The greatest Swedish topographical work, with 354 engraved plates

Erik Dahlbergh:

Suecia antiqua et hodierna. 1-3.

[Stockholm c. 1667-1716.] Bound in standing folio, with plates folding. (31,5 x 23,5 cms.) Complete with 354 engraved plates including the extra plate ”Templum Ulricae Eleonorae” (the Swedish Church in London, 1728). Printed index at end (ed. 1756, 14 pp., slightly creased).

The three parts bound together in standing folio format, the rare and most desired state of the work, typical of early copies. Contemporary full calf, gilt spine with raised bands. Lightly worn with neat repair to top of spine, several plates with pale dampstain to outer marign, sometimes affecting lower corners of images. Later bookplate of F. C. Koch.

Rarely seen in such an attractive state of preservation, with plates in early, strong impressions, and with only very few short nicks or tears.

Erik Dahlbergh’s (1625­1703) inspiration for this magnum opus was the ”Theatrum Europaeum”. His privilege is dated 1661, engraving began in 1667 and continued for decades, ending only in about 1715. The plates depict Sweden’s castles, cities and mounuments, and a large number of mostly foreign engravers were employed: Nicolas and Adam Perelle, Jean Marot, Jean Le Pautre, F. Campion, Dionysius Padt Brugge, Willem Swidde, Erik Reitz, Martin Mytens, Johannes Van den Aveelen and Samuel von Blesendorf. The work was never actually published, but used for important gifts of the state. The plates are still preserved, and impressions of decreasing quality have been pulled well into the 20h century. A printed text to accompany the plates was planned, but never completed.

Sten G. Lindberg, Swedish Books, 37. Collijn, 1600-talet, col. 197. A monograph by Börje Magnusson and Jonas Nordin about the illustrations was published in 2015 (in Swedish), ”Drömmen om storkmakten. Erik Dahlberghs Sverige”. Dahlbergh’s drawings for the work are in the Royal Library, Stockholm, and were published in four volumes in 1963-70.

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