Ordnance Instructions for the Confederate States Navy Relating to the Preparation of Vessels of War for Battle, to the Duties of Officers and Others When at Quarters, to Ordnance and Ordnance Stores, and to Gunnery.; Published by order of the Navy Department.

London, England: Saunders, Otley & Co. (Printed by Spottiswoode and Co.), 1864. Third edition (i.e., first and only Confederate edition). 8vo. xix, 171, cix pp. 21 plates (17 lettered A-P, with two each for letters C and D and J not used, each labelled "Diagrams" and 4 numbered plates in the appendix), in-text diagrams and tables. The only Ornance Manual produced for the Confederate Navy, adapted from a United States manual first published in 1852 and reissued in 1860, printed in Great Britain and imported through the blockade. Nevins I, p. 221: "Treats not only of ordnance subjects, but also gives much information concerning preparation for battle." Not in Broadfoot. Rather widely held by research libraries (OCLC locates 33 copies), but rare in trade, with no copy recorded at auction by either ABPC (1976-2017) or RareBookHub (since a 1921 offering by Anderson Galleries); RareBookHub also records a copy offered by Goodspeed in 1937. We know of one copy obtained privately by a collector in the past decade. Old marginal tidelines affecting several leaves, scattered foxing, silverfish damage at base of title page (not affecting text); still a very good copy of a rare Confederate naval manual. Recent brown half-calf and contemporary pebbled cloth, gilt spine title. (10185). Item #63490

Price: $4,000.00