Essai sur l’art de pointer

Paris: Magimel, Anselin, and Pochard, 1816. First edition. Letterpress tables and 2 folding engraved plates. Contemporary pink wrappers. A fresh, uncut copy in original condition. First edition of this uncommon artillery manual. Here Poumet, a polytechnician, proposes the use of geometry to effectively shoot targets. He provides instructions for eyeballing the correct trajectory angle, taking into account different kinds of guns and powder as well as scenarios for shooting, such as sieges and battles. The plates show canons at different positions and their expected shot path.

Rare. OCLC finds four copies in the U.S. (West Point, Naval Acad., Army Acad., Dartmouth)

Quérard VII: 313.