Francfort sur le Main, Paul Jacques, aux despens dudit Octave, & se vendent en la boutique de Lucas Jennis, 1617-1618.
Folio of (10) pp., 50 double plates numbered from 1 to 50 ; 18 pp., (1) bl.l.; 50 plates numbered from 51 to 100; bound at the time like most of the rare copies that appeared on the market without the 8 explanatory ll. of the first part like the Christie’s copy of June 12, 2013 bound in modern vellum (sold for 11 000 €) and the Koller copy of April 2, 2012; these two copies were considered complete. 5 pl. slightly foxed, pl. 22 and 64 browned, pl. 57 and 66 torn without loss, pl. 67, 68, 93 and 94 are bound backwards. Full Havana calf, covers entirely surrounded with various blind-stamped borders and fillets with gilt fleurons in the corners and gilt central fleuron, spine gilt ribbed, blued edges. Beautiful contemporary binding.
289 x 183 mm.
First edition fully complete with its 100 engravings published simultaneously in French and German.
Exceedingly rare work on mills and their mechanics.
First and unique edition, published at the same time as a German edition (the German edition will be republished in 1623), consisting of a dedication, a few explanatory pages but above all of 2 beautiful frontispieces and 100 etchings on double pages (fine issue of the engravings) depicting various types of mechanical systems intended to operate ornamental fountains or animal troughs, to grind grain or other products, to extract ore, to operate saws for cutting wood, to lift bales, to turn roasting ovens (pl. 49), to make paper (pl. 100), etc., all driven by men, beasts, water, wind or counterweight.
The plates are engraved by Balthasar Schwan and Eberhard Kiefer after drawings by Jacopo Strada (Mantua 1507-1588 Prague), a pure Renaissance mind of many talents, since he excelled as a goldsmith, machine inventor, numismatist, linguist, art collector and dealer, but above all as a painter and architect in the service of three successive Habsburg emperors: Ferdinand I, Maximilian II and Rudolf II.
Ottavio Strada (1550-1612) published the drawings of his uncle (see title) or grandfather (see dedication) almost 30 years after the latter’s death, thus lagging behind recent innovations. He dedicated the first part to the Duke of Bavaria Frederick V, whose large coat of arms are printed halfway down the page, and the second to the governors of the United Provinces. The few explanatory pages are by Benjamin Bramer (1588-1652), a German architect and mathematician, who « espère de monster (Dieu aydant) en bref aussi apprès la publication de toutes les machines de nostre auteur, quelques aultres desseings de ma propre invention ».
The beautiful titles by Matthias Merian show Archimedes, Vitruvius, Hermes and Diane as well as small scenes with windmills, watermills, rotation systems, etc.
“First edition of Strada work on engineering designs, mills, pumps, and other machinery. Jacobus de Strada was a slightly older contemporary of Ramelli, whose own work on mechanical engineering was published in the year of Strada’s death. It is clear that each man’s work was independent; Beck suggests that Strada may have been aware of Ramelli’s publication and decided against publishing his own designs in deference to the Italian. For whatever reason, publication was posthumous, edited by his grandson Octavius, and the 30-year delay resulted in Strada’s designs losing their innovative edge. Nonetheless, the work shows Strada’s close attention to detail and illustrates a wide range of machinery and engineering. One mill (plate 90) is described as best for producing ink black and is also ideal for such things as mustard, where the operator needs a certain distance from the burning dust (Cf. T. Beck, Beitraege zur Geschichte des Mashinenbaues, chapter 23.)”
A superb copy very well preserved in its elegant blind-stamped contemporary binding.
