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 [...].

$2,718.00

Only edition.

Exceedingly rare handbook of naval warfare by the Royal Army captain Lopes da Costa Almeida (1784-1859), barão de Reboredo; essentially a manual for the suitable deployment of ordnance at sea. A member of the Academia Real dos Guardas-Marinhas and the Naval Artillery, Lopes could draw on years of experience in the field for describing the appropriate weaponry and ammunition for various purposes and distances. The plates depict cannons and geometric calculations as well as projectile trajectories.

Spine label a little rubbed. Title-page shows a tiny wormhole. A good, clean copy in an attractive binding. 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. No other copy in auction records; only two copies in libraries worldwide (Berlin and Paris).