Arte Di Maneggiar La Spada A Piedi, Et A Cavallo.
Loano, Francesco Castello 1619.
4to. [xii], 213 [r. 123], [1]p. A woodcut Castello device on the title and final verso.
Gilt red morocco (V. Krafft), gilt outer and inner rectangles, gilt corner fleurons, spine and title gilt, all edges gilt, green silk marker.
Only Edition: a dialog on fencing between master and student in three parts. The first treats the art and sport, discusses masters at arms, introduces long and short sword and describes the basic strokes. The second details the strategy, geometry, mathematics and maneuvers of offense and defense, noting that the thrust now dominates and the cut has been abandoned. The final part treats the deadliest mode, mounted fencing. Here the horse’s impetus gives force to the sword and the opponent must be kept on the right hand and ahead — never behind. Antonio Alfieri (1653) copied Gaiani verbatim. I have found two copies in the U.S. In good condition.
¶Anglo, The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe passim; Anglo, “How to Kill a Man at your Ease” in Chivalry in the Renaissance ed. Anglo 12; Ayala, Bibliografia militare-italiana 198; Gelli, Bibliografia generale della scherma 105 (not seen); Fumagalli, Lexicon typographicum Italiæ 188 (the first book printed in Loano); Huth, Works on Horses & Equitation 18; Kelso, Doctrine of the English Gentleman 382.
Price: $14,500.00