Beschreibung:

FREDERIK III, King of Denmark. Lex Regia det er: den Souveraine Konge-Lov, sat og Given af den Stoormegtigste Hvjbaarne Fyrst og Herre Herr Friderich den Tredie, af Guds Naade, Konge til Danmark. [Copenhagen: n.p., 1709].
FREDERIK III, King of Denmark. Lex Regia det er: den Souveraine Konge-Lov, sat og Given af den Stoormegtigste Hvjbaarne Fyrst og Herre Herr Friderich den Tredie, af Guds Naade, Konge til Danmark. [Copenhagen: n.p., 1709]. Broadsheets (498 x 360 mm). ENGRAVED THROUGHOUT, by Andreas Reinhardt after designs by Claus von Möinichen, text engraved by Michael Augustus Roeg, printed on rectos only, engraved allegorical title, second engraved title within border of floral sprays, animals and heraldic symbols, engraved equestrian portait entirely in 'command-of-hand' calligraphy save for the naturalistically engraved head, 16 leaves engraved text, each within elaborate engraved border, 5 with borders of Renaissance ornaments incorporating fish, seals, whals, bears, stags, horses, and other motifs, 11 with borders of floral sprays, flowers, peacocks, parrots, elephants, squirls, frogs, lobsters, and other animals (a few guards renewed, minor worming to gutter margin, a few short marginal chips and repairs). Original Danish Royal presentation binding, profusely gilt by Johann Boppenhausen of red morocco, pannelled sides, in the central panel formed by a broad floral border, the large crowned monogram of Frederick IV surrounded by the cains of the Orders of the Danneborg and the Elephant, large floral ornaments in the corners and on each side of the panel, dentille outer border entirely built up of small tools (lower spine end with old restauration). Provenance : Given by the judicial officer Rustegaard on behalf of the king to an anonymous recipient; purchased from Emil Offenbacher, 6 February 1960. "ONE OF THE MOST SUMPTUOUSLY PRODUCED SCANDINAVIAN BAROQUE BOOKS, IN THE VERY RARE PRESENTATION BINDING BY THE COPENHAGEN BINDER JOHANN BOPPENHAUSEN. It is also of considerable historical significance: although in 1661 King Frederick III had abolished the elective, and proclaimedthe hereditary, monarchy, he had never published the Lex Regia , the famous Kongelov, written and subscribed in 1665, which has the highly dubious honor of being the one written law in the civilized world which fearlessly carries out absolutism to the last consequences, it is also unique in being a legal document that is a masterpiece of the language in which it is written" Breslauer (Catalogue 103/93). This magnificent edition published by Frederick IV is a collaboration of the best artists of the kingdom. The engravings are by Andreas Reinhardt (1676-1742), a German artist who worked in Copenhagen, after the designs of the Danish artist Möinchen. The calligraphic text is by M.A. Roeg (1679-1737), a calligrapher of Norwegian origin, who later became medal engraver to Louis XV. He is probably the artist responsible for the fine calligraphic portrait of Frederick III. The text of Lex Regia was edited by Schumacher, Frederick's private secretary. The "Royal Law" was published in an edition of 500 copies. Most were bound in calf, but a few copies are known in a morocco presentation binding. Nielsen den Danske Bog pp. 118-120; Kyster Bookbindings in the Public Collections of Denmark, Vol. I: The Royal Library Copenhagen 83.