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A Library of Curiosities

Wed, Jul 30, 2025 10:00AM EDT
  2025-07-30 10:00:00 2025-07-30 10:00:00 America/New_York Gray's Auctioneers LLC Gray's Auctioneers LLC : A Library of Curiosities https://auctions.graysauctioneers.com/auctions/grays/a-library-of-curiosities-19990
Our Library of Curiosities auction features selections from the collection of John A Davidson Jr., a life long collector of rare books. John was extraordinarily interested in a wide array of subjects from the beginning of publishing through the twentieth century.
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Lot 7

ANONYMOUS. The New Art of War / 1726.

Estimate: $400 - $600
Starting Bid
$200

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $10
$200 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $200
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
$100,000 $10,000
$200,000 $50,000
$1,000,000 $100,000
ANONYMOUS. The New Art of War / 1726. First Edition.

London: printed for E. Midwinter, at the Looking-Glass on London-Bridge, M.DCC.XXVI. [1726].

Anonymous, but Part I is by the Sieur de Birac, parts II-III by M. de Lamont, part IV by the Chevalier de la ValieÌre.

xii, 280 p., 2 folded plates. Decorative initials, head and section pieces.

Bound in leather, gilt spine title.

H: 6 1/2 W: 4 1/4 in.

Full title is - The new art of war: Containing I. The duties of officers of horse and foot. II. the Duties of a Soldier in general, from a private Sentinel to a Commander in Chief. III. The practice of war by all great generals; As the Order of Marching, Counter-Marching, and Incamping, with proper Distances, as Intervals and Streets, for Horse and Foot; the Plan or Method of drawing up an Army in Line of Battle; of Attacking and Defending Lines of Circumvallation; of pasting Rivers over Bridges of Pontons, and Entrenching an Army on the other Side; the Manner of Besieging and Defending fortified Places; the Method of Surprising Garrisons and Armies, and of Beating up Quarters. To which are added (never published before,) IV. The manner of drawing up a regiment, and Posting Officers, with Orders to be observ'd in Camps and Garrisons. V. The Exercise of the Foot, with the Number of Motions to be performed at each Word of Command, and an Explanation of them. VI. The Method of Forming and Reducing the Hollow Square. Vii. The Exercise of the Horse and Dragoons as now practised. Viii. The Rules and Orders of his late Majesty King William, when Prince of Orange, to be observed by all Guards and Garrisons. IX. Lastly, an abridgement of the articles of war now in Force. The whole illustrated with several Copper Cuts. Good, soiled edges, trimmed close to text, some slight browning throughout, slight tears in both folded plates.

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From the Estate of John A. Davidson, Jr. Proceeds to benefit the APL of Lorain County and the Dittrick Museum.