Instructions militaires pour le maniement des armes, Suivant l'Ordonnance du Roi du premier Juin 1776, pour régler l'Exercice de l'Infanterie Françoise. Adopté par la Garde Nationale. Orné de 32 figures.

Paris, Chez l'Auteur et chez les principaux Libraries de Paris & de la France, 1791. 1st Edition . Soft cover. .. Octavo. Pp. 32 unpaginated text pages. Plus 32 copper engraved plates, numbered, captioned, and extensively explained on the copper. Charming device to title-page depicting a cherub cheerfully striking two kettledrums. Bound in contemporary waxed marbled paper, double layered; few marginal spots and light smudges. In overall fine condition. ~ FIRST EDITION. Extremely rare. Exquisitely illustrated. The first part shows the choreographed movements that the infantryman makes while progressing through the 12 classic steps: "Load your weapon", "Open the pan", "Take the cartridge", "Bite the cartridge", "Prime", "Shut the pan", "Weapon to the left", "Cartridge in the barrel", "Draw ramrod", "Ram", "Replace ramrod", "Shoulder arms". The second series of plates continues with "Ready", "Present", "Fire", "Recover your weapon", etc., etc. For contemporary reactions to the publication of this book see: "La France litéraire, contenant les auteurs français de 1771 à 1796", Vol. 1; "Gazette Nationale, ou Le Moniteur Universel", No. 130, May 1791; "Feuille de correspondance du libraire", No. 1, June 1791. For brief listings in contemporary general bibliographies, see: Joseph-Marie Quérard: La France littéraire, ou Dictionnaire bibliographique (Paris, 1827); Maurice Tourneux: Bibliographie l'histoire de Paris pendant la Révolution Française (Paris, 1804); Johann Samuel Ersch: Allgemeines Repertorium der Literatur für die Jahre 1791 bis 1795 (Weimar, 1800); Idem: La France littéraire contenant les auteurs français de 1771 à 1796 (Hamburg, 1797); Johann Samuel Ersch: "Das gelehrte Frankreich oder Lexicon der französischen Schriftsteller von 1771 bis 1796" (Paris, 1797); and "Réimpression de l'Ancien Moniteur" Volume 8, (1841): "Cet ouvrage est très-bien exécuté". No other record could be found and the book is not in any standard bibliography. Both OCLC and KVK locate a single copy worldwide, that in University of Augsburg. No artist could be identified as the creator of the magnificent plates. The catalogue of the grandiose Ernest Ponti Collection's sale attributes the illustrations to Borel himself: "32 très jolies planches de costumes militaires habilement gravées par Borel." For this, see: "Collection Ernest Ponti: Costumes et scènes militaires de tous pays, très importants recueils et estampes en feuilles (.) document et livres anciens, Paris, Hôtel Drouot, June 1935", item 70. There are several artists by the name of "Borel" in Bénézit Dictionary of Artists. Only two, both named Antoine Borel, lived in the late 18th and early 19th century. One, a miniaturist, who was born in Pesme in 1777 and who died in Besançon in 1838, does not seem like the right candidate. For the other Antoine Borel the entry in Bénézit states only that he was a French 18th-century painter, draughtsman and etcher whose subjects included portraits, historical and mythological scenes. It must be that Bénézit refers to Antoine Borel who was born in Paris in 1743 and died in 1810, a painter, draftsman and engraver. The son of a portraitist, he devoted himself first to this style of painting, then gave preference to the representation of matters of morals and political allegories. He later put his talent in the illustration of erotic books and pornographic prints and he is most remembered today for his contribution to this genre. But he also made many compositions for serious works. When, however, his style, technique, and chosen subject matter are closely examined it seems rather unlikely that he was the "Citoyen-Soldat" who made the superb illustrations for this book and the true identity of this extraordinary artist remains a mystery. Clamshell