Lot 234: CONGREVE, William (1772-1828). The Details of the Rocket System: Shewing th

CONGREVE, William (1772-1828). The Details of the Rocket System: Shewing the Various Applications of this Weapon, both for Sea and for Land Service, and its Diferent Uses in the Field and in Sieges. London: printed by J. Whiting, 1814. The frst edition, with hand-coloured plates depicting the frst modern European war rockets. 'The rockets’ red glare; the bombs bursting in air,' immortalized by Francis Scott Key in the American national anthem describe specifcally the Congreve rockets which assailed Fort McHenry in September 1814. Congreve invested his own money in developing these solidfuel, iron-cased missiles. Reverse-engineered from Indian Mysorean rockets, his invention greatly increased the range and maneuverability over any European rocket to date. They were used in trials by the Royal Navy beginning in late 1805, but met with limited success at the start and were not adopted more widely until 1813 when the frst 'Rocket Brigades' were commissioned and this book became necessary for oficer training. This frst edition, published contemporaneously to the formation of the Rocket Brigades and intended for their use, is very rare. The most recent copy sold at auction was the Honeyman copy, in 1988. Not in Abbey or Tooley. Ogilby Trust Index 192. Oblong folio (270 x 422mm). 12 hand-coloured engraved plates on wove paper, without watermarks or with watermarks dated 1809 or 1811, the plates numbered in a combination of engraving and manuscript (the uncoloured plate 13 supplied in facsimile, title-page creased and repaired, long repaired tear to text for plate 7, occasional minor soiling). Contemporary calf ruled in gilt (rebacked to style).