Viollet le Duc E.

1875 · réf. 85405 — London: Sampson LowMarstonLow & Searle. A Rare title in Contemporary red cloth boards with gilt pictorial inlay of a fort to the front cover contained within border.The book has bevelled edgesgilt title to spin and lettered in black to the upper cover.Slight scuff and rubbing to head of spine and to a couple of corners of the book.There is one former owner's bookplate to the front pastedown and one small previous bookseller's catalogue entry tipped onto the front endpaper easily removed The binding remains firm with NO hinge weakness.There is a coloured map of Ohet as frontispiece and there are a further 84 drawings and sketches.The wonderfully atmospheric life story of a fortress charts brilliantly the development of fortification and the art of the siege This evocative work is one of the greatest and most unusual books ever written on siege warfare and fortifications.The author recreates the life of a French castle from its obscure origins to its fate in the Franco-Prussian War.As an architect and experienced military engineer Viollet-le-Duc was uniquely placed to write on the history of fortifications. In Annals of a Fortress he examines the life of the imaginery Castle of La Roche-Pont as it endures numerous protracted and bitter sieges. Viollet-le-Duc was a noted military engineer serving admirably in the Franco-Prussian War and also an architectural historian.Great copy for the collectorif not in the original binding then certainly contemporary to the time8vo xv 390pp Plus 40pp of Publisher's list at rear of the book.First Edition 1875 . Very Good. Hardcover. First Edition. 1st Printing. 1875. Sampson Low,Marston,Low & Searle hardcover