[4], (98) pp. 40 hand-colored aquatint engravings. 14x11¼, period red half morocco and marbled boards, spine lettered in gilt. With the printed blue paper label “Historic, military, and naval anecdotes. 40 coloured plates. Price 10 Guineas, half bound” tipped to corner of front pastedown. First Edition, later impression. Several plates and tissues watermarked 1825.
“The forty coloured aquatints, vividly depicting all the horrors of warfare, are from drawings by J. A. Atkinson, F. J. Manskirch, W. Heath, J. H. Clark, etc.; one being by George Scharf, a German who was attached to the British army through the Waterloo campaign, and who later became the father of Sir George Scharf. Of the engravings, thirty are by M. Dubourg, seven by Clark and Dubourg together, and two by Fry and Sutherland together. Among the plates are Nelson in the Cock-Pit, Boarding of the Chesapeake, and Horse Guards at Waterloo. The book is remarkable for its brilliant colouring, and makes a capital companion for the two series of Martial and Naval Achievements” (Hardie page 138). Abbey Life 376; Hardie pp. 137-8; Ogilby 683; Prideaux pp. 224, 346; Tooley 353 (calling this a second issue but Abbey thinks this incorrect, stating that 'coupled with the fact that dated copies examined carry early watermarks and that the undated ones do not, it would appear reasonable to assume that the early state of the book has a dated title-page such as the above')
Condition:
Some light wear to extremities, boards a bit rubbed, spine ends and corners restored; a few plates foxed; very good.