Library's 9 Millionth Book

U of Ideas of General Interest ó October 1998 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

EMBARGOED UNTIL 4 P.M. CDT OCT. 7

Contact: Andrea Lynn, Humanities/Social Sciences Editor (217) 333-2177; [email protected]

Image available; for more information, contact Bill Wiegand, (217) 333-5492; [email protected]

RARE BOOKS

Baroque treatise on royal cavalry horses is libraryís 9 millionth book

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- A rare and early how-to book straight from and for the horseís mouth has been chosen as the 9 millionth volume for the University of Illinois Library. The book, published in 1616 as two works bound into one, is an original German Baroque treatise ñ with illustrations ñ on the breaking and training of royal cavalry horses and on the fitting of their bits and bridles.

The acquisition was celebrated Oct. 7 during a reception at the U. of I. Library, the largest public university library in the world.

Among the bookís engravings is a unique, nearly life-size drawing of the inside of a horseís mouth, showing the ideal fit of the bit. Like a Baroque catalog, the bit/bridle book offers dozens of designs. The horse-training exercises build from simple circular patterns to intricate zigzag patterns. Steps are represented by tiny horseshoe ìprints,î much like notations for ballet dancers. Part one is titled ìPractica Et Arte di Cavalleriaî (Practice and Art of Riding); part two, ìGebissbuchî (Bit Book).

Written by Christophorus Lieb, a court equerry, or officer in charge of the royal horses, the book is based on Liebís long-term service to the Dresden prince-electors Christian II of Saxony and his brother Johann Georg I. Lieb signed and dedicated the book to Georg. With 64 highly detailed and sometimes whimsical engravings, the book is ìnoble in production and ownershipî and of the ìgreatest rarity,î wrote the rare book firm that researched it. Perhaps only 50 copies of the book were published.

Although rare, the equitation acquisition will not gather dust. Mara Wade, a U. of I. professor of German literature and culture who is finishing her second book on early modern Northern European court festivals, already is using it. When Wade was told about the aquisition, she was stunned. ìI couldnít believe my ears,î she said, adding that her experience using similar rare books in German libraries has been ìexpensive, slow and difficult.î

According to Wade, the new book illustrates more than bits, bridles and exercises. For example, it shows the 17th-century shift in weaponry and warfare, when the advent of lighter-weight weapons -- pistols and swords -- called for a new breed of steed.

ìSpeed, mobility, accuracy of aim and quick reflexes were the virtues of the new horse and its rider,î Wade said.

She also said that the training exercises constitute a form of military information or ìwar secrets,î which is why distribution of the book was so limited ñ ìonly to the courts of reliable allies.î

ìYou donít want the enemy training their horses as well as you train yours,î she said.

The donor of the book is U. of I. Library staffer Betty Jean Peters Albert, in honor of her late husband, Waco W. Albert, a U. of I. professor of animal science from 1953 to his death in 1981. His research focused on the food energy requirements of horses and methods of improving animal production.

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