Deutschlands Heer und Flotte in Wort und Bild “Germany's Army and Navy by Pen and Picture 1899” by Gustave A Sigal, with contributions by Major-General von Specht-This beautiful book was published by The Werner Company, of Akron, Ohio in 1900. This is a monumental first edition reference volume that is bilingual, written in both German and English. This pictorial hardcover has 181 pages. It outlines the organization and responsibilities of the army regiments and battalions, calvary. Hussars and Uhlans, telegraph and trains, artillery, airship and navy ships. Also covers marines, colonial troops, etc. This is illustrated with 41 chromolithograph plates, that are protected with textured tissue paper. These begin with Kaiser Wilhelm II and staff and follow with 42 fine, bright plates of military costume, ships, and troops on parade, drilling, on horseback, scouting, and bivouacking, both in the field and barracks, and engineering. These are far more than static costume illustrations but rather ones that depict action scenes. Published by Werner, which was a leading German American publisher in the late nineteenth century that began by publishing a German newspaper in the U.S. This, being a bilingual publication, this was perhaps the company's most opulent book that clearly was aimed at appealing to Teutonic patriotism of the US immigrant community well before the First World War squelched this type of fervor. This book is large format, and measures 17 ½ inches by 13 ½ inches. It is a very rare book. This book has lost its first page, this would be the dark brown protective 1st page that has been removed. Other than that, everything is in place, the pages are very clean and tightly bound. The very ornate leatherette covering on this book does have some damage to the spine, so please be sure to look closely at the photos. There is also a spot on the front cover that looks as though a label was removed from it, again, please check photos. Otherwise, this is an excellent display piece with a wealth of information.