Simeoni’s devices of Princes, first printed at Lyon in 1559, join here the devices of great men collected by Paradin, which were published originally at Lyon in 1551 with only 118 woodcuts.

Claude Paradin (c. 1510-1573) was a canon of the Collegiate Church in Beaujeu, France, mostly known for this book od devices. Gabriele Simeoni (1509-1575) is a learned writer in French, Latin and Italian, who finally settled in Lyon after having failed in obtaining a position at one of the many European courts of the time.

This was the first Protestant collection of religious devices and the first book to contain devices of historical persons, e.g. the flaming salamander of Francis I and the porcupine of Louis XII. Also included are Erasmus's device Cedo nulli (p. 108) and the sword of Damocles (p. 146). The book became popular as a pattern book for architectural decoration, themes of pageants and embroidery.

The first Latin Plantin edition was printed in 1562, which was Plantin’s first emblem book. This is a reissue of the edition 1583.

- Literature: Landwehr 606; Praz 74 and 445; Brunet IV, 358; Cicognara 1930; Emblem Books in Leiden 391; STCN 2 copies (UB Amsterdam, UB Leiden).

- Condition: Ties lacking, a few cuts in front cover; Owner’s name of 1672 at title page cut away. Tear in p.131 in the engraving, repaired at verso side but open again; A bit loose in the binding; but a very agreable copy in it’s first binding.