8vo (205 x 151 mm). Copper engraved portrait frontispiece, 21 copper engraved plates. Contemporary vellum (lacking ties, soiling). 

FIRST EDITION of this Italian fencing manual. In 1594, an English edition was commissioned by Thomas Churchyard and printed in London by Jaggard with the title His True Arte of Defence. "Di Grassi's art was probably designed for the side sword, but the English translator states that he felt it was more appropriate for the rapier" (Wiktenauer). According to Thimms, some copies have the print of Ziletti, as this copy, while others have the imprint of Giorgio de' Cavalli. VERY RARE: According to online records, only one other copy of this work has sold at auction in the last 50 years.  Cockle 746 ("Very rare"); Pardoel 71; Thimm p.121.