1771 Description du... Construit Sur La Riviere D'Allier a Moulins, Regemortes

A visually stunning publication, printed in the "grand in-folio" size (leaves roughly 52 cm tall), with 16 plates (many of them fold-out), documenting one of the great 18th century engineering feats. The definitive 18th-century treatise on hydraulic engineering, documenting the first successful bridge across the treacherous D'Allier. This technical work records a landmark, the transition from guild-based craft to formalized science-based standardized building techniques.

The author, Louis de Regemortes, was the Engineer-in-Chief of the bridge project. During this period publishing was an important component in nationalizing engineering development for the purpose of future projects. Other famous French folio publications, of the time, document building works of the King at the palaces. And Germany was also publishing works, like the Theatrum Machinarum, capturing their engineering steps forward. Other nations also had similar published works.

Also, importantly, Regemortes' team came up with a solution to bridge building over a tempestuous river with only shifting sands as a base. While expensive, Regemortes foundation solution successfully overcame the challenge and the bridge stands to this day. In part, this book was justifying the large French expenditure for the project and declaring the bridge's great success.

Bibliographic Details -

Worldcat OCLC catalogue number 11039621

Physical Attributes -

Measures approx. 53 x 38.5 x 3.5 cm. Spine with seven raised bands; five visible compartments with a central gilt floret with surrounding gilt leaves, and one compartment with the title in gilt. Boards with triple gilt fillet border. Marbled endpapers; turn-ins rolled with flowering gilt design. 16 illustrations, some fold-out. Also, allegorical title page.

Pages - Title page, 1-47. 16 tipped-in plates.

Collation - Title page, A*1, B*1, C-Z1, 2A1 (but wrote as "A2").

Condition -

See pictures. Binding likely contemporary so quite worn; someone re-cornered the binding and added leather to the head and tail of the spine. Still, edge wear to binding and some crazing to mottled leather. Graphite number on verso of flyleaf. Several light library impressions at bottom of title page. A little dust in gutters. Some toning and thumbing throughout, with occasional fox spots. Occasional stray ink mark. Some strengthening of the rear of fold-outs at folds. More bookseller marks on recto of rear flyleaf.