Lostelneau, Colbert de

Folio (14 x 9 1/5 in.; 354 x 245). Title printed in red and black, 234 engraved plates, 186 in red, yellow, and black, 16 of which folding, in-text diagrams and woodcuts; minor offsetting to colored inks, minor spotting; some dampstaining, preliminary leaves with some rubbing to text resulting in loss. Contemporary sprinkled calf, double fillet rules to covers, spine with gilt fleurons; slight shelfwear, minor abrasions to covers. 

Lipperheide Qb 43; Duportal, pp. 87-88; BN, Le Siècle de Louis XIV, 50

ONLY EDITION OF THIS SUPERB MILITARY BOOK, prepared exclusively for private presentation. It represents the first attempt at printing ornamental geometric figures made up of rectangular, square and round dots in three colors to represent musketeers, pikesmen and cavalry. The new technique was achieved with a specially cut font of characters, an invention of the printer. These depictions of soldiers in contemporary costume demonstrating the use of musket and pike, are based on those by Jacob de Gheyn in his Wapenhandelinghe. The text is taken from Johann Jacob von Wallhausen, Kriegskunst zu Fuss (1615). The whole project was undertaken for King Louis XIV, and was never sold commercially.