Circus - Aken, Hermann van Aken and Henri Martin. List of all the animals in this menagerie of H. van Aken and Martin, together with a short description of the more remarkable ones and their way of life (cover title). With 1 multiple folded woodcut plate with 4 illustrations, one monogrammed "I. P. f(eci)t". Hanover, printed by the Jänecke brothers, 1827. 28 pp. 16 x 10 cm. Illustrated original green cover; the front cover shows a zebra, the back cover an ostrich, each with border (front cover with faint stamp, somewhat faded and with small marginal defect, the back cover with brown stain). Not in the KVK, for this probably earliest edition no bibliographical evidence can be found for us. - Very rare advertisement for the famous menagerie of Hermann van Aken (1797-1834) and Henri Martin (1793-1882), which was probably sold before the gates of the exhibition. - Like his three brothers, Hermann van Aken, the youngest son of a Dutch menagerie owner and animal dealer, also set up his own traveling menagerie at an early age together with his sister Cornelia Wilhelmine Gertrude van Aken; Cornelia married the famous French tamer Henri Martin (1793-1882), who soon became a partner in the Aken menagerie and toured Europe with it between 1823 and 1829. - The pretty illustrations on the plate show Martin performing a number, including a mandrill, zebra and an ostrich. - Cover and plate (verso) with old, barely legible stamp "Stolberg."; stag carrying a cross. - From page 19 with brown stain in upper margin. VAT: *