THE WORLD OF BERETTA: AN INTERNATIONAL LEGEND. By R.L. Wilson.

2000 1st edition reprint. Oblong 4to (285 x 224mm). Ppxii,372. Colour, b/w photographs by Peter Beard and Mauro Pezzotta throughout, colour and b/w illustrations, bibliography. Blind-stamped "R.L.W." monogram to upper board, spine titled in gilt.

This is a sumptuously illustrated account of the history of the Italian arms manufacturer, Beretta, published to mark the company's 475th anniversary. Although the company is indeed ancient, the majority of the book's contents deal with nineteenth and twentieth century developments. The photography was undertaken by Peter Beard and Mauro Pezzotta. Chapters include: The Beretta heritage; The Beretta elegance; Sporting shotguns for the field; Shotguns for competition; Military rifles and machine guns; Handguns for sport and self-defence; Beretta's M9, the US service pistol triumph; Sporting rifles and big game hunting; Beretta Sport, the galleries, and subsidiaries; The Beretta family, present and future; Epilogue, current information through early 2000; Technical data.