Appier and Thybourel, Recueil de plusieurs machines militaires, Pont-à-Mousson, 1620, vellum

APPIER, JEAN, CALLED HANZELET, AND FRANÇOIS THYBOUREL

Recueil de plusieurs machines militaires et feux artificiels pour la guerre et récréation. Pont-à-Mousson: Charles Marchant, 1620

7 parts in one volume, 4to (184 x 141mm.), engraved title-page, engraved device on other title-pages, engraved illustrations (with replacement pasted over C3 in book 3 and over O1v in book 4), folding engraved plate, contemporary vellum, decorated gilt paper pastedowns, some light browning

FIRST EDITION of Appier's work on military and recreational fireworks, for which he produced not only the text but also the engravings. His father was an engineer for the Duke of Lorraine though Appier himself was an artist. He collaborated with the physician and mathematician François Thybourel to produce this fascinating work of various exploding devices including treasure chests and baskets of eggs.

LITERATURE:

Cockle 937; Rép. bibl. xviie siècle, vol. X, p.175; USTC 6805192

PROVENANCE:

Thomas Francis Fremantle, armorial bookplate, purchased from Pickering & Chatto, 2 August 1901, £3-3s