Lot 215: Heinrich Eckert and Dietrich Monten.

ECKERT, Heinrich, and Dietrich MONTEN. Les Armèes d'Europe [Sämmtliche Truppen von Europa]. Würzburg: Christian Weiss, 1838-1842. First edition. A remarkable survival in the original printed livraison wrappers of one of the finest and rarest suites of hand-coloured lithographs of European military uniforms. Part 1 comprising 48 livraisons gives a comprehensive overview of the German and Austrian armies. Part 2 contains the rare section on the Russian army, as well as the Swedish, Swiss and French armies. Bibliographers disagree on the exact number of plates, with Colas noting that 'it is difficult to establish the exact content of this collection as, apart from the numerous variants, the known examples vary in content'. Colas 935; Lipperheide I, Qc26. 2 parts, folio (approx. 380 x 270mm). 590 hand-coloured lithographic plates, the vast majority tipped-in as issued, on leaves with printed captions and with the publisher's blind-stamp in the lower margin, part 1 with 3pp. letterpress content bifolium, part 2 with lithographic dedication to tsar Nicholas I (5 plates present in later issue being printed with captions on single sheet, these cut shorter and with light toning; a few other plates with some marginal tears and repairs; contents bifolium detached into 2 separate leaves, tape marks, soiling and extensive annotation). Each livraison in original printed grey wrappers, numbered in ink manuscript (extremities rubbed, creased and with short nicks and tears, about one-third with splits to joints, some almost detached, livraison 25 of part 2 with crude tape repairs to joints); part 1 contained in the original portfolio with printed paper-covered sides, green silk ties (extremities rubbed, a couple of short splits to joints); sold with a near contemporary metal box used to house at least part of the set (splits to joints, some resoldered).