Willem Lesteens

Lesteens was born in Antwerp on 19 April 1590, the son of Gaspard Lesteens and Catherine Jauwens.[1] In 1612 he married Maria Verdussen, the eldest daughter of his godfather, Hieronymus Verdussen, and set up in business as an independent printer.[2] His shop in the Hoogstraat bore the sign of the Gulden Pelicaen (Golden pelican).[3] His printer's mark was a pelican with spread wings feeding its young; in later versions flanked by horns of plenty.

He shared the privilege of printing decrees on coinage with his brother-in-law, Hieronymus Verdussen the Younger, from 26 June 1625 until Verdussen's death in 1653.[4]

In 1641 he served a term as dean of De Olijftak, a chamber of rhetoric, and in 1642–1644 two terms as dean of the Guild of St Luke.[5] In the 1640s he was also the leading figure in an association of Antwerp printers (sociorum typographum Antverpiensium) that clubbed together to share the costs (and risks) of producing expensive editions.[6]

In 1650 Lesteens' daughter, Claire, married Engelbert Gymnicus. After Lesteens' death in 1661, Gymnicus took over the running of the family business in 1662.

1617

• Robert Bellarmine, Opclimminghe des gheests tot Godt door de leeder der creatueren, translated by Nicolaus Burenus (available on Google Books)

1618

• Fulvio Androzzi, Onderwys oft practycke om dikwils het H. Sacrament des Autaers profytelyck te nutten, translated by Nicolaus Burenus
• Martinus Becanus, Verschillen oft verscheijden titels der Calvinisten, translated by Nicolaus Burenus (available on Google Books)

1619

• Ovid, Metamorphosis dat is: die Herscheppinghe oft Veranderinghe, translated by Joannes Florianus – an illustrated Dutch Metamorphoses (available on Google Books)
• Francisco Arias, Van de tegenwoordigheid Gods, translated by Nicolaus Burenus

1620

• Luca Pinelli, De cracht ende Misterie der H. Misse, translated by Nicolaus Burenus
• Robert Bellarmine, De conste om wel te sterven, translated by Jacobus Stratius (available on Google Books)

1622

• Benet Canfield, Den reghel der volmaeckheyt (available on Google Books; 2nd edition 1623 available on Google Books; 3rd edition 1631 available on Google Books)
• Jan Van Coudenberghe, Onse L. Vrovwe der seven vveeen. Met de mirakelen, getyden, ende misse der selver: insgelycks den oorspronck, ende voortganck der broederschap, translated by Jacobus Stratius (available on Google Books)
• Richard Verstegan, Scherp-sinnighe characteren. Oft subtijle beschrijvinghe (available on Google Books)

1626

• Heyman Jacobs, Den cleynen herbarius, ofte Cruydt-boecxken (available on Google Books)

1628

• Joannes Busaeus, Den schadt der meditatien op allen de Evangelien vande Sondaghen ende Heylighe-daghen vanden gheheelen Jaere, translated by Cornelius Thielmans (available on Google Books)

1631

• Pierre Marchant, Expositio litteralis in Regulam S. Francisci – an exposition of the Rule of St Francis

1635

• Gratulatio in inaugurationem ... Gasparis Nemii, episcopi Antverpiensis – a celebration of the consecration of Gaspard Nemius as bishop of Antwerp (available on Google Books)

1636

• Aubert Miraeus, Rerum Belgicarum Chronicon ab Julii Caesaris in Galliam adventu usqve ad vulgarem Christi Annum M.DC.XXXVI (available on Google Books)

1639

• Luis de la Puente, Het leven van P. Balthazar Alvarez religieus der Societeyt Iesu, translated by Ludovicus Jacobus (available on Google Books)

1644

• François-Hyacinthe Choquet, De heylighen ende salighe in Nederlandt van het Oorden der Predick-heeren, translated by Léonard Janssen-Boy – a hagiography of Dominican saints from the Low Countries (available on Google Books)

1651

• Joannes van Heumen, Den sterfelycken Adam, leerende de maniere van saligh te sterven (available on Google Books)
• Simon De Coninck, Ontdeckten leughen-geest van alle af-ghedwaelde leeraers (available on Google Books)

1654

• with Engelbert Gymnicus: Alan of Lille, Alani magni de Insulis, Doctoris Universalis, Opera Moralia, Paraenetica et Polemica, edited by Charles de Visch (available on Internet Archive)

1656

• with Engelbert Gymnicus: Massaeus Potvliet, Soete bemerckinghen op het Synode der Ghereformeerde ghehouden binnen Dordrecht inde Iaren 1618 ende 1619 (available on Google Books)