Album of Bit Designs, 1674, Bohemian, Ink on paper, Covers: 14 1/2 x 9 3/4 in. (36. 8 x 24. 8 cm) ; sheets: 14 1/4 x 9 1/2 in. (36. 2 x 24. 1 cm) ; plates: approx. 12 1/4 x 4 in. (31. 5 x 10 cm), Works on Paper-Prints, Books devoted to various kinds of horse bits formed an important category of equestrian literature, a thriving genre from the sixteenth through the eighteenth century. The Talmberg album is unusual in having no text (other than the dedication) and for presenting the bits for their beauty alone, rather than their function