"stands out as one of the defining, principal works of its time"

Fleming, Hanns Friedrich von. Der Vollkommene Teutsche Soldat, welcher Die gantze Kriegs-Wissenschaft, insonderheit was bey der Infanterie vorkommt, ordentlich und deutsch vorträgt [...].

Leipzig, Johann Christian Martini, 1726.

Folio (220 x 349 mm). (8), 20, 808, (40) pp. Title-page printed in red and black. With 63 engraved plates, mainly double-page, including additional title and portrait of the author by Pingeling, and 9 engraved vignettes. Contemporary full vellum with manuscript title to spine.

 3,500.00

First edition.

One of the most finely illustrated German books of the Baroque era: "a copious, methodical encyclopedia" (Jähns) of all aspects of the Baroque military, "stands out as one of the defining, principal works of its time". The beautifully designed, vivid engravings depict recruitment, soldiers exercising, pipers, drummers, court-martial and execution, army surgery, the General Staff in the Map Room, fencing, equestrian vaulting, cannons, a Danse Macabre, etc.

Plates numbered A-Rrrr (listed at end). Occasional light browning, spotting and waterstaining. New front pastedown and flyleaf. Old ownership removed from half-title (repaired). Binding somewhat rubbed with upper hinge barely splitting.

Provenance: from the collection of Thomas Fremantle, 3rd Baron Cottesloe (1862-1956), commander of the Territorial Army and president of the Society for Army History Research (purchased from E. Parsons, London, 28 October 1922, £4/4s).

References

Jähns 1455. Lipperheide Qda 1. Marini 227. Jordan 1213.

Stock Code: BN#51123 Tags: ,