VALTURIN (Robert).

The Twelve books concerning the Military discipline. Translatez de langue latine en françoise. Paris, Charles Périer, 1555. In-folio, ivory vellum overlay (modern binding). Brown, p. 307. - Cat. Brunschwig, n°569. First edition in French of this remarkable book of military art composed in the 15th century by the Italian engineer Robertus Valturius (1405-1475). Translated by Louis Meigret, it is decorated with numerous woodcut figures in the text, some of them full-page; these, executed with precision and elegance, represent military constructions and war machines (ram, catapults, cannons, etc.). These illustrations, here in the third edition, are identical to those of the edition given in 1532 in Paris by Wechel. The original edition had appeared in Verona in 1472 under the title De re militari libri XII. Wet stamps on the title, that of the École spéciale militaire (repeated f. 155 and at the end), and that of the Könieg Kriegs Akademic Bibliothek. Two large russet stains on the title, 4 interchanged leaves, angular restoration and small worm marks filled in at the foot of about 20 leaves.