribed: J. E. R. f. / N. 4., otherwise in German as above. 7¼ × 6 in (18.3 × 15.4 cm). – Thienemann & Schwarz 394. – Sheet 4 of the instructive set Design of Several Animals from its first edition with its strong laid paper. – “These plates are much wanted …” (Th. 1856). – Margins above & below 6.4-6.7 cm, laterally 1.7-2.3 cm wide. – At the upper edge still both the two original fine pricks. – The “frequently copied” (Th.) classic sujet .
Offer no. 15,636 / EUR 220. (c. US$ 279.) + shipping
– – – Bloodhound. As above. – Thienemann 400. – Plate 10 of the set.
Offer no. 15,642 / EUR 235. (c. US$ 298.) + shipping
Hound. Colored chalk lithograph by Langlumé in Paris. C. 1822-24. 9¼ × 11¼ in (23.5 × 28.5 cm). – On buff vélin untrimmed on three sides. – ALSO IN COLORING VERY CHARMING , EARLY LITHOGRAPH .
Offer no. 12,215 / EUR 176. (c. US$ 223.) + shipping
Depart pour la Chasse. Young hunter taking leave of his housewife while the groom holds the horse. Impatient the two hounds. Placed back a village on foot of a pictorial range of hills. Aquatint for M. V. Turgis, Paris. C. 1850. 10⅜ × 13⅞ in (26.5 × 35.3 cm). – With four lines caption. – Of splendid chiaroscuro.
Offer no. 12,047 / EUR 199. (c. US$ 252.) + shipping
“… pay painstaking attention to the trace”
Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). The Confirming of the Noble Stag with the Leader. Copper-printing-plate in reverse to Thienemann 16. (1729.) Inscribed: Ioh. El. Ridinger inv. pinx. sc. et exc. A. V. / avec priv. de sa M. Imp. 12 × 9¼ in (30.5 × 23.4 cm). – The optically excellently preserved original printing-plate
in the reddish golden brilliance of its 290 years old copper .
Sheltered from tarnishing by fine application of varnish, the plate is printable generally in the ordinary course of its use during the times. But it is offered and sold as a work of art and an object of collecting. Thus without prejudice to its final printing quality. Proposed to you with the recommendation of a timeless-elegantly frameless hanging (fittings included) for that you will experience the reflection of the respective light to the fullest. Thus hang up as unwrapped,
so delight is the fullest .
Offer no. 14,994 / price on application
ridinger – for eye-turners extraordinaire
Alphonse de Neuville (St. Omer 1836 – 1885). L’Ouverture de la Chasse. Refreshment in the hunting district with pipe and beer, while 1 hare already exhausted 3 of the hunting party. Toned wood engraving by Jules Huyot (Toulouse 1841 – Eaubonne 1921). C. 1870. 8½ × 12⅜ in (21.6 × 31.5 cm).
Boetticher III, 148. – Neuville was pupil of i. a. Delacroix and has made himself “known as draughtsman, too”. Otherwise predominantly history and battle painter. – Some small foxspots and faint tidemark in the wide margin.
Offer no. 11,977 / EUR 189. (c. US$ 240.) + shipping
6 x Wall-uniform
Red Deer by an Early Consummate
“ did as Huntsman
most Studies from Nature ”
Friedrich Happel Hunting Scenes from Original Drawings. Set of 6 sheet tinted lithographs by C. Diedrich in Arnsberg. Arnsberg, H. F. Grote, 1856. Large obl. fol. (sheet size c. 13⅜ × 16⅛-17⅜ in [34 × 41-44 cm]; image size incl. caption c. 10-10⅜ × 11-12 in [25.5-26.5 × 28-30.5 cm]). Inscribed: Gez. v. Fr(iedr). Happel / Lithographie, Druck &/u. Eigenthum v. C. Diedrich in Arnsberg / caption as below / In Commission bei H. F. Grote in Arnsberg. Loosely in green-blue orig. wrapper with vignette of a resting stag of odd 10 points. – Not in Schwerdt (1928).
The due to an inevitably quite scanty œuvre
very scarce set
of A Herd of Deer moving to the Woods – A Herd of Fair Deer – The Rutting Stag – The Stag at Bay – The Falling Stag – The Startled Hind with the Fawn .
“ Animal painter and etcher … (Happel) observed as passionate hunter … life and doings of all fair game … thoroughly and delineated it freshly and characteristically.
As one of the first in this field
H. holds a remarkable place in the Dusseldorf school of painting ”
(Thieme-Becker XVI [1923], 17). – On both sides of the subject’s lower edge each original pinhole from adjusting the tone plate. – The attractively designed wrapper slightly worn and laminated for general reinforcement on light acid-free carton.
Offer no. 15,828 / EUR 1380. / export price EUR 1311. (c. US$ 1662.) + shipping
“For the Fox”
Fox Hunting. At picture-dominating mighty oak of a forest with Flemish vistas leading differentiatedly into the depth the fox finds himself at bay by two hounds. Rushing to the scene from the right hunter with boar pike blowing the horn. Engraving for Jeremias Wolff (1663 [1673?] – 1724) in Augsburg. Inscribed: Jeremias Wolff Excud. Aug. Vind. 6¾ × 10 in (17 × 25.5 cm).
VERY RARE SHEET with doubts with regard to the engraver: “If some (Nagler: many) of the engravings bearing just W.’s address (‘Jer. Wolff exc.’) are by him himself cannot be decided”. – With margins of 3-8 mm and mounted by old on grey-blue laid paper. – Almost only in the upper margin foxed and in the left incl. of the platemark watermarked, both rather feeble, in the subject itself only quite isolated negligible spot-like touch.
Offer no. 15,147 / EUR 230. (c. US$ 292.) + shipping
The 28-points Stag
with the Leader
shot on the Dodenau meadow
in the Battenberg upper forest on the Eder
under the Little Pit Hole
Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). This Stag of 28 Points has been shot by His Highness the ruling landgrave – Louis VIII – at Hesse-Darmstadt near Battenberg in the forest of the same name on October 10, 1742. Copper-printing-plate in reverse. Inscribed: Joh. El. Ridinger del. sculps. et exc. Aug. Vind. 1753, otherwise in German as above. 13¾ × 9⅞ in (34.9 × 25.2 cm).
The optically excellently preserved original printing-plate
in the reddish golden brilliance of its 265 years old copper
to sheet 57 (etching/engraving, Thienemann 299) of the set of the Representation of the Most Wondrous Deer and other Animals.
Exhibition
(Fine Hunting Bag — Pictures of Hunting)
Dr. Hanns Simon Foundation Bitburg
January 13 – March 3, 2013
Literature
Catalog Book to the Exhibition
Pages 8 & 149/I
Sheltered from tarnishing by fine application of varnish, the plate is printable generally in the ordinary course of its use during the times. But it is offered and sold as a work of art and an object of collecting. Thus without prejudice to its final printing quality. Proposed to you with the recommendation of a timeless-elegantly frameless hanging (fittings included) for that you will experience the reflection of the respective light to the fullest. Thus hang up as unwrapped,
so delight is the fullest .
Offer no. 15,008 / price on application
– – – Representations designed from Nature … Etching & engraving. Inscribed in German: All drawn from life and published by Johann Elias Ridinger in Augspurg in the year 1750. May. 10th, otherwise as before along with 8 lines explanation in German. 9¾ × 14¼ in (24.9 × 36.3 cm).
Thienemann & Schwarz (vol. I, plate V & ill. p. 69) 69; Ridinger catalog Darmstadt, 1999, V.9 with ills.; Ridinger catalog Kielce, 1997, 27. – The wide white margin partially minimally foxing.
The only rarely to be captured constructive title sheet
— “ belongs to the Finest Engravings of German Rococo ” —
( L’Art Ancien 1938 ) to the 30-plate set of the Ways to trap the Wild Animals, that “highly interesting work (containing) beautiful and remarkable sheets … drawn from life” (Nagler) and showing the practician everything he needs outdoors. – Known on the market from the 1980s the richly washed original drawing in the same direction as the engraving from the small group of the master’s bewitchingly beautiful painterlies. – Supposedly watermarked WANGEN as one of the papers preferred by Ridinger.
Offer no. 15,848 / EUR 630. / export price EUR 599. (c. US$ 759.) + shipping
“Extremely rare”
and that already 120/130 years ago !
The Hunters’
and the Hounds’ Pleasure
Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). The Pleasure of Hunting. Refreshment, and rest of huntsmen & pack(s). Two stations with 6 lines caption each on 1 sheet. Etching & engraving by Martin Elias Ridinger (1731 Augsburg 1780). Inscribed: XVII. / Ioh. El. Ridinger, inv. et del. / Mart. El. Ridinger, sculps. A. V. 12⅜ × 8¼ in (31.5 × 21 cm).
Thienemann & Schwarz 360; Silesian Ridinger collection at Boerner XXXIX, 1876 ( “Extremely rare”, 1885! ); Reich auf Biehla Collection 104 ( “Extremely rare”, 1894! ).
Sheet XVII of the 46-sheet set To the Special Events and Incidents at the Hunt ( “The rarest set of Ridinger’s sporting line engravings”, Schwerdt) etched exclusively by Martin Elias after predominantly his father’s designs and concluded posthumously in 1779.
Wide-margined impression originating from the omnibus volume of the old estate of a nobleman on firm laid paper with watermark Anchor JH with the Roman number (“If they are missing, so this indicates later impressions”, Th.).
Offer no. 15,713 / EUR 730. / export price EUR 694. (c. US$ 880.) + shipping
Well Trained. Hound bringing a hare to the hunter meanwhile fallen asleep under an oak. Wood engraving by Jules Huyot (Toulouse 1841 – Eaubonne 1921) after Henri Télory (Strasbourg 1820 – 1874/75). (1873.) Inscribed: Telory / Huyot, otherwise in German as above. 5⅝ × 8⅜ in (14.2 × 21.2 cm).
Offer no. 11,180 / EUR 69. (c. US$ 87.) + shipping
Antonio Tempesta (Florence 1555 – Rome 1630). Shooting Wolves. Front left with the gun with depiction of the use of the ramrod, too, besides an already killed one. In the center two others follow the carrion of a sheep dragged by a horseman, observed by a huntsman sitting in a tree. In the distance a further one captured in the trap shall be slain, alternatively done with the javelin. Etching by or for Claes Jansz. Visscher de Jonghe (1586 Amsterdam 1652). (1639.) 4⅛ × 5½ in (10.5 × 14 cm).
Schwerdt II, 251 (“proof impressions”). – On fine, wide-margined laid paper with typographic watermark as presumably countermark to the coat-of-arms watermark of several further sheets of the set present here.
Highly instructive and also very painterly sheet
from the second part of the 32-sheet set of the Aucupationis Multifariæ Effegies Artificiosissimé depictæ et inventæ ab Antonio Tempesta Florentino and present here as with Schwerdt in
early impression before the letter
with just the number “12” on the right in the wide white lower platemark from the collection “EK” not identified by Lugt with its small black round monogram stamp on the back (ligated, Lugt 3549, drawings and prints of the 17th to 19th centuries) as well as erroneous attribution to Christoffel van Sichem “about 1550 – 1600 / Delft – Augsburg” in pencil.
Offer no. 28,558 / EUR 135. (c. US$ 171.) + shipping
The
“Snub-Eared Main Boar”
and its Packer
doubtless one of the optically most lovely one
among the master’s original copper-printing-plates
Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). This Snub=Eared Main Boar with cropped Tail which on the left had the large Tusk broken off and on the right the Tusks grown crosswise His Princely Highness the ruling Landgrave Louis (VIII) of Hesse-Darmstadt has cropped the ears with high hand himself 12. years ago and in the 1749th year January 18 wounded in the Forest of Bessum (south of Darmstadt) and ditto 30th even shot in the All Saints Forest (north of D.). Copper-printing-plate in reverse. Inscribed: J. E. Ridinger del. sculps. et excud. A. V. 1753., otherwise in German as before. 13¾ × 9⅞ in (34.9 × 25.2 cm).
The optically excellently preserved original printing-plate
in the reddish golden brilliance of its 261 years old copper
to sheet 58 (etching & engraving, Th. 300) of the set of the Most Wondrous Deer and other Animals.
Exhibition
(Fine Hunting Bag — Pictures of Hunting)
Dr. Hanns Simon Foundation Bitburg
January 13 – March 3, 2013
Literature
Catalog Book to the Exhibition
pages 8 & 149/I
Sheltered from tarnishing by fine application of varnish, the plate is printable generally in the ordinary course of its use during the times. But it is offered and sold as a work of art and an object of collecting. Thus without prejudice to its final printing quality. Proposed to you with the recommendation of a timeless-elegantly frameless hanging (fittings included) for that you will experience the reflection of the respective light to the fullest. Thus hang up as unwrapped,
so delight is the fullest .
Offer no. 15,009 / price on application
Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). The Wolf in the Iron Trap. The iron mounted on a chain strangling the neck. Etching & engraving. (1750.) Inscribed: Joh. El. Ridinger inv. del. sculps. et excud. Aug. Vind., otherwise in German as before. 9¾ × 14⅜ in (24.9 × 36.4 cm).
Thienemann & Schwarz 85; Schwerdt III, 135, 17 (“A rare set, of importance to those who are interested in the various methods of trapping wild animals”). – Sheet 17 of the Ways to trap the Wild Animals regarded by Halle in Munich in 1928 as the “Rarest of all hunting sets by Ridinger” (LXVIII/323). – Instructive 6-line caption. – Rich in contrast. – Repairs in the left margin and below left partly touching also still the white platemark.
Offer no. 28,010 / EUR 445. / export price EUR 423. (c. US$ 536.) + shipping
– – – The same on strong laid paper with large fleur-de-lis watermark. – Margins on three sides 12 mm, below 4 mm wide in addition to the white platemark of 5 mm. – Two pleats originating from printing still extending into the subject perceptible in outline within the caption only. – At/close to the lower left corner small restored tears in the white paper margin.
Offer no. 16,150 / EUR 445. / export price EUR 423. (c. US$ 536.) + shipping
Carl Friedrich Deiker (Wetzlar 1836 – Dusseldorf 1892). Fox on the Springe Path. Reynard the Fox stalking for thrush flesh. Wood engraving by C. (?) Bothe. (1873.) Inscribed: C. F. Deiker / Bothe sc., otherwise as above. 11 × 7¼ in (28.1 × 18.3 cm).
Offer no. 11,186 / EUR 101. (c. US$ 128.) + shipping
niemeyer’s — always stalking for you
Decree by Charles I, Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg (1713-1780, ascension to the throne 1735, nephew of Emperor Charles VI and brother-in-law of Frederick the Great, founder of the Collegium Carolinum)
concerning carrion places and shooting cabins.
Published Brunswick November 5, 1767. 13½ × 16½ in (34.3 × 42 cm). 1 page. With large woodcut initial. With the ducal signature printed together with the L(oco) S(igilli) stamp and that of J. H. v. Bötticher.
Thematically rarer ,
frame-attractive broadsheet determined for placarding
( “in the villages and else at the usual places and ends” )
of unused freshness. – On Charles see Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie XV, 266 ff. – Typographic (CBW) and large figurative princely hat watermark.
Consideration between the lower chase interested in such places and cabins for “felling the game” and the high chase fearing disadvantages by this and also the concern, the game could “be driven out of the wood (by this) to the disadvantage of the public”. Ergo “that none should be allowed to set up a carrion place or shooting cabin in his lower chase under which, however, the craw, starling or other cabins in which only birds are chased are not comprehended”. Forest and hunting servants are urged to enforce such will.
The large V initial with Lower Saxony’s horse and princely hat inserted again lately here in the version with escutcheon, but simultaneously omitting the additional small crown. Decrees between 1705 and 1749 traded here without these attributes.
Of especially effective typography
&
with untrimmed wide margins
along with typographic garnishing out of the ordinary: in the white left margin two traces of the printer’s fingers! Otherwise with double note in pencil on the back and even slight tone.
Offer no. 13,024 / EUR 343. / export price EUR 326. (c. US$ 413.) + shipping
Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). The Catching of the Bears. In dense forest a pit baited by a honey pot, into which one of the bears just falls, while the other goes off roaring. Etching & engraving. (1729.) Inscribed: avec privil. de Sa. Maj. Imp. / I. El. Ridinger inv. pinx. Sculps. et excud. Aug.Vind., otherwise as above and with German-French didactical text. 13⅛ × 16⅛ in (33.3 × 41 cm).
Thienemann & Schwarz 30; Catalog Weigel XXVIII (1857), Ridinger appendix 3A (“Old impressions with the original title. The paper has lines as watermark.”). – From the unnumbered early 36-sheet Princes’ Pleasure, listed by literature as its 18th sheet. – Margins 3-4.7 cm wide. – Small wormhole in the lower left of the subject and inconspicuous tiny abrasion in the central foliage. On the back scribbles by a collector’s grandson.
The as instructive as painterly sheet
in marvelous impression of vibrant chiaroscuro
as in such quality rare of old .
Offer no. 15,480 / EUR 1100. / export price EUR 1045. (c. US$ 1325.) + shipping
Samuel Howitt (1756 – Somers Town 1822). A Trap to Shoot the Bear. The bear in the spring-gun, stretched up high, reaching in strained expectation for the honey-pot, licking the freely running golden juice, and by this triggering the two shots. Aquatint by Howitt & Matthew Dubourg (fl. London 1808-38) in its original coloring. Inscribed: Howitt Del. / Published & Sold Jany. 1st. 1813, by Edwd. Orme Bond Street, London. / Howitt & Dubourg Sculpt., otherwise as above. 11⅛ × 9⅛ in (18.3 × 23.1 cm).
Tooley 224, 75. – Tooley 224, 75. – From the 1st edition of FOREIGN FIELD SPORTS completed in 1814, Schwerdt I (1928), 177 ff.: “The coloured plates … especially those drawn by Howitt, are fine, both as regards draughtsmanship and colouring … (The book) is sure to increase in value … ”.
Offer no. 11,776 / EUR 107. (c. US$ 136.) + shipping
Again and again
The Brawl about the Fox
Etching by Thomas Landseer (1795 London 1880). (1827-28.) Inscribed: Proof., otherwise as below. 7⅞ × 6½ in (19.9 × 16.5 cm). – On specially wide-margined buff paper. – In the outermost white margin really faint foxing.
Fine proof on large paper
with the Somervile verse from The Chase :
“ Faithful to the track, th’unerring hounds
With peals of echoing vengeance close pursue.
Thou villain there / Expect the fate deserved! ”
From the famous set of the Monkeyana , one of the but few early and thus typical works by Landseer :
“ That Thomas Landseer may be judged only by these illustrations a little book with woodcuts proves which show next to nothing of his intellect ”.
Worked since 1827 the 25 etchings incl. title were published in numbers and with classical captions at Moon, Boys & Graves in London till 1828 (The English Catalogue of Books: January to December) in three editions: standard edition in quarto, edition on larger paper in large quarto, edition with proofs in large quarto, too. Besides copies on mounted China. – Otherwise qualified by Rümann i. a. :
“ Much more important was Edwin’s brother Thomas Landseer …
in the 20s he distinguished himself by a series of 25 plates that were published 1828 under the title of ‘Monkeyana’ (ills. 57).
Technically his etchings are masterly ,
no less admirable the intellectual grasp of the subject. With much humor and sharp observation he transfers the plain life of his time to the monkey’s life. His sarcasm is biting, almost vicious. ”
In regard of the latter judgement Landseer’s contemporary Nagler, Monogramists V, 686, might be more to the point: “ … the habits, costumes, and follies of his time (Landseer has) caricatured delectably ” .
And Stechow sovereignly sums up : “ Monkeys always fascinated artists ” (Pieter Bruegel, Cologne 1977, page 76). – Later Thomas Landseer devoted himself largely to the reproduction of the animal depictions by his brother Sir Edwin.
Offer no. 5,377 / EUR 240. (c. US$ 304.) + shipping
Rarely in the Picture


The Hunters’ Practical Know-how
Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). The Gutting of Hare & Stag. Set of 2 sheet. Etching with engraving. Inscribed: J(oh). E(l). Ridinger inv. del. sc. et exc. A(ug). V(ind)., otherwise in German as below. 14¼ × 11 in (36.2-36.3 × 28.1 cm).
Thienemann & Schwarz (vol. I, VI f.) 99-100; Weigel XXVIII, Ridinger, 8 A; Nagler 41; Silesian Ridinger collection at Boerner XXXIX, 1788/89 ( “Very rare”, 1885! ); Coppenrath Collection II, 1457 ( “Very rare ”, 1889! ); Reich auf Biehla Collection 16 (“rare”, 1894!); Gg. Hamminger Collection 1539 (“Rare”, 1895!); Schwerdt III, 135; Ortega y Gasset, Meditationen über die Jagd, 1981, ills. pp. 87 & 73; Ridinger Catalog Darmstadt, 1999, V.1 & 2 with illustrations.
Missing in Helbing’s 1554-sheet offer of 1900
just as in 1940 in that of Rosenthal (444 nos.). For the preparatory drawing on the curée of the stag of 1758, now Bavarian private collection, see Schwerdt III, 215 with plate 251, qualified as
“ … quite apart from its artistic value ,
an interesting document from a historical point of view ”
with the distinguishing result of illustration of both each in both Schwarz and Ortega, too.
THE PICTORIALLY AS THEMATICALLY RICH PENDANTS
the stag sheet of which l’Art Ancien 1939 (list 14, no. 30 with ills.) described on occasion of the offer of the Schwerdt drawing above in spaced type as
“ One of the most beautiful Ridinger plates .”
After only recent passing through of a copy – previous intervals up to 13 years! – the old omnibus volume from the estate of a nobleman come in unexpectedly revealed what is what and rested concealed through the centuries. Here then, numbered by old hand above the platemark XI & XII, on uniform, yet variedly strong laid paper with typographic watermark, the slightly lighter one’s WANGEN as the quality particularly esteemed by the Ridingers. – The hare sheet partially inked a little too much, the right lower corner of the stag sheet somewhat age spotted. – Margins above & below 4.8-5.4, laterally 1.9-2.8 cm wide, at the left the old stitching edge.
Offer no. 15,704 / EUR 1700. / export price EUR 1615. (c. US$ 2048.) + shipping
– – – The Hare Sheet alone in a splendid impression trimmed to/within the platemark with 3 mm white margin around and in the text field not even the longest descenders touched. – Th. 99. – See the complete description.
Offer no. 16,169 / EUR 590. / export price EUR 561. (c. US$ 711.) + shipping
– – – The Stag Sheet alone in a later, albeit fine warm-toned impression of rich chiaroscuro on wove paper with margins 1.5-2.5 cm wide around. Top left in this three small tears backed acid-freely and two smaller tear-offs. – See the complete description.
Offer no. 16,170 / EUR 590. / export price EUR 561. (c. US$ 711.) + shipping
niemeyer’s — for finest ridingeriana
Badger Digging. The badger has been dug out – and every participant holds his variant ready to get at his rind. Up to the master of the hunt with the revolver. Front right the picnic basket for the hunting breakfast afterwards. Wood engraving by Jules Huyot (Toulouse 1841 – Eaubonne 1921) after Henri Télory (Strasbourg 1820 – 1874/75). (1873.) Inscribed: Telory / Huyot sc, otherwise in German as above. 9 × 12½ in (22.9 × 31.8 cm).
Offer no. 11,175 / EUR 101. (c. US$ 128.) + shipping
Johannes Stradanus (= Jan van der Straet, Brugge 1523 – Florence 1605). Obruitur saxis Taxus laqueisque dolosis … The variety of hunting the badger, the multitude of hunters and hounds. Engraving with etching by or for Philip Galle (1537 Antwerp 1612). (1578.) Inscribed: Io(hann)es Strada. inuen. / Phls Galle excud. 8⅜ × 11⅛ in (21.4 × 28.3 cm).
Nagler, Stradanus, XVII, 449; Wurzbach, Philip Galle, 27; Schwerdt II, 227; Catalogue Marchegg, 1978, 108 with ills. – Sheet 75 of the 2nd part of Venationes ferarum … of altogether 104 – later supposedly even more – sheets, worked after Stradanus by various engravers and published by Ph. Galle. The plates, however, had been used in other compilations, too. Thus here under the removal of the number. – Latin distich. – For the preparatory drawing in reverse see catalogue Jeanson 528 along with illustration. – With surrounding margin of 4-5 mm and mounted by old before previous binding on laid paper. The resulting centerfold almost perceptible in the white margin only.
Very fine impression still with plate dirt in the text margin of this instructive early representation.
Offer no. 28,101 / EUR 251. / export price EUR 238. (c. US$ 302.) + shipping
One of the quite early
Representations of Bird Hunting
– – Intentus merulis Auceps, sic retia tendit. Bird Hunt with Crossbows (Balesters). Engraving with etching as above, here sheet 32 as likewise marvelous impression still with plate dirt. – Catalog DJM, 1979, 5759 with ills. p. 66 (engraving & contemp. ballester).
Offer no. 28,100 / EUR 340. / export price EUR 323. (c. US$ 410.) + shipping
Adrien Emmanuel Marie (Neuilly-sur-Seine/Paris 1848 – Cádiz 1891 [?]). Catch in the Throw Net. In clouded night the two hunters throw the net over the 14-head covey. Wood engraving by Jules Huyot as above. Inscribed: Huyot / Adrien Marie, otherwise in German as above. 5¾ × 8¾ in (14.6 × 22.1 cm).
Offer no. 11,189 / EUR 81. (c. US$ 103.) + shipping
Jean Edouard Dargent (called Yan’Dargent, St.-Servais, Brittany 1824 – Paris 1899). Chasse à la Bécasse aux États-Unis. Three hunters, hounds, snipes each. Toned wood engraving by Huyot as above. 12 × 8⅝ in (30.4 × 22 cm).
Offer no. 12,006 / EUR 176. (c. US$ 223.) + shipping
Ernest Bellecroix (Alençon, Orne, 1837 – 1877?). Hunting for the Coot. Coot raised by the hound in the shallow water, left behind at the edge of the reeds the hunter, ready to shoot. Wood engraving by Huyot as above. Inscribed: Er. Bellecroix / Huyot, otherwise in German as above. 5¾ × 8½ in (14.5 × 21.7 cm).
Offer no. 11,209 / EUR 69. (c. US$ 87.) + shipping
Alphonse de Neuville (St. Omer 1836 – 1885, pupil of i. a. Delacroix). Les Paysans Braconniers. Cornered poacher at the poached roe, pointing his gun at one of the two constables. Toned wood engraving by Huyot as above. Inscribed and monogrammed resp. 8⅝ × 12½ in (21.8 × 31.8 cm).
Offer no. 11,978 / EUR 138. (c. US$ 175.) + shipping
Lake Wild-See near Seefeld ?
“In the Tÿrol at the Lake Inn …”
Martin Elias Ridinger (1731 Augsburg 1780). In the Tÿrol at the Lake Inn (Lake Wild-See near Seefeld?) it happened as I as forest keeper there took a walk early in the morning that I encountered a so-called white-tailed eagle (Th.: cormorant) with its young ones of which in this moment a large bird of prey (Th.: white-tailed eagle) tried to take a young one, and really took away. Etching with engraving after presumably own design. Inscribed: XXXI. / M. E. Ridinger. sc: A. V., otherwise in German as before. 9⅞ × 13¼ in (25 × 33.5 cm).
Thienemann & Schwarz 374; Reich auf Biehla Collection 116 ( “Extremely rare”, 1894! ); Hamminger Collection 1620 (only within his almost complete set “including very rare sheets”, 1895!); Helbing XXXIV, Arbeiten von J. E. und M. E. Ridinger, 890 ( “Very rare”, 1900! ). – Missing as well in the 1885 Silesian Ridinger collection at Boerner XXXIX as 1889/90 the Coppenrath sale. – Sheet XXXI of the 46-sheet set To the Special Events and Incidents at the Hunt ( “The rarest set of Ridinger’s sporting line engravings”, Schwerdt 1928; present
Tyrolese Lake Inn scenery
marked by Helbing with 50 Goldmark
and thus with great distance to the gross of the other 42 ) ,
etched exclusively by Martin Elias after predominantly his father’s designs and concluded posthumously in 1779. Johann Elias’ hand as draughtsman in this case not supported by his inscription, yet, though regarded by Thienemann as rough,
thematically very fine and in regard of the place very rare .
Compiling recourses of Martin Elias appear possible with one or another sheet of this set.
The set itself “arranged almost throughout so that always two by two harmonize with each other and form pendants, just as they have been sold in pairs, too” (Th.). Here thus with sheet XXXII – In the Lake Ammergau in Bavaria … – , Th. 375.
Warm-toned impression of the first edition
with the Roman number
(“If they are missing, so this indicates later impressions”, Th.), laterally 5.5, otherwise 2.3-3 cm wide-margined. – The slight browning on the back shining through only minimally in the wide margin.
Offer no. 14,652 / EUR 946. / export price EUR 899. (c. US$ 1140.) + shipping
– – – – The same , above & below 2.5-5.8 cm, laterally 6.6-6.7 cm wide. In the white left far margin utterly unessential partial faint little foxing spots in the margins. There also still both the two pinholes from the original stitching in numbers.
Offer no. 15,720 / EUR 1100. / export price EUR 1045. (c. US$ 1325.) + shipping
“In Animal Painting
also distinguished themselves”
Tobias Heinrich Thoman(n) von Hagelstein
1700 Augsburg 1764
Ibex Hunt with Pike and Rifle. In various stages high over the valley. In front left two successful hunters, one of them strapping on the climbing-irons. On a slope behind three huntsmen following a buck while on the opposite height one goes off a ledge. On a plateau in the middle distance a group of hunters occupied with gutting. Mezzotint printed in blue. 14½ × 19 in (36.8 × 48.4 cm).
Blüchel, Die Jagd, I, 149 as color illustration varyingly shortened at the edges (this copy). – Not in Schwerdt. – Watermark Great Crown with Coat of Arms. – Sheet G.3. of a set. – Only partly legible Latin distich & German quatrain:
The ibex , which freshly the …
also the hunter follows up to the highest …
He drives him so forth over the …
And does not rest till only the folks’ leap fails .
Margins on two sides 1-2 cm wide, at the sides trimmed to the edge of the image, but added. Throughout smoothed age-creasing, in the caption left small tear with trace of scraping, some pin-like holes. Generally thus time-marked, but most largely eliminated by the passepartout. The impression itself fine, the sheet as such as its scenery, too,
rare & instructive
for a detail of cultural-historical hunting practice.
On the artist dynasty of the Thomans originating from Lindau and flourishing more than 200 years see Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie XXXVIII, 65 f. Present Tobias Heinrich, youngest son of Ernst Philipp, represented here likewise by precious mezzotints, applied himself – “supposedly under the influence of the Ridingers” (Th.-B.) – especially to the animal subject, but hardly in oil as Welisch’s “In animal painting still excelled …” suggests. Nonetheless, so the latter continuing in Contributions to the History of the Augsburg Painters in the 18th Century, 1901, page 93, he was
“ highly rated by Ridinger , too ”.
Like his father’s mezzotints his are that scarce that even to Nagler (Künstler-Lexicon XVIII, 1848, 360) they were known from hearsay only:
“ P. v. Stetten says … that in later time Thomann has executed several sheet in mezzotint manner which present animals, and the same he says of E. Ph. Thomann von Hagelstein. ”
Yet in such a way they are trouvailles still surpassing their technically conditioned preciousness. For already in 1675 the expert von Sandrart figured
“ clean copies ” of the velvety mezzotint manner
at only about “50-60 (!) … soon after, however,
(the picture) grinds off for it not goes deeply into the copper ”.
Present execution as printed in blue finally an ultimate superelevation, for to the most wily collector drawings and prints on blue paper are worth yet the steepest shooting path.
Offer no. 28,143 / EUR 476. / export price EUR 452. (c. US$ 573.) + shipping
– – – Chamois Hunt. Four groups of hunters, two of them with hounds, at different places hunting with pike and rifle. Mezzotint printed in blue. Inscribed: T.H.Thoman inve. et excud. 14⅜ × 19⅛ in (36.6 × 48.5 cm). – As above as sheet 3.L of a set and likewise in Blüchel.
A fast leap though often saves the chamois ,
When they flee easily from one rock onto the other ,
Alone , as here and there the huntsmen endeavor ,
So they are quite easily felled by shot and spear .
Margins on three sides 1.5 cm wide, on the right trimmed to the subject, but added. Throughout smoothed age-creasing, some pin-like tiny holes, small hair crack in the left upper margin of the image and here and there break through of the platemark. Generally thus significantly time-marked, but most largely eliminated by the passepartout. The impression itself fine.
Offer no. 28,142 / EUR 496. / export price EUR 471. (c. US$ 597.) + shipping
“In the Lake Ammergau in Bavaria

so a Huntsman told me”
Martin Elias Ridinger (1731 Augsburg 1780). In the Lake Ammergau in Bavaria, so a huntsman told me likewise, that as he aimed at a wild (whooper?) swan unexpectedly before he knew it also an especially big (white-tailed) eagle flew so to speak into the shot that he hit this and the other bird together. The huntsman with two hounds and an already bagged smaller bird on the left amongst a group of three trees, the fight of white-tailed eagle/swan over the open water with view on the opposite lakeside. Etching with engraving after his father’s (?) design. Inscribed: XXXII. / M. E. Ridinger. sc: A. V., otherwise in German as before. 9¾ × 13⅛ in (24.6 × 33.3 cm).
Thienemann & Schwarz 375; Reich auf Biehla Collection 117 ( “Extremely rare”, 1894! ); Helbing XXXIV, Arbeiten von J. E. und M. E. Ridinger, 891 ( “Very rare”, 1900! ). – Missing as well in the 1885 Silesian Ridinger collection at Boerner XXXIX as 1889/90 the Coppenrath sale.
Sheet XXXII of the 46-sheet set To the Special Events and Incidents at the Hunt ( “The rarest set of Ridinger’s sporting line engravings”, Schwerdt 1928; present
Ammersee scenery
marked by Helbing by far margin to the sheets of the set
with 80 Goldmark as the second in height ) ,
etched exclusively by Martin Elias after predominantly his father’s designs and concluded posthumously in 1779.
Johann Elias’ hand as draughtsman in the case here not supported by his inscription, but on the market the here not present not inscribed chalk study of an aiming huntsman covered behind a tree from the Hamminger Collection (1895) is brought into connection with him and the sheet here. Compiling recourses of Martin Elias appear possible with one or another sheet of this set.
Wide-margined impression originating from the omnibus volume of the old estate of a nobleman on firm laid paper as Ridinger’s preferred quality
with the Roman number
(“If they are missing, so this indicates later impressions”, Th.). – Margins above & below 3-5.3 cm, laterally 6.2-7 cm wide. The far edge of the white lower and right margin partially most minimally age-marked, in the latter besides utterly unessential partial faint little foxing spots. In the white left margin still both the two pinholes from the original stitching in numbers.
The set itself “arranged almost throughout so that always two by two harmonize with each other and form pendants, just as they have been sold in pairs, too” (Th.). Here thus with plate XXXI – In the Tÿrol at the Lake Inn … – Th. 374.
Offer no. 15,721 / EUR 1500. / export price EUR 1425. (c. US$ 1807.) + shipping
Chamois Hunting. Herd surprised by the hunters on the other side of a crevice and now dashing away in wild flight. Wood engraving by F. (E.?) Seifferth with L. Ruft (?). (1873.) 7¾ × 10⅜ in (19.7 × 26.3 cm). – Some weak mould stains in the wide white margin.
Offer no. 11,224 / EUR 107. (c. US$ 136.) + shipping
Jean Edouard Dargent (called Yan’Dargent, St.-Servais, Brittany 1824 – Paris 1899). Une Chasse aux Chamois en Carniole. Chamois hunting in the Alps. Toned wood engraving by Jules Huyot (Toulouse 1841 – Eaubonne 1921). C. 1870. 8¾ × 12 in (22.2 × 30.6 cm).
Offer no. 11,990 / EUR 220. (c. US$ 279.) + shipping
On the Alpine Hunt. The hunters – one with telescope – in front of alpine scenery, getting over a crevasse. Wood engraving by Richard Illner (1831 Leipsic 1895) after the monogramist T(F?)H. (1873.) 6¾ × 9 in (17.3 × 23 cm). – Isolated slight foxing spots in the white margin wide on three sides.
Offer no. 11,196 / EUR 65. (c. US$ 82.) + shipping
How Rare , How Rich , How Painterly !
Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). Drilling Pike for a wild Cat or Marten. The mighty trap set up in thick forest at springe steps with a greedily grabbing he-cat and detailed A-H. Etching & engraving by Martin Elias Ridinger (1731 Augsburg 1780). (1750.) Inscribed: Joh. El. Ridinger inv. del. et exc. Aug. Vind. / Mart. El. Ridinger sculps. Aug. Vind., otherwise in German as above and below. 10 × 14⅝ in (25.5 × 37.2 cm).
Thienemann & Schwarz 83; Ridinger catalog Darmstadt, 1999, V/16 with ills. – Not in the 1997 Ridinger catalog Kielce. – Plate 15 of the 30-plate set of the Ways to trap the Wild Animals that “highly interesting work (containing) beautiful and remarkable sheets … drawn from life” (Nagler). – With 9 lines caption:
“ Where one sets springes for fieldfare, snipes and other winged game in the narrow wood paths … there quite soon come martens, foxes and wild cats … and take the catched birds (here, however, only one of these as dead bait)
whereby then the hunter goes short . To ease this … ”
Splendid , wide-margined impression of this as constructive as atmospheric sheet.
Offer no. 15,850 / EUR 630. / export price EUR 599. (c. US$ 759.) + shipping
– – – The same in a fine impression on strong laid paper with typographic watermark (WANGEN?) and 5-8 mm wide margin around in addition to the 1 cm wide white platemark.
Offer no. 16,148 / EUR 595. / export price EUR 565. (c. US$ 716.) + shipping
Chamois with Kid assaulted by Bearded Vulture (Lammergeyer). Wood engraving by J. (?) Whymper. (1876.) 8 × 6 in (20.2 × 15.1 cm). – With text sheet by Friedrich von Droste-Hülshoff.
Offer no. 12,384 / EUR 86. (c. US$ 109.) + shipping
Chamois. A complete herd, two animals on the lookout. Wood engraving. (1873.) 6¼ × 4 in (15.9 × 10.3 cm).
Offer no. 11,195 / EUR 46. (c. US$ 58.) + shipping
“Weasel and Marten”
Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). Trace of a Marten / Fore Paws / Hind Paws / Trace of the Weasel / Little Fore Leg / Little Hind Leg. Pine marten in slightly apocalyptic tree landscape looking down at the weasel on the ground. Below the picture the life size traces detailed a-c and d-f resp. Etching and engraving. (1740.) Inscribed: 19. / J. E. Ridinger inv. del. sculps. et excud. Aug. Vind., otherwise in German as above. 14⅝ × 11½ in (37.2 × 29.3 cm).
as model for Franz Marc’s painting “Playing Weasels”
REPRESENTATION OF THE FAIR GAME 19. – Thienemann & Schwarz 181; Stubbe, Ridinger, 1966, pl. 20; Ridinger catalog Darmstadt, 1999, III.29 with illustration. – Posture of the weasel and the lower part of the marten’s tree modified as against the preparatory drawing from 1739 Sälzle, facsimile ed. of all drawings for the set, 1980, pp. 58 f., verändert. – Shining impression rich in contrast with trilaterally narrow margin and upper right trimmed to platemark on 6 cm resp. Margin below 3-3.5 cm wide. – On back above remains of glue strip from previous mounting in boards.
Offer no. 15,770 / EUR 690. / export price EUR 656. (c. US$ 832.) + shipping
– – – – The same with reduced traces as toned lithograph by Hermann Menzler printed by A. Renaud for L. J. Heymann in Berlin. (1863-65.) Inscribed: Gez. v. J. E. Ridinger, lith. v. H. Menzler etc., otherwise in German as above. 14 × 9 in (35.5 × 23 cm).
(Joh. El. Ridinger’s Hunting Album I/14.) – From the “(Representation of the best known Game of Central Europe together with Tracks or Traces)” carried as 1st part. – The whole rare set almost unknown to literature and practically to be completed just peu à peu comprises 80 sheet plus a recently discovered illustrated title of far larger image size (13¾ × 14⅛ in [47.5 × 36 cm]), partly compressed to their principal motif or varied in the environment, resulting in a first-degree collection enrichment. – In the pictorial effect corresponding to that of the aquatint technique not used by Ridinger anymore. – On wide-margined buff paper of impeccable freshness. The inscription of the printer Renaud a little feeble.
Offer no. 28,427 / EUR 355. / export price EUR 337. (c. US$ 427.) + shipping
The reference to Franz Marc’s above painting from 1911, Hoberg-Jansen 144 with illustration, set in context here for the first time. As inspired by Ridinger known hitherto only Marc’s woodcut “Riding School after Ridinger” from 1913 (Lankheit 839) as detail interpretation of the background figure of the mounted rider of the third sheet (Th. 608) of the 1722 Riding School annotated by literature with
“ Illuminating that Marc with his quite intimate knowledge of art history turns to just these masters of the presentation of the horse (Delacroix and Ridinger) of the 19th and 18th centuries resp. as models ”
(Christian von Holst, Franz Marc – Pferde, 2003, pp. 166 ff. within [‘… the Hoofbeats of my Horses’]).
For already his painting “Playing Weasels” from 1911, preceded 1909/10 by the lithograph of the same name, betrays the knowledge of several Ridinger coppers from entirely different sets.
Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). Falconer Groom carrying the Eagle Owl on the hand. / Valet de Faucon tenant les Hibou dess la main. Etching with engraving by Martin Elias Ridinger (1731 Augsburg 1780). C. 1764. Inscribed: Joh. El. Ridinger inven. delin. et excud. Aug. Vind. / Martin Elias Ridinger Sculpsit., otherwise in German-French as above. 13¼ × 10 in (33.7 × 25.5 cm).
Thienemann & Schwarz 120. – Sheet 8 of the 25-sheet set of the Hunters and Falconers with their Work, transferred into copper exclusively by Johann Elias’ eldest. – The preparatory drawing in the National Printroom Munich. – Fleur-de-lis watermark. – The margin 1-1.8 cm wide with faint old mounting spots. – The fine motif as moreover
splendid early impression before the numbering “G”
top right as traded here for but one exception – Helbing XXXIV, Arbeiten von J. E. und M. E. Ridinger (1900), 271 for sheet “M” as highly valued “Proof before all letters and before many later works” – without reference to literature quite occasionally already.
Offer no. 15,822 / EUR 870. / export price EUR 827. (c. US$ 1049.) + shipping
The Eagle Owl. Huntsman with the eagle owl on his arm. Wood engraving after Herbert König (Dresden 1820 – Niederlößnitz near D. 1876). (1876.) Inscribed: HKönig (ligated). 6⅝ × 5⅜ in (16.7 × 13.8 cm).
Offer no. 11,668 / EUR 65. (c. US$ 82.) + shipping
“A Red Buck”
Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). (To Whistle the Roe! or How the Roes are shot on the Call.) On the right at the beginning of a sloping course the roebuck making the death-bound
– “ … the moments of a flight ,
a runaway after the shot , and the like are represented masterly ”
(Franz von Kobell as a “true huntsman” [ADB], 1865) – ,
the doe behind it looking up in surprise. On the left within the thicket under a tree the hunter along with the baiting assistant still pointing the gun with outlined line of fire ( sic! ). Wooded scenery, in front right below the roes a water with a dead tree-trunk sunk in. Pen and brown ink and wash. On the caption mounted on verso
inscribed in brown pen
Johan(n) Elias Ridinger inv. et del: 1758 —.
otherwise in German as above and below. 8⅜ × 14¼ in (214 × 361 mm).
Exhibition
(Fine Hunting Bag — Pictures of Hunting)
Dr. Hanns Simon Foundation Bitburg
January 13 – March 3, 2013
Literature
Catalog Book to the Exhibition
Double full-page detail illustration in color on innercovers and fly-leaves
and once more in color page 43 & page 148/II (text)
Large-sized drawing not executed in copper
thematically complementing the “ Princely Hunting Pleasures ” ,
although in regard of the pure image size remaining behind the oblong format of which, namely c. 5 cm in the height and c. 4 cm in the width, but like those with 6-line explanation (in German) of the procedure, too:
Irrespective of both the thematic and textual nearness to the Prince’s Pleasures worked only about 30 years after this, the drawing obviously not belonged to the extremely extensive bequest of c. 1849 drawings J. A. G. Weigel in Leipsic took over in 1830 and enlarged in the following time. Compare hereto both Thienemann pp. 271 ff. and Weigel’s 1869 Catalog of the Bequeathed Collection of Drawings, pp. 181-231 (1869). But neither provable, too, within other renown collections of drawings.
It seems to have been handed over still by Ridinger himself or soon after him. This not least – see below – supported by a remarkable presentation. For which also the inscription along with the text could have been trimmed and mounted on the back for the purpose of optical adaptation with a pendant regarding the still hunt with the hollow pot which got in here, too, but without any letters.
Conceivable besides their purpose for a series, not brought to an end, of hunting by bait analogously to the Ways to trap the Wild Animals of 1750. So the said stag drawing illustrates the call of the rutting stag by means of the hollow pot. A theme as it is already known from a drawing in upright format in a Bavarian collection, likewise not known in the graphic œuvre, too, and also without inscription.
Such sets of different extent not at all unknown within Ridinger’s drawings and mostly to be proven by same dates, partly even serial numbering, generally however by similar size and same outward creation each time.
Nevertheless entirely by-passed , yet now documented in drawing,
the so exceedingly charming hunt with the mating call .
Trimmed at the fine borderline in brown ink and, quite possibly already contemporarily, mounted by old on laid paper with border washed in green and lined by fine lines in brown ink. The drawing additionally lined by a narrow streak of gilt paper. The whole in its turn mounted on laid paper laminated repeatedly whose margin is washed in black. The inscription mounted on the back – quite top left at the edge of the paper, originally thus on the left directly below the borderline – together with caption with only plain mounting under addition of a further black and omission of the gold lining braided likewise. Within the lining three wormholes coming from back as well as a tender, little perceptible trace only on the front in the image center. An even browness caused by mounting affecting less the effect of the image than rather imparting to it a very fine authentic patina. Shortly,
a drawing worked up for special presentation
documenting Ridinger’s esteem ,
which besides just not became omnipresent as etching, rather documenting for Ridinger a
hunting-technical almost unique
of at once optical splendor !
Offer no. 29,057 / price on application
niemeyer’s — 55 years ridinger experience
Didactic Pieces of Hunting
Ernst Philipp Thoman(n) von Hagelstein (1657 Augsburg 1726). Didactic Pieces of Hunting. Set of 4 sheet. Mezzotints printed in brown. Sheet 1 inscribed: E. P. Thoman. excudit. 13⅞ × 19⅝ in (35.2 × 49.7 cm) and (sheets 1-3) subject size 13½-13¾ × 19¼-19½ in (34.3-35 × 49-49.4 cm) resp.
Schwerdt III, 171, a (Baillie-Grohman’s copy; “ A complete and interesting set ”). – For fitting into an album three sides trimmed to platemark (only sheet 4 with fine margin) and below at loss of the German quatrains & numbering (Schwerdt: N.1–N.4), mounted by old on laid paper and lined in brown ink. In the white upper margin old inventory inscription (Nro 1, 7, 8, 6/Tom: X/Fol 88, 94, 95, 93), also in brown ink. – Smoothed centerfold.
Pictorially & instructively marvelous set
of complete extraordinary rarity
(provable here only the Schwerdt-Baillie-Grohman copy now preserved at the British Museum) in the fine impressions of a comprehensive old stock, richly nuanced in its chiaroscuro and, as all mezzotints by Ernst Philipp, even in individual plates, as here in 55 years also not been present, exceedingly rare. So then, too, as only sheet among the about 27,600 of the first 28 sections of Weigel’s Art Stock Catalog (1838/57; 6,211) just the portrait Rauner as the only one known to Nagler, too, besides a Marten, robbing a Pigeon’s Nest (19,715) figuring as by the son Tobias Heinrich. Which should be a modified repetition of his father’s Marten at the Nest of a Couple of Wild Ducks in the Reeds, on the other hand with regard to the caption certainly missing here along with supposed signature also a casual title by Weigel cannot be precluded.
Wolf Hunt — Fox Hunt — Hare Hunt — Badger and Hedgehog Hunt
The first laterally right quite slightly rubbed and hair-like tiny fold, the second and third with slightly larger worm trace in the subject edge upper left, the third besides with several small to tiny paper abrasions, the fourth finally generally somewhat agemarked with additional smoothed vertical fine fold in the right image field and spot-like paper abrasion and some small glazing spots, all this yet very little disturbing, disguised by the dense action and, as said, moreover with fine paper margin on three sides. Yet foremost as
hedgehog hunt
“ Very rare and never seen by myself in an illustration ”
(Renate Seemann, Naturhistorische Landessammlungen Müritzeum).
Beyond the individual-specific rarity above of together general scarceness as result of the mezzotint technique itself. Already in 1675 the expert von Sandrart figured “clean copies” of the velvety mezzotint manner at just about “50-60 (!) … soon after, however, (the picture) grinds off for it not goes deeply into the copper”. Correspondingly in 1856 Thienemann referring to Ridinger :
“ The mezzotints are almost not to be acquired on the market anymore
… and the by far largest part (of them) …
(I have) only found (in the printroom) at Dresden. ”
On the artist dynasty of the Thomans originating from Lindau and flourishing more than 200 years see Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie XXXVIII, 65 f. Whose relevant present one, Ernst Philipp
“ Did his studies in Italy and acquired fame as
one of the best (but very rare) artists of his time ”
… In the later period of his life he occupied himself with the mezzotint manner and had in this but One predecessor in Augsburg ”
(Nagler, who mentions animal and hunting pieces, according to ADB in just this manner, only from hints by the younger Paul von Stetten, 1731-1808, but himself found “none of these specified in detail” ).
Yet in such a way they are trouvailles still surpassing said technically conditioned preciousness. And here indeed
as a complete didactic set of hunting
a wall decoration par excellence .
Offer no. 28,996 / price on application
The Far Rarer One of the Two Fox Traps
Johann Elias Ridinger (Ulm 1698 – Augsburg 1767). Break Trap set for a Fox. Detailed A-K. Etching & engraving by Martin Elias Ridinger (1731 Augsburg 1780). (1750.) Inscribed: Joh. El. Ridinger inv. et del. / Mart. El. Ridinger sculps. Aug. Vind., otherwise in German as above. 9⅝ × 14½ in (24.5 × 36.7 cm).
Thienemann & Schwarz 87; Ridinger catalog Kielce, 1997, 38 with ill. – Not in the 1999 Ridinger catalog Darmstadt. – Plate 19 of the 30-plate set of the Ways to trap the Wild Animalsthat “highly interesting work (containing) beautiful and remarkable sheets … drawn from life” (Nagler). – With 6 lines caption. – Splendid , wide-margined impression of this for the practician so constructive and for the landscapist so atmospheric sheet. – Wordmark watermark.
Offer no. 15,845 / EUR 630. / export price EUR 599. (c. US$ 759.) + shipping
– – – The same in a fine impression on strong laid paper. – Margins above and on the right 4.6-4.9, on the left and below 1.2-3.3 cm wide with narrow diagonal cut-off of 7 cm in the white margin at the lower left corner.
Offer no. 16,152 / EUR 570. / export price EUR 542. (c. US$ 687.) + shipping
– – – Plank Trap for a Fox on the Pit. Etching/engraving as above, sheet 18 of the set. – Thienemann 86; Ridinger Catalog Darmstadt V.18 with ill. – Warm-toned impression.
Offer no. 28,008 / EUR 562. / export price EUR 534. (c. US$ 677.) + shipping
– – – The same, but evenly slightly browned and trimmed up to the edge of the subject/caption (sheet size 9¼ × 13½ in [23.5 × 34.3 cm]). Within the text at the lower left corner tiny hole backed acid-freely. In such a manner quite age-marked, however, with mat pictorially acceptable. – In the white field right off the title Cyrillic (?) inscription in bister of old.
Offer no. 16,151 / EUR 190. (c. US$ 241.) + shipping
All against All

Hare – Eagle – Wildcat – Hunter
– – – The poor hare in his last plight brings … Hare stricken by the eagle whom the male wildcat bites through the throttle, itself shot by the huntsman. Inclusive of any pre-prey. Etching & engraving by Martin Elias Ridinger (1731 Augsburg 1780). Inscribed: V. / Joh. El. Ridinger inv. et del. / Mart. El. Ridinger Sculps. Aug. Vind., otherwise in German as before. 13⅞ × 10⅛ in (35.3 × 25.8 cm).
Thienemann & Schwarz 348; Reich auf Biehla Collection 95 ( “Rare”, 1894! ). – Sheet V of the 46-sheet set To the Special Events and Incidents at the Hunt, etched exclusively by Martin Elias after predominantly his father’s designs and concluded posthumously in 1779, of which there were but three sheets in the imposing Ridinger collection of Counts Faber-Castell when dissolved in 1958. – With typographic watermark. – Margins 0.9 (right) to 3.1 cm wide which is a wee bit age-spotted below. Likewise faint tidemark in the upper white plate and paper-margin.
Offer no. 14,122 / EUR 706. / export price EUR 671. (c. US$ 851.) + shipping
“New Year’s Eve Mist”
Ernest Bellecroix (Alençon, Orne, 1837 – 1877?). Wolves in Mist. By moon just coming through two of them before a farm only visible ghostly. Wood engraving by Jules Huyot (Toulouse 1841 – Eaubonne 1921). C. 1870. Inscribed: Er. Bellecroix / Huyot., otherwise in German as above. 7⅝ × 8⅝ in (14.8 × 21.8 cm). – Impression of 1873.
Offer no. 11,221 / EUR 65. (c. US$ 82.) + shipping
“His Last Song”
Ludwig Beckmann (Hannover 1822 – Dusseldorf 1902), after. The Last Wood Grouse at Birch Hill. Gliding down to the ground, seized by the throat by the marten. Wood engraving. (1873.) Inscribed: Ludw. Beckmann, otherwise in German as above. 11⅛ × 7½ in (28.3 × 19.2 cm). – Thieme-Becker III, 156 on Beckmann see per Stabbing.
Offer no. 11,167 / EUR 115. (c. US$ 146.) + shipping
„ … sowie herzlichen Dank für Ihre Ausführungen zur Kulturgeschichte / Ihr … “
(Herr H.-J. W., 7. Januar 2010)