Beschreibung:

21 vol., an incomplete set, but with plates in excellent condition, c.1780 engraved plates, 146 folding, 5 double-page, half-title in vol. I, dedication f. in vol.VI, engraved vignettes and head- & tail-pieces, typographic decorations, illustrations and tables in text, 8 large tables of data, divisional titles throughout, 1 plate with small tear to margin, 1 torn along fold, 2 neatly repaired along folds, a little offsetting from plates, a few text ff. browned, some soiling to fore-edges, a few plates stained on upper margins, handsome contemporary mottled calf, gilt, rubbed, some boards scuffed, a few splits to joints, corners bumped, spine ends worn (7 vol. with slight loss), folio, Paris, Desaint & Saillant, 1761-69; sold not subject to return. *** Henri-Louis Duhamel du Monceau (1700-1782), French scientist and engineer; editor of the work after the death of René-Antoine Ferchault de Réamur. Duhamel du Monceau saw the first 28 volumes of the work to publication; later editors took up the series and added another 85 volumes. Sections comprise descriptions and images of the making of, respectively, surgical & scientific instruments, locks, cutlery & scissors, ships & sails, quicklime, bricks, slates, tiles, barrels, shoes & boots, tennis rackets, porcelain, pottery, soap, starch, bread, glue, clothes, lingerie, wigs, hats, curtains, embroidered items, crates & boxes, pipe organs, candles & candlesticks, parchment, paper, seals, anvils, playing cards, anchors, lead pipes, and saddles & harnesses; others show the processes of, respectively, distilling, wire drawing, building & bricklaying, preparing and tanning leather & hides, painting on glass, metallurgy, coal mining, erecting fountains, bookbinding, making tapestries, carpentry, sea fishing, refining sugar, and preparing indigo, iron sulphate, silk, cotton, & wool.