Eygentliche Beschreibung aller Stände auff Erden hoher vnd nidriger, geistlicher vnd weltlicher, aller Künsten, Handwercken vnnd Händeln, etc. vom grössten biss zum kleinesten, auch von jrem Ursprung, Erfindung und Gebräuchen

This work, an 'actual description of all estates on earth', comprises woodcuts by Jost Amman of most of the important professions and trades of the 16th century in pictures illustrating typical activities of the time accompanied by an eight-line verse by Hans Sachs. The work appeared first in 1568 in German; as well as a Latin edition using the Amman woodcuts but accompanied by latin verse by Hartmann Schopper. A second German edition appeared in 1574.

The copy in this library has been created from both the German and Latin editions: the title-page and the final page / colophon are from the German 1574 edition, cut out and mounted; and the Publisher's dedication dated Jan. 1, 1568, and the plates are from the Latin 1568 edition, cut out and pasted on leaves.

On the front pastedown is a printed entry, probably from a German sale catalogue, for a copy of the 1568 German edition. Also affixed to the front pastedown is a handwritten list in ink of the estates/professions illustrated, in English, by page number [p. 2-76] - the page numbers throughout the work having been written by hand in pencil in the lower right-hand corner. The list is continued with two sheets pasted to the flyleaf [p. 77-133].