Okolski Szymon - Herbarz Polski, Cracow 1643 - Superexlibris of the Royal Secretary Jan Suchodolski coat of arms Junosza

Famous Polish Coat of Arms - Szymon Okolski - ( 1580 -1653 ) - Dominican, theologian, historian and excellent heraldist.

Published in the outhouse of Franciszek Cezary in Cracow in the year of our Lord 1643. Volume II - Includes coats of arms from the letter L - R inclusive.

" Orbis Poloni Tomvs II, in qvo antiqua Sarmatarum gentilitia et arma, quaecunque a litera L, vsque ad literam R [...] continentur et dilucidantur . Cracoviae : in officina typographica Francisci Caesarij. "

Coats of arms in alphabetical order, with graphic images, detailed information on the origins and symbolism of insignia, and historical news on coats of arms.

In the seventeenth century, this work was banned from printing and distribution due to the fact that Okolski had offended some families by his excessive caution about recognizing their nobility.

The piece ondisplay has been preserved in its original parchment cover with the superexibris of Jan Suchodolski of Junosza coat of arms - Royal Secretary [ of Jan Kazimierz II Vasa], prebendary of Niepołomice 1642, dean of Wieliczka and Sądecki from 1647, reanimator of the Brotherhood of St. Anne in Niepołomice, parish priest in Wiśnicz and Niegardów 1623.

Dated 1650 and described as one of the most original of the time, theexlibris depicts the Junosza coat of arms surrounded by a cartouche with floral motifs in which the coat of arms animal stands in a meadow of flowers. " The decorative effect is enhanced by the delicate cut ornamentation of the cartouche's surface. " ***

Thedevelopment of the sigil from the titular superexlibris is as follows : " I[oannes] S[uchodolski] D[ecanus] S[andecensis] P[raepositus] N[iepolomicensis] P[lebanus] N[iegardoviensis] S[ acrae] [Regiae] M[aiestatis] S[ecretarius]."

Book after professional conservation : block re-stitched, title page and part of pages with images of coats of arms and table of contents pages reproduced in high quality on handmade paper made to order at the Museum of Papermaking [Duszniki Zdrój]. Despite this, more than 2/3 of the printing preserved in the original.

Number of pages : complete - 656 + index

Folio format : 20.5 x 30.5 [cm].

A very rare 17th century heraldic book of notable provenance.

Bibliography :

* K. Niesiecki, Herbarz polski. T. 8. Leipzig 1841

** M. Cubrzyńska - Leonarczyk - Polskie Superekslibrisy XVI - XVIII wieku, Warsaw 2001.

*** A. Wagner - Polish Superexlibris, Toruń 2016