1758 Treatise on Surveying and Measuring (in French) by Jacques Ozanam, 12 fold-out plates. Cat's-paw calf. Cartography and Construction

A fascinating 18th century work on surveying and measuring, in French (arpentage being surveying and toise being measuring), authored by the venerable Jacques Ozanam, and including 12 fold-out plates showing examples.

This work also includes some of Ozanam's well-respected mathematical tables; these were the equivalent of 18th century calculators.

I'm particularly drawn to the plates, which include examples of surveying the heights of mountains and buildings, which crosses several genres (cartology and construction). Also, there is a wonderful plate showing the surveyor's sight glass, which might make it a great gift for a surveyor or someone else employed in the construction trade.

The binding is one of the most pronounced examples of "Cat's-paw Calf" that I've ever seen; you can almost picture the cat standing on it. Cat's-paw is one of the more recognizable and celebrated binding styles of the 18th century.

Physical Attributes -

Measures 17 x 10 x 3.5 cm. Cat's-paw calf. Marbled endpapers. Pages (1), xxiv, 484 numbered pages, 12 fold-out plates, (1)

Condition -

See pictures. Shelf wear, with edges worn. Chipping at top and bottom of spine. One worm hole on rear joint. Name, date and inscription on title page. Soiling/water mark at bottom right margin throughout book (see pictures); it seldom, if ever, gets near the text. Several of the plates are experiencing some margin loss at that same lower right position of the margin. A handful of dog-eared pages. I see no other annotations (apart from title page). A very occasional spot of fox.