[Kempelen, Wolfgang von] | Fake chess-playing machine unveiled

[Kempelen, Wolfgang von]

[Robert Willis]. An Attempt to Analyse the Automaton Chess Player of Mr. De. Kempelen. London: Printed for J. Booth, 1821

8vo (229 x 140 mm). Half-title, 10 lithographed plates (including frontispiece) by Willis printed by C. Hullmandel; plates lightly foxed. Original brown boards; front free endpaper loose, lower board a bit stained, neatly rebacked.

First edition. Robert Willis was a mechanical engineer and a Cambridge professor lauded for his work on the mechanics of human speech. In 1821, he published his findings on Wolfgang von Kempelen's famous "Automaton Chess Player" or "Mechanical Turk, " as it was known—a fake chess-playing machine von Kempelen presented to the Empress Maria Theresa in 1770.

The apparatus seemingly played a strong game of chess against a human opponent when in fact a human chess master was hidden inside. With a skilled operator, the Turk won most of the games during its demonstrations, defeating many challengers including Napoleon Bonaparte and Benjamin Franklin. Although many had suspected the machine was faked, Willis was the first to reveal the hoax 51 years after its creation.

PROVENANCE:

George Allen (signature on front free endpaper) — Library Company of Philadephia (bookplate "Purchased from the Heirs of George Allen" and discard stamp on front pastedown)