UNIFORMES MILITAIRES, OU SE TROUVENT GRAVES EN TAILLE-DOUCE LES UNIFORMES DE LA MAISON DU ROY, DE TOUS LES REGIMENTS DE FRANCE, LES DRAPEAUX, ETENDARDS ET GUIDONS; AVEC LA DATTE DE LEUR CREATION ET LES DIFFERENTES FIGURES DE L'EXERCICE TANT DE LA CAVALERIE QUE DE L'INFANTERIE.
Paris: ches Chereau Graveur rue S. Jacques, pres les Matkurins, 1772 (1773?). First edition, second issue (?). 16 cm. [7] 169 [ie: 170], [3] leaves, printed on rectos only. A suite of richly hand-colored illustrations. Page number 140 repeated in plate numbering. Included is a title page within a hand-colored decorative border, two leaves of introductory engraved text ("Avertissement"), 4 hand-colored engraved equestrian portraits of Louis XV, his son, and two of his grandsons, 170 hand-colored illustrations of soldiers in uniform, with caption titles and a short description, a hand-colored plate of flags, and two leaves of engraved index. Headline of first numbered plate slightly cropped. An extra roman numeral has been inked onto the date on the title page [artificially changing it from the printed "1772" to the later date of "1773"]. This copy collates exactly against the references cited, although all of those works save Ponti give the imprint as chez I'auteur, enclos du Temple, cour du Lion, 1772, while Ponti gives the imprint that appears in our copy and the date 1773. Bound in contemporary French mottled calf, richly gilt spine, and red morocco spine label, all edges red. Joints rubbed, small chip to head of spine. Previous owner's bookplates (one contemporary), "Whyte of Bennochy," and "Robert M. Rosenbaum", on front and rear pastedowns. Housed in a custom clamshell box, with paper label [giving the date as 1773]. A very good, bright copy of a scarce book. According to the Sotheby's sale #5396 (Nov. 1985, citing this copy): 'Très belle suite fort rare complète" (Colas 2137); Cohen-de Ricci 735; Glasser 126; Lipperheide QK13; Ponti 170. Item #59319
OCLC lists 4 copies of the 1772 edition: Bibliotheque Nat. de France; National Lib. of Sweden; Soc. of the Cincinnati; Brown. All list the author as the publisher. [Both Brown and Soc. of the Cincinnati also list a 1773 edition, but only Brown identifies the publisher as Chereau].
Price: $9,500.00