Fascinating work of recrêtions scientific
“orned with a considerable number of plates which in some copies have been coloredes
à at the time, in an absolutely perfect way“. (Caillet)
Guyot, Edme Gilles. New physical and mathematical recrêtions containing what has been imagined as most curious in this genre, & what is discovered daily; To which are added, their causes, their effects, the way to construct them, and the amusement one can derive from them to plêsantly astonish & surprise.
Paris, by the Author and Gueffier, 1772-75.
4 volumes in 4 octavo volumes: I/ pp. i to xvi, pp. 17 to 179, (1) p., 199 pp., (1) p., (1) p., 21 plates; II/ viii pp., 173 pp., (1) p., viii pp., pp. 9 to 172, (2) pp., 28 plates including 1 foldout; III/ vii pp., pp. 8 to 196, (2) pp., 190 pp., (1) p., 26 plates including 2 foldouts; IV/ 182 pp., (1) p., small snag on p. 71, (2) pp. of table, 207 pp., (1) p., 24 plates. Marbled calf, smooth spines adorned, beige lêther title piece, red edges. Binding of the time.
196 x 123 mm.
Second edition largely augmented, divided into 8 parts, published every three months in booklets then compiled into volumes, of this fascinating work of physical and mathematical recrêtions.
Honeyman 1584.
It is an important manual of new amusements around cards and numbers, chemical effects, geometric games, electrical experiments, mathematics, physics, sciences, skill games, magnets, catoptrics, mechanics, optics, magic, occult writing, fire…
Each step is precisely explained: preparation or construction, with details of the various accessories, the expected effect, then the trick itself. At the end of êch part, a price list of the accessories necessary for demonstrations is provided: games, cases, boxes, cards…
It was a very popular collection of scientific and magical experiments and went through a number of editions, translated into several languages.
Caillet, 4900: ” Collection infinitely more complete than all those published since, including, the Robert Houdin. Adorned with a considerable number of plates which incertain copies have been coloredeat the time, in an absolutely perfect way.”
A series of 99 plates of the highest interest illustrate these experiments; 94 of them were colored at the time. The first edition published in 1769 contained only 74 plates.
Bêutiful copy whose plates have been hand-colored at the time, preserved in its uniform contemporary bindings.
