Historic, Military, and Naval Anecdotes

London: Edward Orme, 1819. A Handsome Volume"
In Scarce Earliest Issue, A Scarce Tall Copy

ORME, Edward. Historic, Military, and Naval Anecdotes, Of Personal Valour, Bravery, and particular Incidents which occurred to the Armies of Great Britian and her Allies, in the last long-contested War, terminating with the Battle of Waterloo. Under the Patronage of, and Dedicated with Permission to His Royal Highness the Commander in Chief. London: Edited and Published by, and engraved under the direction of Edward Orme, 1819.

First Edition, earliest issue with title-page dated 1819 and plates watermarked Whatman 1812 & 1816.

Folio (13 3/16 x 10 3/8 in' 335 x 264 mm). [4], 94, [4] pp. Forty hand-colored aquatint plates, chiefly by Dubourg after Atkinson, Manskirsch, Clark, W. Heath, etc.

Contemporary full straight-grained dark green morocco with gilt decorated border and inner blind-stamped frame. Smooth spine with gilt decorated compartments and gilt rules and lettering. Gilt-ruled turn-ins. All edges gilt. Expertly and almost invisibly rebacked with original spine laid-down. A fine, clean copy.

While well-represented at auction, this appears to be the only copy to come to market within the last forty-five years to possess the earliest recorded watermarks and in tall format with title-page dated 1819.

"A handsome volume... nor could one desire a finer record of heroic deeds" (Prideaux).

"There is another issue of the book recognizable by two rules below 'Battle of Waterloo' on the title, and without the date at the foot. According to Tooley the undated issue carries text paged to '98,' and the dated only to page '94.' This is incorrect, all 98 pages being present in complete copies, but it should be noted that pages 95 to 98 are without pagination in the dated issue.

"Coupled with the fact that dated copies carry early watermarks and that the undated ones do not, it would appear reasonable to assume that the early state of the book had dated title-page such as the above" (Abbey).

Tooley 353; Abbey, Life 376; Prideaux. p. 224 Ogilby, British Military Costume Prints, 683.