First edition of an important German work on fortification, with 27 folding plates. It forms a complete handbook in three parts, the first covering fortifications of both regular and irregular form, the second covering siege techniques and the third the defence of cities and fortifications. Christoph Heidemann (d. 1684) was military engineer to the Elector of Bavaria. He was a follower of Daniel Specklin (1536-1589), but introduced many improvements in technique and equipment. Like Antoine de Ville (1596-1656), he strongly recommends the construction of orillons at the corners of fortifications to cover the flanks, an idea the Dutch school had rejected. The 168 fine-line engravings include many fortification plans, sections, elevations and views, mostly with scales, but also illustrations of building techniques and equipment, palisades, tunnels, facilities for supplying water, etc. The last plate is signed by Stenglin, perhaps indicating that he engraved them all.
With some worm holes in the gutter and a stain at the foot of the gutter, both mostly confined to the margins but with two small holes in the background of the engraved title-page, an occasional hole affecting a letter of the text, and with a marginal chip in the last text leaf, but otherwise in very good condition. Lacking the blank leaves at the end of parts 1 and 2. Binding slightly rubbed, but otherwise good. An important handbook of fortification, with extensive and very detailed illustrations. Berlin Kat. 3531; Jähns, p. 1343; VD17, 23:294435N; not in Sloos.