Traité de l'art des armes, à l'usage des professeurs et des amateurs [...].

8vo: xxii-309 pp.; 20 pl. (occ. marg. foxing, a few pencil annotations in margins, pl. sl. browned).

Later red half morocco, marbled paper on boards, gilt-orn. spine with raised bands, gilt top edge (cuts and joints sl. rubbed). Good slightly trimmed copy.

First edition of this famous "traité d'escrime estimé, qui a imprimé à l'escrime moderne, en France, le même mouvement progressif donné en Italie par Rossaroll et par Grisetti" (Garcia Donnell). A renowned fencer, the author (1766-1818) is the son of a great fencing master who set out to refute Danet's theories. Complete with 20 fold. pl. by Adam after Bodem, showing various positions, actions, and movements.
Ref. Thimm 33. - Garcia Donnell 18. - Vigeant 38-39. - En garde ! 47. - Pardoel 396.01.
Prov. Archibald Corble (1883-1944), British fencer, British Sabre Champion, great collector of swords and books on fencing (arm. bookpl. engr. by Marey after Félix Joubert, 1923). At the end of his life he donated most of his vast collection to the Catholic University of Leuven (ref. "Corble Collection", in bib.kuleuven.be).