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Estimate: $ 500 - $ 750
BESSON, JACQUES. Theâtre des Instrumens Mathématiques et Méchaniques. 60 full-page engravings after Jacques Androuet du Cerceau depicting miscellaneous machines and inventions. [62] (of [65] leaves; lacks title, *4, and [chi]1. Folio, 380x255 mm, modern 1/4 marbled boards, calf back, vellum corners; contents soiled and dampstained, P3 and Q4 torn with image loss. Modern owner's ephemera mounted on flyleaves and preliminaries. sold as is. [Lyon: Jacques I Chouet, 1594]
Survey of Renaissance mechanical engineering first published in 1569 in Latin, documenting a diverse array of inventions. Besson's book gave rise to the genre of the illustrated compendium or "theater" of machines, which remained popular into the 18th century. GLN-6148.
