820 - Germany - Hesse - Landau, Georg. The Knightly Castles of Hesse and Their Owners. 4 volumes in 2 volumes. With 4 lithographed title pages, 14 lithographed views, and 12 genealogical tables, some of which are fold-out. Kassel, Luckhardt and Bohne, 1832–1839. 19 x 12 cm. Contemporary black, smoothed half-leather bindings with Romantic-style gilt spines and red spine labels; the covers are lined with blind-embossed marbled paper and pink endpapers; edges marbled (edges slightly rubbed).

Germany - Hesse - Landau, Georg. The Knightly Castles of Hesse and Their Owners. 4 volumes in 2 volumes. With 4 lithographed title pages, 14 lithographed views, and 12 genealogical tables, some of which are fold-out. Kassel, Luckhardt and Bohne, 1832–1839. 19 x 12 cm. Contemporary black, smoothed half-leather bindings with Romantic-style gilt spines and red spine labels; the covers are lined with blind-embossed marbled paper and pink endpapers; edges marbled (edges slightly rubbed). The only edition of his first work. - ADB 17, 584 - Kosch DLL IX, 848 - NDB 13, 482. - For Landau (1807–55), who was rooted in the Romantic ideals of his time, the focus was on the everyday lives of the people (NDB). This work was “the first fruit of his studies … It describes the 60 castles in both Hessens and the neighboring countries that are important to Hessian history ... This history of the Hessian nobility, based on sources in the archives of Kurhessen as well as in the secret state archive in Darmstadt, has been compiled with great diligence.” (ADB). - With views of Hanstein, Schweinsberg, Haselstein (title vignette), Brandenfels, Weidelberg, Fürstenstein (title vignette), Gelnhausen, Buchenau, Altenburg near Felsberg, Wallenstein, Tannenberg, Steckelberg (title vignette), Stauffenberg, Eisenbach, Hermannstein (title vignette), Ludwigseck, Hatzfeld, Melnau. - Slightly yellowed and with a few scattered foxing spots; overall, a fine copy in decorative bindings. *