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Military History / Armory, Military Science & Technology

Dutch edition of Barrow's Travels in China

BARROW, John. Reizen in China, ...
Haarlem, François Bohn, 1807-1809. 3 volumes. 8vo. With 10 engraved plates (6 folding, 1 double-page), the double-page plate with 2 portraits hand-coloured, 4 leaves with engraved music, and several woodcut and engraved illustrations in the text. Original publisher's boards. VIII, 288; VI, 334; VI, 341, [1] pp. Full description
€ 950
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Beautifully illustrated manuscript showing the displays in the Royal Armouries
in the Tower of London in the early 19th century

[BRITISH ARMOUR - TOWER OF LONDON - DUTCH MANUSCRIPT]. Beschrijving van de paarden wapenzaal in de Tower te London.
[The Netherlands, second quarter of the 19th century]. Ca. 21.5 x 17 cm. With 12 large, colourful ink drawings of knights on horseback, depicting various British kings and nobles, and a smaller ink drawing of knights in battle on the title-page. Contemporary green paper, over brown cloth, with a calligraphed title on the front in a baroque style floral frame, and a drawing of a knight on horseback on the back board within the same floral frame, blue speckled edges. [1], [1 blank], 105 pp. Full description
€ 3,500
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On the sales of arms and arms deals in the Middle East

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS. New perspectives on the Persian Gulf. Hearings before the subcommittee on the Near East and South Asia of the committee on foreign affairs, house of representatives, ninety-third congress, first session. June 6, July 17, 23, 24, and November 28, 1973.
Washington, U.S. Government printing office, 1973. 8vo (23.5 x 15 cm). With a small map of the Persian Gulf. Original printed paper wrappers. VIII, [1], 227 pp. Full description
€ 2,500
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On "the escalating level of arms sales to Gulf states"

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS. The Persian Gulf, 1975: the continuing debate on arms sales. Hearings before the special subcommittee on investigations of the committee on international relations, house of representatives, ninety-fourth congress, first Session. June 10, 18, 24 and July 29, 1975.
Washington, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1976. 8vo. Original printed paper wrappers. VI, 261 pp. Full description
€ 2,500
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Concise artillery manual, second copy located

[EUGENIUS, Johann] and Joannes EDELIUM. Manuale bombardicum oder: Hand-Büchlein, über die Bixenmeisterey.
Augsburg, Jakob Koppmayer, 1693. 12mo. With engraved frontispiece, 8 engraved plates (5 folding) and a letterpress folding table. Contemporary half sheepskin parchment. 78, [5], [1 blank] pp. Full description
€ 3,850
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Rare catalogue of military and other instruments and machines

FAULHABER, Johann. Geheime Kunstkammer: darin[n]en hundert allerhand Kriegs Stratagemata, auch andere unerhörte Secreta, und Machinae mirabiles zusehen, dergleichen in Europa (respectivè) wening zu finden.
Ulm, Jonam Saur, 1628. 4to. Half vellum (ca. 1900). 28 pp. Full description
€ 12,500
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Spanish artillery manual for the Low Countries, with 9 folding plates

FERNÁNDEZ DE MEDRANO, Sebastián. El perfecto artificial, bombardero y artillero, que contiene los artificios de fuegos marciales, nuevo uso de bombas, granadas, y practica de la artilleria, y mosquete, &c.
Brussels, Lambert Marcht, 1699. 8vo. With an engraved frontispiece and 9 numbered folding engraved plates. Contemporary vellum with a later black spine label lettered in gold, red edges. [1], [1 blank], [1], [2 blank], [13], “66” [= 196], [4] pp. Full description
€ 2,800
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Presentation copy to the first Earl of Salisbury of the rare first English edition
of a famous illustrated military manual, magnificently coloured by a contemporary hand

GHEYN, Jacob II de. The exercise of armes for calivres, muskettes, and pikes. After the ordre of his Excellence Maurits Prince of Orange Count of Nassau etc. Governour and captaine generall over Geldreland, Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Overijssel, etc. Sett forthe in figures by Jacob de Gheyn. With written instructions for the service of all captaines and comaundours. For to shewe hereout the better unto their jong or untrayned souldiers the playne and perfett maner to handle these armes.
The Hague, [1607 (added in manuscript on the title-page)]. 3 parts in 1 volume. Folio (ca. 37 x 27 cm). With engraved title-page with at the head of the page the coat of arms of the dedicatee, Prince Henry Frederick, eldest son of King James I of England within a wreath of lilies and roses, which - together with the title and the imprint were engraved on 3 separate slips of paper pasted over areas left blank for that purpose; and 117 (including one repeat) expertly engraved plates (ca. 26 x 19 cm): 42 numbered plates in part 1, 43 partly-numbered plates in part 2 and 32 numbered plates in part 3. All engravings including the engraved title-page are magnificently coloured and highlighted in gold and silver by a contemporary hand. The plates show exercises with the arquebus (part 1), musket (part 2), and pike (part 3). Mid-19th-century gold-tooled half (faded) red morocco and red cloth sides, gilt edges, marbled endpapers, bound in 1840-ca. 1860 by the celebrated British bookbinder Robert Riviere (1808-1882) with his stamp "Bound by Riviere" in the bottom outer corner of the verso of the first flyleaf. [4]; [2]; [3] ll. Full description
€ 165,000
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Famous military manual. First edition published in Germany, with 117 charming new woodcuts

GHEYN, Jacob II de. Waffenhandlung von den Röhren, Mußqueten und Spiessen. Gestalt nach der Ordnung deß ... Herrn Moritzen, Printzen zu Uranien, ... Maniement d'armes d'arquebuses, mousquetz, & piques.
Frankfurt, Wilhelm Hoffmann, 1609. 3 parts in 1 volume. 4to. With letterpress title within engraved border (including the imprint), and 3 series of 42, 43 and 32 full-page numbered woodcuts, showing exercises with the arquebus, musket and pike. Contemporary vellum, rebacked. [3], [1 blank], [43], [1 blank], [44], [36] ll. Full description
€ 12,500
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Illustrated work on fortification and artillery

GRUBER, Johann Sebastian. Neuer und gründlicher Unterricht, ... Nebenst einem Bericht von Zubereitung einiger Ernst-Feuerwerckes-Kugeln.
Nuremberg, Johann Hoffmanns, Engelbert Strecken and Abraham von Werth, 1700. 8vo. With double-page engraved frontispiece, 1 letterpress folding table and 16 engraved plates. Blue paper covered boards. [6], 290, [2 blank], [6]; [2], 316, [2 blank], [7], [1 blank] pp. Full description
€ 1,950
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A manuscript manual on how to construct, load and detonate a mine to undermine fortifications
using exact mathematical calculations

[MANUSCRIPT - MILITARY ENGINEERING - HENNEQUIN, Johan Jacobus]. Twee beknopte handleidingen tot het berekenen der mijnladingen.
(preface:) Grave, 1 July 1828. Folio. Manuscript in a fine legible hand, written in brown ink on paper, with 2 large folding sheets with abstract mathematical figures depicting the range of exploding mines (45 x 67 cm and 54 x 75 cm) in blue/black and red ink, the second partly coloured (red watercolour), and 3 abstract mathematical figures and one table in the text. Contemporary marbled paper boards with a handwritten titleplate. [1], [1 blank], [1], [3 blank], 71, [1 blank] pp. Full description
€ 1,800
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A summary of the reports on an exercise by the Dutch military engineers,
experimenting with mines to blow up fortifications

[MANUSCRIPT - MILITARY ENGINEERING] HENNEQUIN, Johan Jacobus. Bataillon mineurs en sappeurs. Exercitie polygoon van 1824 en 1825. Uittreksel uit de officiele rapporten der verrigte werkzaamheden welke door den hoogedelen gestrengen heer Abr. Eichholtz luitenant kolonel kommandant van genoemd bataillon opgemaakt en toegezonden zijn geworden aan zijne excellentie den heere Luit. Generaal Baron Krayenhoff, gouverneur van Amsterdam, inspecteur generaal der fortificatien en van het korps ingenieurs de mineurs en sappeurs benevens eenige aantekeningen betrekkelijk de gedaante werkzaamheden.
[preface signed:] Grave, 1 November 1828. Folio. Manuscript written in brown ink on paper in a fine legible hand, with 1 large folding illustration in blue, brown/black and red ink. Contemporary brown marbled paper over boards, manuscript title label mounted on the front board. [4], 15, [1 blank] pp. Full description
€ 1,750
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Extremely rare collection of three treatises on scienfic instruments by Levinus Hulsius

HULSIUS, Levinus. Tractatus primus instrumentorum mechanicorum ...
Frankfurt am Main, Wolfgang Richter for the author, 1605.
With:
(2) IDEM. Tractatus secundus. Instrumentorum mechanicorum. Quo dilucide exponitur usus baculi...
Frankfurt am Main, Wolfgang Richter for the author, 1605.
(3) IDEM. Tractatus tertius. Instrumentorum mechanicorum. Quo traditur descriptio atque usus circine proportionalis Iusti Burgi ...
Frankfurt am Main, Wolfgang Richter for the author, 1605.
3 works in 1 volume. Small 4to. Ad 1: with a large engraving on the title-page, 14 engraved plates (including 2 folding), 40 numbered illustrations in the text (35 woodcuts and 5 engravings). Further with 2 woodcut decorated initials, 2 woodcut head-pieces, and 1 large woodcut tail-piece. Ad 2: with a large engraving on the title-page, 8 illustrations in text (7 woodcuts and 1 engraving). Further with 1 woodcut decorated initial and 1 woodcut head-piece. Ad 3: with a large engraving on the title-page. Further with 2 woodcut decorated initials and 2 woodcut head-pieces. Contemporary limp vellum with 2 sets of leather closing ties. [1], [1 blank], [6], 121, [1], [2 blank]; "16" [= 17], [3 blank]; 29, [1 blank] pp. Full description
€ 9,500
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Second known copy of the only Portuguese translation of a Spanish artillery manual

ISLA, Lázaro de la [and José HOMEM DE MENEZES, translator]. [above the title: "Jesus."] Breve tratado da arte da artelharia, e geometria, & artificios de fogo ...
Lisbon, Domingos Carneyro, 1676. Small 8vo. With woodcut arms of Portugal on the title-page. Contemporary limp vellum with manuscript title on spine, lacking ties. 96 pp. Full description
€ 3,500
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Preventing people from drowning: on the practical use of a newly invented life jacket

LA CHAPELLE, Jean Baptista de (Cornelis van ENGELEN, transl.). De scaphander of de konst om in de diepste wateren dryvende te gaan en allerhande werk te verrigten.
Amsterdam, G. Warners & Harlingen, Volkert van der Plaats, 1777. 8vo. With 4 engraved plates on 2 large folded sheets by B. de Bakker after the plates in the original French edition, charmingly illustrating the water-jacket and water-pants discussed in the text. Contemporary brown sprinkled paper wrappers. [2], VIII, 139, [1] pp. Full description
€ 3,000
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Rare only edition of a Portuguese naval warfare handbook

LOPES DA COSTA ALMEIDA, Antonio. Compendio theorico-pratico de artilharia naval. Extractado, e redigido das obras dos mais celebres, e modernos authores e accomodado para servir de compendio lectivo ...
Lisbon, Royal Academy of Sciences, 1829. 4to. With 10 numbered folding lithographed plates. Contemporary gold-stamped red morocco with gold-stamped spine label. [4], VII, [1], 434, [4] pp. Full description
€ 2,500
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Manual of French military science, produced by order of Louis XIV

LOSTELNEAU, Colbert de. Le mareschal de bataille. Contenant le maniement des armes. Les evolutions. Plusieurs bataillons, tant contre l'infanterie que contre la cavalerie. Divers ordres de batailles ...
Paris, Toussainct Quinet (printed by Estienne Migon), 1647. Folio. With 48 full-page engraved plates of French infantry-men exercising with musket (35) and pike (13), after the models of Jacques de Gheyn, 400 full-page (or larger folding) woodcut diagrams of battle formations, all printed in red and black, some also in yellow, with troops represented by red and black dots and a few smaller woodcut illustrations. Dark brown gold-tooled calf (ca. 1700?). XII, 459 pp. Full description
€ 6,500
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Catalogue of the royal armoury, with notes on armourers, gunsmiths, swordsmiths, etc., and 10 plates showing 435 marks

MARCHESI, José María. Cataìlogo de la Real Armeriìa.
Madrid, Eusebio Aguado (royal printer), 1849. 2 parts in 1 volume. 8vo. With the arms of Queen Isabella II of Spain on the title-page and 10 numbered engraved plates with 435 marks of armourers, swordsmiths and others. Contemporary green half sheepskin, gold-tooled spine. XX, 198, [2 blank], 119, [1] pp. plus 10 plates. Full description
€ 750
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Practical geometry, fortification and artillery ca. 1750

[MILITARY]. Geometria of meetkonst ... Vestingbou of fortificatie ... [Artillerie].
[Netherlands, ca. 1750]. 3 related works in 1 volume. Folio. With numerous mathematical diagrams, fortification plans and measured drawings of artillery and ammunition, including 12 full-page watercolour drawings (3 fortification plans and 9 beautifully rendered canons) and many more watercolour drawings in the text. With a large folding fortification plan tipped in, a large folding artillery drawing loosely inserted, and several smaller drawings tipped in or loosely inserted. Contemporary sheepskin parchment. [2 blank], [40], [12 blank]; [37 (plus a folding plan & other inserts)], [5 blank]; [22] (plus a folding drawing), [16 blank] ll. including the integral paste-downs. Full description
€ 6,500
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Treatise on naval mines, by a leading French naval officer and military engineer

MONTGÉRY, Jacques-Philippe Mérigon de. Mémoire sur les mines flottantes et les petards flottans, ou machines infernales maritimes.
Paris, Bachlier, libraire pour la marine (printed by De Fain), 1819. 8vo. With a finely engraved folding copperplate of a ship being blown up by a mine (16.5 x 17.5 cm). Lacking the half-title and the final leaf with the publisher's list of books, but with the folding plate, often lacking. Contemporary half tree calf, stormont marbled sides. [2], 78 pp. Full description
€ 800
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Rare and luxurious work on securing fortifications against the rising firepower

REDELYKHEID, Cornelis. De nieuwe versterkte facen en flancquen, of Verhandeling om de facen ... bestendiger ... te doen zyn ... Opgesteld ten nutte der krygsbouwkunde, en derzelver min of meer gevorderde bearbeiders.
Amsterdam, printed for the author [by Izaak and Johannes Enschedé in Haarlem?], sold by Jan Punt junior, [1759]. Large 4to (23.5 x 20 cm). With 3 folding engraved plates with 14 numbered figures drawn by the author and executed by Jan Punt and 2 engravings in text. 19th-century half parchment. [16], 121, [1] pp. Full description
€ 4,500
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Practical manual of gunsmithing (Lisbon 1718), with 12 plates

[RODRIGUES, José Francisco and João RODRIGUES] ("Cesar Fiosconi, e Jordam GUSERIO"). Espingarda perfeyta, & regras para a sua operaçam . . .
Lisbon, António Pedroso Galrão, 1718. 4to. With full-page frontispiece showing the crowned Portuguese coat of arms, title-page with engraved decorative cartouche, 12 engraved plates (including 4 folding) by Manuel Freire and 1 engraved illustration in the text. Contemporary limp sheepskin parchment. [31], [1 blank], 183, [1 blank] pp. Full description
€ 22,000
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A French treatise on swordfighting and a matching treatise against dueling, from 1610

SAVARON, Jean (Sieur de Villars). Traicté de l'espee Francoise.Paris, Adrien Périer, 1610. With engraved emblematic heraldic device on title-page (right hand holding a sword, emerging from a cloud, with crosses and fleurs-de-lis on the sword's blade and in the background, the whole representing King Louis XIII protecting France and the Church) with the motto "Pro religione et regno".
With: (2) SAVARON, Jean (Sieur de Villars). Traicté contre les duels. Avec l'edict de Philippes le Bel, de l'an M.CCC.VI. non encores imprimé.
Paris, Adrien Périer, 1610. With Périer's woodcut compasses device on title-page with motto "labore et constantia", borrowed from Christoffel Plantin. 2 works in 1 volume. 8vo. 18th-century sprinkled calf. 56; [16], 125, [3 blank] pp. Full description
€ 9,500
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Cranes, hoists, clocks, water wheels and cannon carriages, with 12 engraved plates

SCALETTA, Carlo Cesare. Scuola mecanico-speculativo-pratica in cui si esamina la proporzione, che ha la potenza alla resistenza del corpo grave; per l'uso civile, e militare utile e necessaria ad ogni matematico, ingegnerio, architetto, machinista, e bombardiere, ... Edizione prima Veneta.
Venice, Antonio Mora, 1745. Folio. With engraved frontispiece and 12 numbered engraved plates with hundreds of figures. Contemporary sheepskin parchment. [16], 204 pp. Full description
€ 8,500
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On the artillery changes in the French army of 1765, with 29 engraved plates

SCHEEL, Heinrich Otto de. Memoires d'artillerie, contenant l'artillerie nouvelle, ou les changemens faits dans l'artillerie Françoise en 1765. Avec l'exposé et l'analyse des obiections qui ont été faites à ces changemens.
Copenhagen, Claude Philibert and August Frédéric Stein, 1777. 4to. With an engraved illustration on the title-page, 29 folding engraved plates and 6 folding letterpress tables. Contemporary half calf, gold-tooled spine. [4], XVI, [8], 440, [1], [1 blank] pp. Full description
€ 1,250
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Incredibly rare complete copy of Schenk's expertly engraved plates
showing decorated 17th-century luxury firearms

SCHENK, Pieter. Verscheide stucken en cieraden van roermakers gereedschap nieuwelijks uitgevonden en uit de voornaamste meesters van Europa getrocken. - Plusieurs pieces et ornements d'arquebuzerie, le plus nouvellement inventées et tirees des premiers maistres d l'Europe.
Amsterdam, Petrus Schenk, 1692. Oblong folio. With an engraved allegorical title-page and 7 expertly engraved plates of ornamental designs on arquebuses. Modern half calf and green decorated paper sides. [8] ll. Full description
€ 7,500
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Finely illustrated manuscript handbook for architects, engineers, etc.

[MANUSCRIPT - APPLIED MATHEMATICS]. SIMMONDS, J. Hints, tables &ca [for mining, military engineering, architecture, etc.].
[England], 1840. (16.5 x 12 cm). Manuscript in ink on paper, in English, with numerous architectural and other illustrations in pencil and ink, many with grey and/or pink washes, on 30 pages, numerous manuscript tables. Written and illustrated partly on rectos only and partly on both rectos and versos. Contemporary English dark green gold-tooled calf, gold-tooled board edges, gold fillets on turn-ins, green ribbon marker, gilt edges. Rebacked, with the original backstrip laid down. [61] ll. Full description
€ 2,500
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First French editions on Dutch military hydraulic engineering and the layout of army camps

STEVIN, Simon. La castrametation, ...
Rotterdam, Jan van Waesberge, 1618.
With: (2) STEVIN, Simon. Nouvelle maniere de fortification par escluses. ...
Rotterdam, Jan van Waesberge, 1618. 2 works in 1 volume. Folio. With more than 50 woodcut illustrations in the text (many full-page or nearly full-page). Contemporary sheepskin parchment. [4 of 8], 54, [2 blank]; [4], 61, [1 blank] pp. Full description
€ 3,250
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First German edition of the inaugural work of the first Dutch school of fortification

STEVIN, Simon. Festung-Bawung, das ist, Kurtze und eygentliche Beschreibung, wie man Festungen bawen, unnd sich wider allen gewaltsamen Anlauff der Feinde zu Kriegszeiten auffhalten, sichern und verwahren möge: ...
Frankfurt am Main, Wolfgang Richter for the widow of Levinius Hulsius, 1608. 4to. With a woodcut fortification plan on the title-page and about 30 woodcut illustrations in the text. Lacking the 2 woodcut plates and 3 smaller woodcut slips. 20th-century grey-brown half calf. [8], 132 pp. Full description
€ 4,500
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"On military technology, no works had greater influence or enjoyed greater prestige" (Guerlac)

VAUBAN, Sébastien le Prestre de [and Guillaume de Lafon de Boisguérin, seigneur DESHOULIERES]. De l'attaque et de la defense des places...
The Hague, Pieter de Hondt, 1737. With: (2) VAUBAN, Sébastien le Prestre de. De l'attaque et de la defense des places... tome second. ...
The Hague, Pieter de Hondt, 1742.
2 works in 1 volume. Large 4to (26.5 x 20.5 cm). Ad 1 with 36 folding engraved plates and ad 2 with 11 folding engraved plates. Contemporary mottled calf, richly gold-tooled spine. [1], [1 blank], [18], 216; [1], [1 blank], [14], "180" [=188], [34] pp. Full description
€ 2,950
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32 books books found / Show pages