No printer or publisher, 1688.
Broadside, 480 x 370 mm. Long closed tears, laid down on thin card.
Rare, NLS with the only other copy; all copies traced are digital copies of that in the NLS.
Martin Beckman [1635 - 1702] was a Swedish-English draughtsman, engineer and master gunner who served Charles I, Charles II and James II. In 1660 he petitioned Charles II for the place of royal engineer, formerly enjoyed by his brother, and mentioned that he "was ruined and severely injured by an accident at an explosion in the preparation of fireworks to be shown on the water in the king's honour." He was accordingly employed as an engineer, and his skill in laboratory work led to his appointment on 6 June 1661 to the expedition under Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich as "firemaster with and in his majesty's fleete". He was appointed Chief Engineer of Great Britain in 1685 and knighted by James II in 1686, shortly after his succession.
This is one of the few detailed descriptions of early firework displays, especially important as having been written and published by the designer himself.