Manual of the Zurich military

Lavater, Hans Conrad. Kriegsbüchlein: Das ist, Grundliche Anleitung zum Kriegswesen [...].

€ 1,250.00

The fourth and final edition of this Swiss introduction to the art of warfare, also a manual of the Zurich military. First published in 1644, it remained popular for two decades after the Thirty Years' War; all editions are rare. "The book begins with providing the most important loanwords from the field of fortification; this edition is the first also to give the pronunciation of the technical terms [...] Furthermore, Lavater's work is distinguished by discussing subjects which were previously treated rarely, if ever" (HAB). The plates show fortification designs, exercises, battle orders, etc. VD 17 cites only nine folding plates; the copy in the Zurich Zentralbibliothek has a mere eight.

Occasional dampstaining. Some plates and half-title trimmed, front hinge repaired.

Provenance: old library label to front pastedown. 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.