COUFFIGNAL, SUR L'ANALYSE MECANIQUE, PARIS 1938 (2 COPIES, BOTH PRESENTATION COPIES)

i. Thèses présentées a la Faculté des Sciences de Paris... 1re Thèse. - Sur l'analyse mécanique. Application aux machines a calculer et aux calculs de la méchanique céleste. 2e Thèse. - Le Coloriage des Cartes. Paris: Gauthier-Villars, 1938, first edition, PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR TO GABRIEL BERTRAND ON FRONT ENDPAPER, original wrappers, glassine, slightly brownedii. [another copy], PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR TO EMILE BOREL ON FRONT ENDPAPER, original wrappers, slight browning8vo, two volumes, preserved in cloth folding box

[first copy:] Gabriel Bertrand (1867-1962), Professor of Biochemistry at the Sorbonne, presentation inscription; bought from Gilhofer & Ranschburg, Lucerne, 1986
[second copy:] Émile Borel (1871-1956), mathematician, co-founder in 1928 of the Institut Henri Poincaré in Paris, presentation inscription; bought from Pickering & Chatto, London, 1993

Tomash & Williams C186; Origins of Cyberspace 282; Randell 1979 p.121

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, when appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Couffignal started his career as a teacher of mathematics and mechanics at the École des Élèves Ingenieurs Mecaniciens, which is part of the École Navale de Brest. He became interested in the problem of calculation and wrote a thesis on the subject under the direction of Maurice d’Ocagne (who died very shortly after it was accepted in March 1938). This was the first time that the topic of calculating machines had been accepted for a thesis at the University of Paris. This volume is that thesis. Evidently it was intended to be augmented by work on the topic of map (or graph) colouring, as mentioned as the second thesis on the title page. However, that thesis is not actually included in this volume. The bulk of the work consists of a description of mechanical calculating machines and a discussion of the binary number system. Couffignal proposes both mechanical and relay implementations of the binary functions.