steam power
STUART, Robert.
Histoire descriptive de la machine a vapeur, traduite de l'Anglais de R. Stuart; précédée d'une introduction exposant la théorie des vapeurs; suivie de la description des perfectionnements faits en France, et des considérations générales sur l'emploi de ces machines.
Paris: Malher et Compagnie, 1827.
12mo (170 × 100 mm.), pp. [ix], vi-xi, [i], 381, [1], complete despite mispagination of prelims and removal of one final leaf (stub remaining and manifestly a duplicate of the remaining final leaf with letterpress table), 6 large folding engraved plates at rear. Uncut in original blue-grey printed boards. The upper forecorner slightly nibbled with minor loss to head of upper board and to margins of a few leaves and one plate (just touching plate border). An atttractive copy.
First edition in French of Stuart's pioneering early history of the steam engine, translated (with additional notes by the French editor) from the third English edition of 1825. The work describes the major inventions from Hero of Alexandria, through Caus, Branca, the Marquis of Worcester, Moreland, Papin, Newcomen, and Hulls, to Watt, Hornblower and Trevithick. The final 60 pages contain an appendix not found in the English editions designed to demonstrate the developments in steam engineering in France since 1815. Brunel is rightly claimed as a Frenchman. The title formed part of Malher et Compagnie's Bibliothéque industrielle and is very scarce.
£400.00
US$794.32*
* Given as a guide only. Based on an exchange rate of £1 = US$1.985799 for the day 25 July 2008 but liable to fluctuate.
25 July 2008