Beschreibung:

CAUS, Isaac de (fl. 1644). New and rare inventions of water-works shewing the easiest waies to raise water higher than the spring . Translated from French into English by John Leak. London: Joseph Moxon 1659. 2 o (343 x 223 mm). Engraved architectural title (Johnson 64), 26 numbered engraved plates, numerous woodcuts in text, woodcut initials, type ornament headpieces (foremargin of title irregular due to paper flaw, repaired marginal tear to plate 9 just catching image.) Contemporary calf over pasteboard (rebacked, covers rubbed). Provenance : John Cope (18th-century engraved armorial bookplate and signature with note of price); C. E. Kenney (booklabel). FIRST ENGLISH EDITION, a translation of the Nouvelle invention de lever l'eau (London: Moxon, 1644), illustrated with the same plates. Isaac Caus's text and illustrations were adapted from Salomon de Caus's Les raisons des forces mouvantes avec diverses machines (Frankfurt 1615), an important work for the development of technology and particularly that of the steam engine. Architect and engineer to the Elector Palatine in Heidelberg, Caus (1576-1626) was a pioneer in the construction of life-sized automata, several of which are illustrated here. The present treatise also includes descriptions of a fire engine, various pumps, several types of musical organs, and a sluice. Cf. Thorndike VII, pp. 592-593; Wellcome II, p.315; Wing C-1527; Norman 417.